after reading the thread about the television.

I thought the batteries side of things was interesting .

What are your experiences and thoughts on the best sort of batts to to use for cranking and house batts , sealed or unsealed how to charge safely etc?

trickle charge with 4 or 5 watt solar panel unregulated [ this what is happening with my two unsealed batts at the moment ] ?

or big panels with regulators ?

best brands ?

Hey LexA sounds very civilised , fridge mmmm luxxxery .

what are those batts ? are they cat as in caterpillar earth moving truck type batts?

Yep they are caterpillar batteries available from any Hastings Deering dealership... they do both deep cycle and have CCA rating.

thanks LexA , so they are like a deep cycle batt with cranking abillity also , multi purpose .

are they a sealed unit ?

@ Agent000 ... I generally have a maintenance plan for my yacht which covers all the boat systems as to what gets checked, serviced or replaced when etc ... as a part of this I replace my batteries every 5 years. I don't like equipment failure so am pretty proactive with maintenance. Rather than wait for a battery to fail for whatever reason I kick them to the curb. Yes some of the batteries I get rid of have some life left in them but I donate them to other local yachts who are struggling a bit ... we all know someone who is doing it hard after all and I like to help out a bit when I can.

I run a 500 amp bank split into 2, (one 200 amp and one 300 amp plus a 120 amp hour/1000CCA start battery), so if something goes wrong with one bank I still have the other happening and I can switch in either bank to assist with engine starting. My anchor winch draws power of my start battery, sure it takes a bit more to set up the system but its versatile and gives me viable backup ... guess I am a bit of a belt and braces man as I also have a boost charge/jump start pack on board.

Hi Lexa, can you give the model number for those batteries please, need to pick up a couple. Thanks lorri

Thanks Lexa, we are down Brisbane way, think there is one at richlands will give them a call. Your setup sounds good, Lorri

LexA your batt set up sounds sweet! is it wrong to have battery envy

Batteries are a personal choice and each person has to decide on their own requirements and usage needs.

Deep cycle batteries are designed for boating and caravan use where steady power is required over a long period of time.

Cranking batteries have to produce large amounts of amps over a short time, like starting your motor...

Manufacturers make batteries to suit a variety of needs and its up to you to decide what works for you.

Heavier, lighter, charge faster or longer, cheaper or more costly ..isnt a consideration ... we buy batteries according to our power consumption needs.

I buy Cat 100 amp hour batteries for my boats domestic use because they perform well, they last for 5 or 6 years and are pretty cost effective.

I charge up to about 14 volts, although 13.8 is what i usually get from my current solar set up. My inverter complains at 11 volts as thats what its set to do. I still have lights etc under 11 volts but its not optimum voltage for my inverter.

My batteries allow me to do what I want how I want and they perform up to my expectations at a price I am wiling to pay ... so for me ... they are perfect ...

I have lived on yachts on and off for over 20 years and know what I need for me to live the way I wish to live ... your needs may be totally different to mine ... thats life ...