Lifting a battery

[tstano]

Hi all,

I have to lift an 8D battery to redo the box and wondered if someone had a good lifting set-up. I have to lift it over the engine and through a narrow space without anything overhead to provide a lifting point. Then a 90 degree turn to set it in the salon. An engine hoist would work if it could reach around corners and into tight places. [How much do those batteries weigh.]

[GordMay]

8-D batteries weigh between 130 - 160 Lbs. Better batteries weigh more.

[tstano]

Originally Posted by GordMay

8-D batteries weigh between 130 - 160 Lbs. Better batteries weigh more.

I don't think my wife could lift that.

[Sailmonkey]

Heavy enough that if you do get it out you should consider replacing it with a bank of smaller batteries.

[James S]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Heavy enough that if you do get it out you should consider replacing it with a bank of smaller batteries.

Excellent point..
Dont hurt yourself over this... it can follow you the rest of your, what will undoubtably be, painful life.. Get help.. pay for help..what ever it takes.. if it has handles then a rod (non conductive) or something else passed through them will halve the load...
I feel for you...

[redsky49]

This is precisely why I changed to 6V batteries.

[James S]

6V can be heavy as well..my GPL-6CT s weigh 90lbs each.. I just replaced 6 of them.. had help.. lots of help!

[Cheechako]

Tough one. Could you strap it to a 1 x 12 board for handling and slide it etc?

[tstano]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Tough one. Could you strap it to a 1 x 12 board for handling and slide it etc?

That's what I'm thinking. Get it lifted and the slide a board under it. With all the years of sail engineering I would think one guy would have made this job easier.

[senormechanico]

My 200 aH LiFePo4 bank weighs 80 lbs TOTAL in four separate cells.
Each cell is like picking up a big dictionary.
Just food for thought...

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by James S

6V can be heavy as well..my GPL-6CT s weigh 90lbs each.. I just replaced 6 of them.. had help.. lots of help!

4V, 3V, 2V cells exist and are fantastic for deep cycling, lower the voltage lighter each one is to handle.

Some people want two strings in parallel for redundancy, but best not to go past 3 to avoid balance issues.

Rolls Surrette if you want top notch longevity.

For best value, stick to FLA GCs like Deka and Trojan.

[Viking Sailor]

You can replace the 8D with 3 Group-24 batteries. Together they are the same physical size as the 8D battery, and fit nicely in an 8D battery box. Their combined power is very close to that of an 8D.

[keepondancin]

Being I seem to have to face those types of challenges single handed, and without seeing the situation, could you make something like a sawhorse, with the piece spanning between the two legs being a piece of pipe, maybe 1 1/2", then use a heavy duty ratchet strap, (not your harbor freight type), to lift it? You will probably have to take weight off the strap, ratchet it up, take more weight, etc. You will have to have room on the other side of the battery box so you can span it. Once up in the air, place a plank under it, use at least a 2x something, then slide it out? Maybe lift one end a little, place a block under it, lift the other end, back to the first end, etc., until it is in the air. After getting it out, decide if you want to have to put it back in. It is the longest mile going battery box to dock. When I changed my 6-6volt batteries, I was on the hard, wrestled them to the stern and used my outboard motor crane to lower them into the back of my truck, new one in the same way. 84#s is heavy enough. I used to have 4D's.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Viking Sailor

You can replace the 8D with 3 Group-24 batteries. Together they are the same physical size as the 8D battery, and fit nicely in an 8D battery box. Their combined power is very close to that of an 8D.

But then you need to be much pickier about making sure of good quality / value true deep cycling. 99% of 12V batts sold in automotive BCI sizing are cr^p no matter what it says on the label.

Plus 3 12V "strings" would limit your AH capacity.

Going larger AH at lower voltages is worth modding the box in most cases.

[model 10]

I remember seeing a lash up where they had a length of steel pipe rigged inside the cabin with some sort of support at both ends. Everything came fwd then out that way, batts, transmission and the engine. How about your whisker pole?