Batteries

[boscoe99]

Just to be clear, Odyssey Marine Batteries are "Dry Cell". What is the difference between this battery, and the "flooded lead acid battery", and the "sealed lead acid battery" you mention?
Does Yamaha honor warrantees with "Dry Cell Batteries", or not? This is the OP's question.
A little confused?
.

It is confusing.

A standard lead acid battery has the plates flooded with a sulfuric acid/water mixture. You can add water to the battery as needed. If the battery turns over acid may spill out.

A lead acid battery that is maintenance free is generally also a flooded lead acid battery but it is sealed so that water cannot spill out. But then there is no means to add water. If it is turned over it won't spill.

An absorbed glass mat (AGM) lead acid battery is also maintenance free but the internal design is such that the plates are not flooded with the sulfuric acid/water solution. It is sealed as well. Sometimes they are referred to as VRLA battery. For Valve Regulated Lead Acid. A valve prevents internal over pressurization.

I see at Odyssey's website that they refer to their battery as a dry cell. This is confusing as a dry cell is normally thought of as not being rechargeable. At the FAQ section at Odyssey's website there is the information below. Which leads me to believe they are what are known as an AGM lead acid battery.

Q. Are these a gel cell? What’s the difference?
A. No, the ODYSSEY battery is NOT a gel cell. It is an absorbed electrolyte type battery, meaning that there is no free acid inside the battery; all of the acid is kept absorbed in the glass mat separators. These separators serve to keep the positive and negative plates apart.
The key difference between the gel cell and the absorbed glass mat (AGM) cell lies in the fact that in the AGM cell all of the electrolyte is in the separator, whereas in the gel cell the acid is within the cells in a gel form. In fact, if the ODYSSEY battery were to split open, there would be no acid spillage!

Q. Are these Ni-Cd batteries? Why doesn’t somebody make these in Ni-Cd? Wouldn’t they charge faster with Ni-Cd?
A. No, the ODYSSEY battery is NOT a Ni-Cd battery; it is an absorbed (starved) electrolyte valve regulated lead battery. In general, nickel cadmium batteries are much more expensive to manufacture and recycle, so they are far less cost effective than a lead acid product.

[99yam40]

To self test a battery is a fairly easy task. A good voltmeter is needed. Pull the kill switch lanyard so that the motor won't start. Crank the motor for 5 ~ 10 seconds while monitoring the battery voltage. It needs to remain above 15.5 volts. If so, it passes the load test.

I could not stand it.
I had to ask what battery are you using that stays above 15.5 volts while cranking?
is this a 24 volt system?

[boscoe99]

I could not stand it.
I had to ask what battery are you using that stays above 15.5 volts while cranking?
is this a 24 volt system?

You got me. Damn my typing and proof reading skills. Sadly they are lacking.

Post corrected.

[cpostis]

Just found this article on "Selecting a Marine Storage Battery".
Some good information for those that want to know more about making their battery(ies) selection.

Selecting a Marine Storage Battery | West Marine

Now, if you have the bucks to purchase a lithium ion battery for about $3,800, here is one.

http://www.mastervolt.us/products/li...a-12-2500/pdf/

[marchmadness]

What would the type of battery matter as long as it has the correct output? I'm thinking is it bad to put too high an output battery or too low

[zenoahphobic]

What would the type of battery matter as long as it has the correct output? I'm thinking is it bad to put too high an output battery or too low

A (low) battery that the voltage drops too much causes problems. One that is higher capacity will suffer lower voltage drop under load and not affect voltage sensitive equipment.
In the past on older engines large capacity batteries were not recommended as starter motors really operated on lower voltage when cranking at high amps (I recall something like 9 volts) So a higher capacity battery will maintain much closer to 12 volts running the risk of burning out the starter motor, particularly when longer cranking was required. Other high current carrying devices like solenoids also were at risk of burning contacts prematurely.