Narrowboat Batteries at a Glance

Recently, I visited what could be the largest Boat marina in Europe. This of course was the “Murcia Marina” situated very close to the A38 at Derby here in the UK. The delivery was to a very nice lady called Pat.

Pat had lived in her narrowboat for five years and loved every minute of it. I could tell by her enthusiasm and also the excellent paint work that she had done to her boat. The down side of my visit was that I had to wheel the three leisure batteries from a nearby car park to her boat which was moored to a long jetty along with many more boats.

Never mind the exercise would have done me good ! So, the type of battery that Pat had purchased was typical for many boat owners. The battery type was designed specifically for the leisure market consisting of twin post for easy connection of multiple Narrowboat Batteries at a Glance with a 105Ah capacity.

The battery is a free flowing lead acid battery and used for many purposes including narrowboats. Many boat owners will also use truck batteries. This just adds to the mix of what people prefer and indeed use.

When looking for narrowboat batteries for sale, then Truck batteries can be used and come in all shapes and sizes. It usually works by boat owners giving their advice to other boat owners and “so on so forth”. People who live on boats usually have a very social life style swapping ideas about anything, including which Narrowboat Batteries at a Glance for their boat.

Warning.

Many free flowing acid batteries have removable caps. Consequently, they are not sealed. This can lead to acid leaking and possible fumes released in a confined area. Good ventilation is the answer to this, together with good narrowboat battery maintenance. Also please check the battery acid levels as often as possible.

This can ascertain the state of your battery. For example ! If a cell needs constant topping up then there could be a problem in the future.

AGM Batteries another choice

AGM stands for “Absorbed Glass matting“. The battery manufacturers use woven glass to absorb the lead acid in the battery. Importantly, this makes the batteries leak proof and maintenance free. No topping up is required.

This type of battery is also extremely popular with many sizes and Amps on the market. The batteries are more expensive to buy but will give a better service without having to worry about any topping up.

Another type of lead acid battery worth mentioning is the “semi-traction battery.” Also known as “monobloc batteries,” they will give the user better and increased cyclic performance. Especially over longer periods of constant current.

Many boat owners now use “solar panels” to charge their batteries. Because of their better cyclic operations, AGM and gel batteries perform better than their free-flowing counterparts.

Once again, the downside is the higher cost!

Gel batteries

In my opinion, this is the least popular Narrowboat Batteries at a Glance. The electrolyte is infused with a gel substance. Once again, the gel battery is leak-proof and requires no maintenance. The downside for a boat owner is that a different type of charger is usually needed than for AGM batteries or free-flowing lead acid batteries.

Also once again the price is much higher.

Lithium Ion batteries

These are the new kids on the block. In my opinion, this technology will replace many lead acid batteries. when the boats are built in future years. It is something that I scratch my head about.

canal boats — © Can Stock Photo / Durdenimages

Narrowboat Batteries at a Glance

The Calder and Hebble waterways are a network of canals and rivers that flow through the county of West Yorkshire in northern England. The Calder is a river that rises in the Pennines and flows eastwards through the county.

Passing through the towns of Huddersfield and Wakefield before emptying into the River Ouse. Of course, the river and canals pass through my home town of Mirfield. A safe mooring place for many narrowboat owners. The Hebble is a canal that connects the Calder to the city of Bradford, providing a crucial transportation route for the region’s industrial and commercial activities.

The Calder and Hebble waterways have a long and rich history.

The Calder has been an important transportation route for centuries, and was used to transport coal, iron, and other materials from the local mines and mills to the cities and ports of the east coast.

The Hebble was constructed in the early 19th century as part of the wider network of canals that crisscrossed the country, and was used to transport goods between Bradford and the rest of the region.

Today, the Calder and Hebble waterways are an important recreational resource for the local community. The waterways are popular with walkers, anglers, and boaters, and there are a number of marinas, boat yards including Brighouse marina and Mirfield marina, and other facilities along their banks. The waterways also provide a habitat for a variety of wildlife, including birds, fish, and mammals.

Many bird species on the canal and river banks

As a results kingfishers and goosanders are a common site blending in with the more common, mallards coots, water hens and mute swans among many other bird species. Mammals include stoats and weasels and escaped mink from the local mink farm in Halifax.

Overall, the Calder and Hebble waterways are an integral part of the region’s history and culture, and continue to play a vital role in the local economy and community.

This page contains no brand names and is simply a generalisation about which, how to check boat batteries at a Glance, types can and are used. Consequently, I have decided to fit some lithium batteries to my home solar storage system to test them and see what they are all about. This is not dissimilar to a boat solar charging/storage set up

Narrowboat Batteries at a Glance

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