taking battery out during winter storage

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simple

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
104
Do you people take out your battery when storing for the winter months?
 
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skicat

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Oct 2, 2003
Messages
135
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

Yes I store it in a warm place, and periodically trickle charge it. Never let it go dead.
 
Don S

Don S

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Aug 31, 2004
Messages
62,321
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

If a battery is left in the boat and fully charged and disconnected it should be fine. If it goes dead, it was due to be replaced anyway.
 
C

cc lancer

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 23, 2004
Messages
371
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

Seems I read some where that a battery will lose 10% of its charge per month. And the discharge accelerates when the temp. is below freezing.
 
B

beezee28

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 3, 2004
Messages
804
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

Take it out of your boat and store it in the garage. Periodically top up the charge so that it doesn't run low and that should keep your battery life a bit longer. Keep it in a cool dry place..
 
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Winger Ed.

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 24, 2004
Messages
649
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

I swap mine out and put it in my truck for a few weeks off and on when I'm not using the boat.<br /><br />I don't know if it helps, but my batteries last as long in the boat as they do in the truck while providing good service for the 2 years or so before I change them anyway.<br /><br />My experiance has been that these new generation batteries are like light bulbs. They work fine up until that point when they just seem to burn out and quit all at once.<br /><br />I've always bought a new good quality battery every year for the truck. Put its 1 yr. old battery in the boat. Taken the boats starting/engine battery and made it the 'fishing light' battery. The 3 yr. old 'fishing light' battery got used for the trade in credit. <br /><br /><br />This system has worked well for me, but then again, I'm not running a trolling motor either.
 
KaGee

KaGee

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Aug 14, 2004
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Re: taking battery out during winter storage

Do Not Store Batteries on a Concrete Floor!!!<br />It will ruin the battery and your floor!<br />Make sure you isolate the battery with a piece of plywood or something like that.<br /><br />Don S is correct.... as usual. A fully charged battery will survive the winter months no problem. Disconnect the the wires or you will come back in the spring to a corroded mess!<br /><br />More batteries are sold in the heat of summer than in the winter months.
 
E

Elk Chaser

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
Messages
186
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

Remove and clean the batteries and battery cables with a baking soda-water solutions and rinse with fresh water. Do not allow the solution to enter the battery. Add distilled water to the electrolyte, if necessary, and fully charge the battery in a cool (never below 32° F or 0° C) dry place. Keep the battery fully charged and check the level and specific gravity of the electrolyte periodically. <br /><br />Oh, and the Concrete thing is absolutley correct.
 
KaGee

KaGee

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Re: taking battery out during winter storage

If anyone doubts the concrete thing... I will send you a photo of my basement floor. <br /><br />I was a "rookie backyard hack" at one time. :eek:
 
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steve n carol

Chief Petty Officer
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May 8, 2004
Messages
459
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

Gary, PM's site is cool, thanks for the tip.<br /> KaGee, no doubts about your basement floor. Moisture, (condensation) from the bottom of your battery case or plastic box will accumulate. <br />Freezing and thawing will damage this concrete. There are also sulfates and nitrates in the soil that will damage concrete as well. Examples; Try putting a sheet of plastic 12" x 12" on the floor, wieght it down w/dirt or sand, leave it through the winter, then notice whats underneath. Concrete has microscopic pores which collect H2O, the plastic gathers this through condensation. A local case; An expensive tract of homes were built in So. Ca. upon dairy farm soil. The lab supposedly tested the soil to reccomend the corect TYPE of concrete to be used in the foundations, there was negligence and as a result, 8 years later the foundations started to crumble. Seems the nitrates in the soil from the urine was the culprit! <br />So, all this to say, that you will have to replace your basement floor!<br />Hey, bring me up to speed on your 'hole in the water'. Better yet start a new thread and bring uw all up to speed...sl
 
D

Doug Durako

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Nov 17, 2002
Messages
519
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

I'm with Don S---unhook it and leave it in the boat. I've never gotten more than 5 reliable years out of a battery no matter what I did.
 
sangerwaker

sangerwaker

Commander
Joined
Jul 29, 2004
Messages
2,059
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

I actually got 7 years (I have since sold the boat with the same battery) out of a Fleet Farm generic deep cycle I had in my old Forester. Guess I got really lucky. I always pulled it out for winter storage, topped of the electrolyte, and charged her up. I put it in my basement (after charging) and recharged before installing every spring.<br /><br />BTW- NEVER charge a battery inside your house! Makes deadly carbon monoxide!
 
G

grantglock

Cadet
Joined
May 6, 2004
Messages
11
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

Will storing my battery on concrete drain the charge? No. Regarding today's batteries, this is a myth. A battery placed on concrete will not discharge any faster, but a battery will discharge over a period of time wherever it is placed. If the battery has a surface layer of acid or grime which is conductive, the battery will self-discharge more rapidly than if it were clean and dry.<br /><br />This myth does have some historical basis. Many years ago, wooden battery cases encased a glass jar with the battery in it. Any moisture on the floor could cause the wood to swell and possibly fracture the glass, causing it to leak. Later came the introduction of the "hard rubber" cases, which were somewhat porous. A current could be conducted through this container, which had a high carbon content, if the moist concrete floor permitted the current to find an electrical ground. The wise advise of the old days to "not store batteries on concrete" has apparently been passed down to us today, but it no longer applies.
 
S

skicat

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 2, 2003
Messages
135
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

For whatever reason your battery was leaking acid. Maybe a cracked case, maybe acid sloshed out and dripped down the side. Maybe somebody knocked it over and then just set it back up. The concrete did not cause it.
 
KaGee

KaGee

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Re: taking battery out during winter storage

Originally posted by skicat:<br /> For whatever reason your battery was leaking acid. Maybe a cracked case, maybe acid sloshed out and dripped down the side. Maybe somebody knocked it over and then just set it back up. The concrete did not cause it.
Click to expand...
Nope... non of the above. Battery clean and fully charged. Just sat there for winter storage, inside. Basement averages around 60 degrees in the winter months. The floor was painted. Some sort of electrolysis like reaction took place. The hardened floor turned into powder and the battery went totally dead.<br /><br />You all can say whatever you want. The original post just wanted to know about storing batteries for the winter. I threw in my .02 worth to save him the potential for having his floor messed up.<br />But what do I know, I'm just a backyard hack. :rolleyes:
 
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cmyers_uk

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 4, 2004
Messages
760
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

KaGee, I take my battery out every winter and store on my concrete floor and charge each month never had anything happen good or bad just works every spring with no probs. These boards are to share experiences there all valid your .02 cents was well recieved, i just disagree ;)
 
C

cmyers_uk

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 4, 2004
Messages
760
Re: taking battery out during winter storage

KaGee, I take my battery out every winter and store on my concrete floor and charge each month never had anything happen good or bad just works every spring with no probs. These boards are to share experiences there all valid your .02 cents was well recieved, i just disagree ;)
 
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