taking battery out during winter storage

[Scaaty]

Re: taking battery out during winter storage

Originally posted by cc lancer:<br /> 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.

Wrong...discharge decelerates, but crank capacity goes down. And under feezing for a extended time makes you buy a new battery when the water freezes and the sides bulge on the battery to give you a clue.. Just keep the damn thing in a cool, dry place and charge it at 3 months like the dozens of shipyards.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: taking battery out during winter storage

Also try to keep it in a ventilated area. At the least before connecting a charger to it ventilate it. Ever see one with a buildup of hydrogen gas around the top when a spark from a charger or jumper cables enters the mix? Mini hydrogen bomb.<br />I usually put mine under the work bench in my garage and trickle or maintenance charge once a month or so. A charged battery will stand the cold, a dead battery will not. <br />They do sell maintenance chargers that you can leave connected all winter. They trickle a small charge in keeping the battery at full charge.<br />Replacing the battery is not necessary. When you install the battery at the start of the year do a voltage test, then test the voltage drop while cranking the engine. If it is not maintenance free you can also take the caps off and test each cell for voltage. Most batteries that go bad lose one cell.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: taking battery out during winter storage

P.S. The only reason I take mine out of the boat is if I don't someone else will be' using it next summer.

 

[Lou C]

Re: taking battery out during winter storage

I leave em in too damn heavy (2 group 27 deep cycles) to be hoisting them out. What I do is charge em after I winterize, and then about 1x a month when we get a nice mild winter day I open the cover, let the boat air out and charge em. No problems and no bad back from hoising 48lb batteries! Motor cranks over fine in the spring.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: taking battery out during winter storage

I never take them out.As a matter of fact I leave my shore power on all winter with a 2 fans running 1 in my aft cabin and 1 in the main cabin and I turn on the battery charger once or twice a month.Charlie

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: taking battery out during winter storage

Not wanting to advertise,but we leave our '******' in all winter,restart OK in the spring.Only charge to be sure.<br />DHP

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: taking battery out during winter storage

I guess it all comes down to what type of boat you have, where the boat is stored, and how much winter prep work and spring prep work you like to do. I always pull all electronics (fish finders, radar,vhf,etc) and the batteries from the boat before it goes into storage in the marina lot for the winter. It puts a smile on my face when i place the batteries on a block of wood in the basement- just the way my father showed me many years ago when I was a kid. It also lets me daydream about boating when I take some time on a cold winter day to charge the batteries and dust off/ clean the radar unit. And as an added bonus I know come spring that all of my stuff is still there and ready to go.