Starting battery

[Larry in Maine]

I am replacing an old starting battery and wanted to get recommendations about whether to go with a CCA 550 or CCA 520. Have been using a CCA 385 but I think I should use something with a bigger kick.

Thanks.

Laurence Starr

[Al Schober]

I've always used a Group 24 flooded battery and have had good luck. Rated CCA on this size varies depending on manufacturer, but should be about 700.
What have you been using, a motorcycle battery?

[romantic comedy]

I have used a group 24 flooded starting battery. I get it from walmart. Last one lasted 13 years. Hard to believe.

[sastanley]

Like RC, I have had as much luck with Wal-Mart batteries as anything else. I do not have enough loads to warrant upgrading my current boat with anything other than flooded batts. I use my parallel gr29 house batts to start, but I do have a dedicated gr 24 start battery as a backup.

[joe_db]

The A4 starter draws 120-130 amps FYI.

[JOHN COOKSON]

I use a group 24 flooded battery for starting that I purchased from West Marine 14 years ago. It's still going strong.

TRUE GRIT

[sastanley]

The A4 starter draws 120-130 amps FYI.

It does trip my 100 AMP main panel breaker if I crank too long (15+ seconds). I have a 150 AMP breaker I've thought about installing directly to the start battery, bypassing the 12V DC panel, but have not done so yet. It only trips it in the spring when I am starting up after winter break and it needs a long time to crank for starting. Normally, I am 4 - 5 seconds on start.

[Dave Neptune]

Personally I used "deep cycles" on both banks, start and house. A pair of #235's for the house and a Grp 27 DEEP CYCLE on the start side. The deep cycle Grp 27 had plenty of power for the cranking of the "lil A-4" and I never had a problem. I liked the idea of being able to drain the battery down and not worrying about a start batteries recharging limitations if discharged.

Now that I am maintaining a "56hp stinker" I do use a good hi-capacity start battery.

Dave Neptune

[Al Schober]

The high current lead to the starter does not want/need/require a fuse or circuit breaker.