Remove the battery or leave it wired....?

[Stumpknocker]

Can I trickle charge my battery without disconnecting things? Its a floating type of 1 or 2 amp trickle charger that shuts off when battery is up and then comes back on when needed. Its a real pain to actually remove the battery from the compartment. Almost easier to remove the engine. I was hoping I could just leave it all hooked up too. I do want that cake and would like to eat it also.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Remove the battery or leave it wired....?

You can charge a battery the same way you discharge it, just in reverse. That’s how an alternator does.

 

[chuckz]

Re: Remove the battery or leave it wired....?

Yes, as long as the available charge current is greater than the load current. What this means is if you have a few accesories that are drawing current the charge current will be the charger output current minus the accessory current. The charge rate may be a little slower but in this situation I don't think it really matters.

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: Remove the battery or leave it wired....?

I do this in the spring when there are gaps in cruising. I run a 2 amp. maintenence charge for 8-10 hours a week on a layup.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Remove the battery or leave it wired....?

I use to remove the batteries and store them indoors off the ground and charge them every week or two.Then I got tired of lifting the batteries to my chest level to get them out of the engine compartment.So I began leaving them hooked up in the boat and flipping on my charger every couple of weeks and guess what???? They last just as long as when I treated them like family.So it is ok to leave them in and charge them once in a while.Charlie

 

[Stumpknocker]

Re: Remove the battery or leave it wired....?

Well, Crazy Charlie I'm glad to know that.... and thanks to the other posters as well. I just felt like I should feel a tad guilty not going to all the trouble and pain of carrying the things to be charged. However I must confess that to get even with the battery for needing the charge in the first place... I would leave it/them on concrete floors just to hurt them. No pain, no gain. Plus it helped to further boost an urban legend of concrete floors killing batterys. Nobody believes me... but I have 5 different batteries that I leave on cold concrete floors all the time. No discharge at all beyond normal dropoff. And I never heard the first battery scream in pain either....

 

[ThomWV]

Re: Remove the battery or leave it wired....?

I'd agree that if you have a charger that is self regulating (will cut itself off) you can leave them in and just hook it up. I presume the boat is not in the water. If that is the case you should pull the fuse for the bilge pump. Ice can hold them open sometimes and create an electrical draw that can be continous. That would be the kiss of death for your small charger after a couple of days. Also make sure to get in there a couple of times during the winter and check the battery's electrolite level.<br /><br />Thom

 

[ThomWV]

Re: Remove the battery or leave it wired....?

Whoops! Just saw that you are in Florida.<br /><br />Oh well.<br /><br />Thom

 

[Stumpknocker]

Re: Remove the battery or leave it wired....?

My charger is an auto cutoff model. I freqently use the boat during the winter, so it won't be on charge too much anyway. Hopefully we won't worry about ice.