Battery Tending Over Winter

[SDSeville]

I am finally going to charge my batteries periodically this winter so I don't have to buy new ones when summer rolls around (like I do every year). How often and how long should I charge them?

I have this charger - http://www.centurytool.net/87105_Century_10_2_55_Amp_6_12_Battery_Charger_p/87105c.htm

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

I charge my batteries a couple of times during the winter for about 8 hours . . . maybe every 6 weeks.

Still have good charge in the spring.

 

[generator12]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

I charge my batteries a couple of times during the winter for about 8 hours . . . maybe every 6 weeks.

Still have good charge in the spring.

I agree with this. Or a guy can use a trickle charger (about one amp) overnight, once every couple of months. I've used both approaches for years with good results.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

If you want to set it & forget it, use a battery tender. It will only charge when needed. With the one your getting you will have to unplug it when the batterys are fully charged, unless its a smart charger, and I didnt read that in the add. Also if your batterys are fully charged when you put the boat to rest over the winter, and in spring there dead, you have other issues. Just my .002

 

[SDSeville]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

Thanks everyone. The tender sounds like a good idea, but I am too cheap to buy one when I already have a regular charger. I will just put it on my calendar for every 6 weeks.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

Your charger already has 2 Amp/Trickle range.

When you first take it out of the boat, charge it until the meter shows almost no charge current.
Top off the water if needed AFTER charging, NOT Before! It will overflow!

Fresh off the charger the voltage will be in the Mid 13v range.
Wait a day or two and measure the battery voltage. It should be 12.5v or 12.6v

Once a month check that the voltage is holding at or above 12.4v
If it is low, charge it up again at the 2 Amp range for a couple of hours.

 

[wickware]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

I usually charge my batt once at the start of the cold weather as this week in North Tx. I store it in the garage closet which usually shows 40 degrees + when it is freezing outside. I have only lost one batt since 1985 that I feel a freeze might have caused from being left in the torpped boat.

I was told outside as in cars is OK with a good charge. I felt I d/n have a good charge due to my 1970 35HP Chrysler is a magneto system that does not charge vs me charging about every 4 ? 5 short fishing trips.

My real issue is that it starts charging drawing about 10 amps and only goes down to 3 - 4 amps draw in 2-3 hrs of charging. Does this sound normal even though I have seen this since 1985? I like the idea of checking the voltage while it's stored.

 

[akorcovelos]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

Why go through all that trouble when you can get a battery tender at Harbor Freight for $10? I have one for each battery, built a little tending station on the corner of my work bench in the garage. Hook the batteries up when I winterize and dont think about them until I pull it out in the sping.

 

[Struc]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

Have to agree... I have a cheap battery tender mounted in the boat near the battery. Just leave it plugged in all winter, and never have to worry about it.

 

[SDSeville]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

Why go through all that trouble when you can get a battery tender at Harbor Freight for $10? I have one for each battery, built a little tending station on the corner of my work bench in the garage. Hook the batteries up when I winterize and dont think about them until I pull it out in the sping.

Which tender did you get? I heard some are not good for deep cycle batteries?

 

[akorcovelos]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

Automatic Battery Charger - 12V

Ive been using these to maintain 8 different batteries from various boats/mowers/RV/cars etc. for several years with no issues. The batteries always come off the tenders full and ready to go. Havent had to buy a new battery since I started using them.

 

[SDSeville]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

Automatic Battery Charger - 12V

Ive been using these to maintain 8 different batteries from various boats/mowers/RV/cars etc. for several years with no issues. The batteries always come off the tenders full and ready to go. Havent had to buy a new battery since I started using them.

That is good to know. I think I will pick one up. I bought one a few years back, but returned it when I read the manual and it said "do not use on AGM batteries".

I don't know much about marine batteries, but thought they were all absorbed glass mat.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

I don't know much about marine batteries, but thought they were all absorbed glass mat.

Very few are.

 

[SDSeville]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

Very few are.

Would it say AGM somewhere on the battery?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

Would it say AGM somewhere on the battery?

It should. Can you replace the electrolyte in it(add distilled water)? If you can, its not an AGM.

If you paid less than $150 for your battery, not likely its an AGM. If you paid more than $150 not guarantee that it is an AGM.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

I highly recommend disconnecting the battery from the boat. I'm not sure if you have been doing this or not but this is the best way to be sure that there is nothing drawing current like a bilge pump switch or other device that is separate from the ignition.

I top off the charge every two weeks to a month. You can go crazy trying to be perfect but the reality is that as long as you charge a few times in the off season you are going to be fine.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

Why not just disconnect the Neg terminal of the battery ?.

I mean .. 95% of the boats that get summerized start right up after storage. Its the other 5% that have bad batteries that need jumping or replacement.

YD.

 

[SDSeville]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

Why not just disconnect the Neg terminal of the battery ?.

I mean .. 95% of the boats that get summerized start right up after storage. Its the other 5% that have bad batteries that need jumping or replacement.

YD.

So it won't hurt a battery to sit unused/uncharged for 7 months? BTW, I have not been disconnecting (until this year).

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

So it won't hurt a battery to sit unused/uncharged for 7 months?

It does hurt a battery to sit for 7 months. When a battery sits in a discharged state it is subject to sulfation which will shorten your battery's life. The amount of discharge that a battery will have over 7 months will vary due to temperature. It can be around 5% per month.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Battery Tending Over Winter

A lot of it depends on how long it sits and in what temperatures. I am in a mild climate and its rare my boat sits longer than 3 to 4 mouths in the off season. But what I have done for over 20 years is to leave my charger connected to the battery with a power cord hooked up and its a simple matter of plugging it in ever 6 to 8 weeks. I charge it when its put into storage, once during the winter and once when I am ready to put it on the slip for the season.