New Batteries!

On Friday we installed new house batteries aboard the Debonair.  Our batteries were only about three years old, but had been horribly mistreated, as we were gone so much.  These are old-fashioned "flooded" batteries, which need to be checked periodically and re-filled with distilled water.  While we were gone, they had gone dry and gone bad.  It was a sorry sight - the batteries were bulging on the tops, and they had leaked into the battery boxes.  It had to be treated with care so we did not spill any battery acid on ourselves or the boat.  Each box had to be carefully wiped out, all connections cleaned up, and everything hooked up exactly as it was.

We use six-volt golf cart batteries, which are rugged, take a lot of abuse, and deliver more energy per square inch than many other types of batteries.  We rig the batteries in serial, positive to negative, to achieve a twelve-volt house energy bank, in two separate house banks.

Old Deka batteries - a sorry sight, bulging, corroded, and sitting in leaked battery acid

We take careful photos to make sure we re-connect everything the same way

Bad corrosion on the terminal posts

New Trojan T-105 batteries

We had to lift each battery carefully - the old ones, dripping caustic fluid, had to be handled with gloves and safety goggles on.  Each battery weighs about sixty pounds, so bringing them aboard and hefting the old ones out was a chore.

Finally, two new banks of house energy, to power our refrigerator, lights, stereo, fans, and everything else aboard the boat.