charging batterys during winter

[tav]

just took my batterys out of my boat today for the winter, the only charger i have is your basic car battery charger 2 amp/20 amp/and 50 amp . should i use the 2 amp and how long do i maintain(charge) each battery for per day till i hit the water again ?

 

[Bondo]

Re: charging batterys during winter

just took my batterys out of my boat today for the winter, the only charger i have is your basic car battery charger 2 amp/20 amp/and 50 amp . should i use the 2 amp and how long do i maintain(charge) each battery for per day till i hit the water again ?

Ayuh,.... If they're fully charged now,...

Put 'em on the shelf, 'n charge 'em in the spring,...

 

[robert graham]

Re: charging batterys during winter

I put my battery on the 2 amp setting overnight about every 6 or 8 weeks during the winter months....keep the battery in my work shop area out of the weather.....a fully charged battery in storage will lose it's charge very slowly, but I've always heard that a battery with a maintained full charge will last the longest.....

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: charging batterys during winter

I have a 3 amp Smart Maintainer.
It operates for about one second every two minutes.
That is 30 seconds and hour = 12 minutes a day = 6 hours a month.

Put a meter on it; When it get below 12.5, top it off.
A couple of hours at 2 amps on a Saturday afternoon once a month should be plenty.

Check the water in the cells after charging, not before.
Do it once now, and once again before reinstalling.

 

[tav]

Re: charging batterys during winter

when i took them out i took the cap off the cells and found them being alittle low so i topped them off with water ....didn't have distilled.
i guess it would be the same , i have two 1 for cranking and 1 for trolling. thanks guys

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: charging batterys during winter

when i took them out i took the cap off the cells and found them being alittle low so i topped them off with water ....didn't have distilled.
i guess it would be the same , i have two 1 for cranking and 1 for trolling. thanks guys

Try not to add tap water to a battery as that is not good for them. Its still better than having low water where a plate is showing but its still a bad idea. Tap water had added minerals and bleach which affects the plates distilled water is nothing but pure water.

 

[tav]

Re: charging batterys during winter

I definitely want them to last. should I suck some of the water out and add distilled ? basically start over.

should I remove the caps while charging ?

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: charging batterys during winter

no what's done is done and the water is now a mild acid. The caps should be vented so you do not have to remove them. Don't panic about the water just add distilled next time.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: charging batterys during winter

If you want your batteries to last as long as possible, keep them completely charged at all times during the winter. I keep a smart charger on mine 24/7. Just letting them become slightly discharged over the 3 months they are layed up reduces their capacity.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: charging batterys during winter

Not sure why more people don't get onboard chargers. You just plug it in to an extension cord every once in a while through the winter and your batteries are perfect come spring, never have to take them out of the boat.

 

[tav]

Re: charging batterys during winter

hey chis.....I do have and onboard charger on my boat, I've been getting a lot of different advise on various sites from taking your battery's in to not keeping your battery's out side due to freezing temp's (I would be charging from time to time if outside).

there in the garage now which would be no problem to put them back in the boat since I didn't clean or put the cover on yet ...that would be soon.

oh just noticed that your from Kentucky....how's your winter ? our in the north east are freezing temp's and we 'll get snow from time to time. I guess that's why there telling me to bring the battery's inside.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: charging batterys during winter

If you keep your battery fully charged, it won't freeze until it hits -90?.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: charging batterys during winter

A charged battery will not freeze. If they did the folks in Alaska would be walking all winter.

 

[tav]

Re: charging batterys during winter

ok....I guess you have a point.

 

[BoatDrinksQ5]

Re: charging batterys during winter

I am leaving mine in this year.

Probably make it a little bit of a point to try to plug in the on-board a few more times than really needed... especially anytime there is a double digit negative temp in the forecast.

Last year in the basement - was able to top off charge in a mater of minutes almost. Definitely didn't drain much at all while disconnected.