SIDESHIFT INSTALLATION GUIDE V1.9
Battery Requirements
Starter type batteries(not deep cycle) are required for optimal performance. The
batteries supplying the thruster must be capable of meeting the required CCA (Cold
Crank Amps), as outlined in Table 1: Required Battery Characteristics. Insufficient
battery capacity will lead to poor thruster performance.
Table 1: Required Battery Characteristics
Warning: It is essential that the cold cranking ampere (CCA)
requirements are met as outlined in the table above.
Ensure batteries are load tested and properly charged at all
times to avoid performance problems and thruster motor
damage due to low voltage
Batteries must be installed as close to the motor controller as possible for optimum
performance. If you are installing batteries in a non-ventilated area you will need to
use AGM (absorbed glass mat) sealed batteries or sealed combination (starter/deep
cycle) batteries. In ventilated areas, you can install flooded starting batteries or
unsealed combination (starter/deep cycle) batteries.
BATTERY CAPACITY AND AGE
Under normal circumstances with new and fully charged batteries, you can expect
around 50 thruster cycles before the battery must be recharged.
It is advisable to recharge batteries after each use if possible, to extend the life of
the battery.
As batteries age and with repeated charge cycles, the battery slowly loses its ability
to hold charge. The deeper the discharge before recharging, the shorter the life of
the battery. Over time it will be able to supply fewer thruster cycles before it
requires recharging and eventually will lack the capacity to allow proper thruster
performance.
Capacity reduces to the point that performance is poor or few thrust cycles are
available before recharging, and the batteries must be replaced.