GL: Batteries

[Writerfred@aol.com]

Bob:
 
On our American Tug, the inverter battery bank, four 6-volt  batteries, is 
completely separate from the house bank.  Two years  after we bought the boat 
new, those batteries, wet cells from West Marine  installed by the boat 
manufacturer, went belly up.
 
I asked Boatronics, the local company here who does such work, to  replace 
them with AGM's.  They went outside marine sources and asked a firm  in 
Gallatin, Tennessee, specializing in electrical systems and battery  banks for large 
luxury RV's, for their recommendation.  Their opinion: DEKA  AGM's were at the 
top of their preferred list. So those were what I used as  replacements.
 
That has been almost four years ago and they have served me  flawlessly.
 
Although they were pricey, a convincing counterpoint was their  warranty.  If 
I remember correctly, it provided for full replacement within  the first two 
years, regardless of cause of failure.  From then until the  end of five 
years, the amount would be prorated.
 
Present warranties might not be so generous.  Still, in  doing your 
comparisons, you might check what warranty, if any, is being  offered.
 
Fred Myers



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