batteries and bilges

[senergy]

Hello FW people. I've just come out of hibernation so have not posted in a while. Just got the boat out of the cave and starting to assess the collateral damage. I've got two issues. First is a question about batteries. Has anyone had any experience with the new Optimus six-paks? They make a red, blue, and yellow top unit and are priced accordingly to their strenghts (or more specifically their purposes). Blue unit is $200.

Second, How in the hell do you get to a forward bilge pump in a WAC. I don't see any access at all unless it is hidden under the fresh water tank. I can hear the motor run on the other side of the stringer wall but it isn't pumping! This would be similiar to Capt. Freds "Strider". I would like to stay away from the saw=zall.

[Capt. Fred]

The access for my forward pump is under the step into the cabin. There is a 6 inch round access there. It is awkward as heck to reach in and do anything but it can be done. When I re-wired my boat I had to access it and found that plate.

Regarding the batts- I'm still using the old fashioned type. Maybe Glenn-e will chime in. He's up to date on the best batts out there

[fishfighter]

To help out and maybe save you a little time to see if the bilge pump impeller broke or most likely trash built up around the suction,take a water hose and stick it in the discharge on the outside of the hull.Try that a few times to see if you can free it.

Now,on batterys.What type of motor you have?Do you need a replacement starting battery or house battery?What size battery boxes you have?I use Interstate batterys for starting.I run twin optimax motors that need 1,000 cca's.They cost me just under $100 apiece for the last set and that was 4 years ago and they are still good.Trick is to use a trickle charger on them once a month.

On those optimax batterys.What I had read is they are not as good as they use to be,but the price when thru the roof.Then again everything did.

[senergy]

and I like the idea of blowin out from reverse side of the bilge (tried it by myself). Need my mate on one end to monitor it, its' to much jumpin back and forth for one person to correctly asess what's going on. I'll let yunz know how it works out. There is no access to the forward bilge pump! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzouchzzzzzzzzz

[Kern O]

You may want to figure out exactly where it is and then drill a small hole to see if you can see it. If you can, get a hole saw and cut a big hole for an access plate. Cut the hole, fix the pump and install the access plate. Then cuss the builder for not putting it there to begin with.

Batteries: I have heard of more failures than success with the Optimas. All batteries have doubled in rice sine the Chinese have started competing for resources. Best ou there at the moment are the Odysseys, which may also be sold by Sears as Absorbed Glass Mat batteries. The AGMs are best because they don't outgas acid fumes and rot all the electrical.

[Capt. Fred]

Amazing that a builder would install a bilge pump and then drop the liner on the hull. Not hard to believe, just amazing. I agree with Kerno, do your best to locate it and cut in an access hole. Remember to seal the edges of the hole.

[glen e]

Optimas are junk... ask yellowfin..why they dropped them..the best batt out there is a odysseyy PC1500 which YF went to...- expensive but forget batt worrries for years...do a search or ask kerno what he thinks...

[Garett]

Originally Posted by senergy

Second, How in the hell do you get to a forward bilge pump in a WAC. I would like to stay away from the saw=zall.

So how'd yau make out? Did the garden hose back flushing work? Where you able to find an access plate? Or did you end up cutting a hole and installing one for later use?

[doc j]

I found that the Walmart marine MAXX batteries give the most for your $. ~$78 for a size 29. They are heavy (lots of lead) & last for years.

[bravura25]

The batteries that will take more deep cycling than any others are lead acid golf cart type.
I have used them in my 46' MS for over 20 years. You MUST water them regularly. The first day of each month is my battery watering day. I use six 6volt deep cycle batteries from West Marine. I tried to cheap out a few years back and bought Sam's Club. They lasted two years. I went back to West Marine 6 volts and I am finally replacing them after 7 1/2 years. You get what you pay for.

I traded a mast I had salvaged from a sail boat to a local angler friend for four 12 volt AGM's. His company services cell phone towers and must replace the batteries each year, whether they are used or not. I put one of these in my work boat about a year ago, recharging it when it stops pumping. It is still holding up. I put another in my 25' pontoon boat as an engine start and house battery. Still working great.

Tom, Bayou Chico, FL