My battery only lasted a year. Where did I go wrong?

[Surffx]

I bought my boat brand new in the spring of 2005. Obviously it came with a new battery. That battery lasted 5 years (until the spring of 2010) I replaced that battery last spring.

Last spring I also added a stereo to the boat and a battery brain. You can google it if you want. It is a relay that removes power from the battery when it senses voltage below a ?safe? starting level. Therefore protecting you from getting stranded somewhere.

Anyway I left the battery in the boat over the winter which I don?t normally do. I go out to start it the other day and it is dead.

I jump started it and let it run for an hour. But after letting it sit for a couple of days it?s lost it?s charge again.
It is a 12 volt west marine starting battery with 800 CCA which is comparable to what came with the boat.

So now that you have all the background info here is my questions.

1. Why did my battery only last one year? Where did I go wrong?
2.What should I do different?
3.Do I need a deep cycle or stick with what came with the boat which is a starter battery?

Thanks! You guys are the best!

 

[wifisher]

Re: My battery only lasted a year. Where did I go wrong?

You left it in the boat over the winter. Was it still hooked up? If so, it probably had a small "parasitic load" which is the power used to run the clock, radio preset memory etc. Over weeks, or months, this can drain the battery. An uncharged battery in cold weather will freeze. Once frozen it is junk.

Are the sides of the battery bowed out? If so, it is a sure sign that it was frozen.

 

[seaboo]

Re: My battery only lasted a year. Where did I go wrong?

If it didn't freeze, I would start with putting a FULL charge on it (if you don't own a battery charger run it by a auto repair place and they will normally charge it for you for 5 bucks or so) before calling the battery dead, then go from there.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: My battery only lasted a year. Where did I go wrong?

And if it's only a year old, should still be a warranty issue. Take it back to WM.

 

[Hubboat]

Re: My battery only lasted a year. Where did I go wrong?

Even with no load, lead acid batteries suffer from parasitic discharge. I never knew that about freezing... interesting.

I never suggest "jump starting", your alternator is not a battery charger, it's designed to maintain a charge.

I especially don't like to stress marine charging systems that are $$$. Find a neighbor with a battery charger (or buy one) and try giving it a charge. If no luck, take back to WM for warranty.

 

[Boatist]

Re: My battery only lasted a year. Where did I go wrong?

Most battery do not die they are killed by their owners.
I bet either the new stereo or the battery Brain is the killer.
Many batteries die like your after a stereo is installed.
The stereo has a constant drain even when off.
I know nothing about a battery Brain but it also must use power from the battery. By the time the voltage drops below 12.6 volts the battery is already discharged.

This battery brain may save you if your running your stereo so the battery has some load on it which would cause the voltage to drop before it is completely dead by shutting down the stereo, but when everything is off when the voltage drops it is already dead.

Ok. First you cannot fully charge a battery in 1 hour. It will take 12 hours or more to fully charge with a 10 amp automatic charger.
So buy an automatic or smart charger and charge until the charge is complete. I like charger of 10 amps or more but for sure do not buy a charger of less than 6 amps.

All lead acid batteries self discharge. In higher temperatures they discharge faster. So in summer you need to fully charge at least 1 time a month and if you have things that drain the battery even when off like your stereo or battery Brain you will have to charge more often or disconnect these items with a switch or by disconnecting.

In cold temperatures like winter with nothing draining your battery you can get by charging every other month.
Of course in your case you have 2 devices draining your battery.

Batteries do not like to be discharged. Starting batteries should never be discharged more than 20 percent. Deep cycles should not be discharge more than 50 percent.
The longer a battery is discharge the more damage is done so when discharged Fully Charge As Soon As Possible.

The best battery chargers charge in 3 phases. The bulk stage, the float stage then the absorption phase. They cost more and take longer to complete the charge.
Automatic or smart charger will do a very good job but if it is one with a meter and the meter drops to zero leave it on a couple more hours for the battery to fully absorb the charge.

No way to tell if your battery is damaged be on repair until it is fully charged.
I would also suggest you find a way to disconnect your stereo and battery brain during periods of no use. You could also buy a battery maintainer or float charger and they will keep your battery fully charge and do no damage if left connected the entire time.
Personally even with a float charger or battery maintainer I like to put them on a timer and let charge a few hours a day.

One last thing if your battery has caps fill with distilled water to the eye. A couple times a year should be enough. Never allow the plates to go dry. Always completely charge after adding water.

Cold weather out in the boat will not hurt your battery as long as it is charged.
It will not freeze if charged.

Many trickle charger will badly over charge a battery.

Hope your battery will recover.

 

[ssn756]

Re: My battery only lasted a year. Where did I go wrong?

I was going to say something but Boatist covered it all. I'll add the geeky part though without getting technical.

The plates in the battery and also the acid work together chemically to mysteriously create the precious 12 volts, as this process happens the plates abosorb the acid and what's left is water. It's this water that freezes. The water acid mix of a properly charged batter has a lower freezing point than just water, which is why you want to keep your batter charged.

wholly crap, a bunch of numbers just jumped into my head.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: My battery only lasted a year. Where did I go wrong?

As I used to work in the auto parts biz .. I can tell you that just because its "new" .. its not.

Most batteries are "remanufactured" ( thats why there is a core charge ). They take those old junked batts and refurbish them.

Some of the batteries given to us from our supplier were " dead " right off the truck.

We Allways load tested each one we sold before selling them.

Im sure you can call up some auto repair shop and have some guy with a HIGH end Snap-on cell tester. Those babies can tell you if cell 1 and 3 are dead without even having a charge on it . It takes 30 seconds and most techs will do it for free..

There is a reason that most batteries are over the counter Free replacement within a year..then pro rate after that.

YD.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: My battery only lasted a year. Where did I go wrong?

Most batteries are "remanufactured" ( thats why there is a core charge ). They take those old junked batts and refurbish them.

Totally wrong. Most states require the battery seller to charge a core charge. Its an environmental issue so that more lead doesn't have to be mined and the lead doesn't show up in landfills. The batteries are not refurbished but the lead inside them is recycled which means the lead is melted down and reused in the plates of new batteries.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: My battery only lasted a year. Where did I go wrong?

Totally wrong. Most states require the battery seller to charge a core charge. Its an environmental issue so that more lead doesn't have to be mined and the lead doesn't show up in landfills. The batteries are not refurbished but the lead inside them is recycled which means the lead is melted down and reused in the plates of new batteries.

After further review of my post.. I was Totally wrong...

Quote from me " Most batteries are "remanufactured" ( thats why there is a core charge ). They take those old junked batts and refurbish them.

1. Most batteries are remans ( reconditioned ). I dont know this for a Fact.. Its what our supplier rep told me ( we were having alot of problems with our " new " batteries ). This was some 15 years ago though..

2. " Most batteries are "remanufactured" ( thats why there is a core charge )." This is A Wrong statement on MY part. The relation between core charges and reman/refurbishing is unfounded ( allthough..the rep told me that they did have some refurbs come into the "mixup of tagging said refurbed batteries". I cannot conferm this as this was a man to man statement )

3. Again direct quote from ME "They take those old junked batts and refurbish them.". Very unsolid statement ! Totally Wrong on this one also. .. I have taken the time to research this..and in Fact they do Melt and pulverize those "old junked batts" into a melt to salvage the lead and acids ( mostly the lead hard metals ) . But Not all of them

I do know for a Fact that batts are being reman/refurbed .. All of the battery " cores " are NOT being pulverized and melted into renew batteries. I would say there a great deal of truth to both sides of the argument

Yes.. you can get a battery with 3/4 - 1/2 life charges right from off the shelf.. no matter Why..it does happen..

YD.