Boost Starter for boat.

[Leicester Fisheagle]

Happened to be in Halfords getting a few battery terminal crimps for my bait pump and saw that they had quite a reasonable range of Booster Packs, some included other features eg. Chargers, torch etc. I used to have one nearly ten years ago and found it pretty useless for starting cars.

 

Some of the newer ones have lithium batteries and claim to be ok.for petrol and diesel engines of six litres plus and generate up to 2000 amps. They seem to cost around £100 to £150 plus. Much more powerful, lighter and very compact compared to my old one.

 

Does anyone carry one on their boat or have any thoughts on these? Could they be used to run a bait pump?

 

Allan.

[charlieannear]

Rob used to use an old-style one to power a bait pump, but I'm not sure if these are set up for using as a continual power source rather than for a short, sharp burst of power?

[Mal Thomas]

Multi cycle golf cart lithium battery would do, small compact and lightweight .

[Coddy]

Lithium batteries are expensive and have a limited cycle range, I personally would suggest a sealed AGM or Gel battery as they are not so sceptical to low voltage damage if drained and can be recharged using modest chargers, lithium batteries require specialist chargers.

To give you and an idea I have just purchased a 14v 2A lithium battery pack cost approx. £125 and the charger another £160 + vat!

Nicads are just as bad for the limited use and they have memory issues.

 

Re the Booster pack, as Charlie suggested these are designed for short bursts of high power and not sustained low power drain.

This is where starter batteries and leisure batteries differ and forget the "Marine" badge unless you have loads of money to waste as I have not seen any factual documentation to say that a purpose produced "Marine" battery has any improvement over the usual range.

[Mal Thomas]

This is the type of battery and charger I was suggesting, lithium polymer battery weighs 2.2kgs comes with charger, has a 1000 to 2000 cycle and on light useage probably more. A very safe battery, better than lithium ion, you would need to make an adaption to the connection to the pump. Best of luck.

 

http://www.powerhousegolf.co.uk/acatalog/18-Hole-Lithium-Trolley-Battery-MISC036.html#SID=92

advertised at £129

[Leicester Fisheagle]

Thanks Mal. It was on a short list.Wasn't sure from the spec. If connectors would need changing. Obviously they do.

[Rob]

Rob used to use an old-style one to power a bait pump, but I'm not sure if these are set up for using as a continual power source rather than for a short, sharp burst of power?

 

Yes, I used to use one, a cheap one - which wasn't a high cranking one, but had 17ah which was enough to run a bait well.

 

However, since moving to a semi-traction battery (Varta LFD75 Varta Professional DC Leisure Battery 75Ah) I haven't bothered as this will run the boat, radio, sounds, twin plotters, blah blah all day no issues. And when it has had issues (low water in a cell) i just pull started the engine - as being only a 50hp it has the ability to.

 

The most i used the jumper starter for is other peoples cars, one was on the slipway and I helped him so he wasn't blocking half the slip when i would be coming back in!

 

For some of the bigger boats with shore power i can see the benefit of keeping a suitcase generator onboard:

 

 

R

[sparky]

Mine has a 350gph Rule pump which will run all day without draining the batteries down, this is connected to a 12volt socket on deck switched from cabin......pump about £ 20 !!