Warm Battery?

[l008com]

Is it normal for my battery to get pretty warm after a few hours of boating? I have a 90hp Merc outboard. It starts pretty quick. As far as electronics, all I currently have are some LED nav lights, and a basic depth finder with a watch-style numeric LCD. All together, my accessory draw on the battery is probably all of 3 watts. Yet I was surprised that when I went to reposition the battery for the ride home, it was pretty warm. It wasn't what I'd call hot, but it was pretty warm.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Warm Battery?

You have a 9 or 16 amp unregulated charging system. The battery is absorbing any unused power and converting it to heat and hydrolysis (breaking down water into oxygen and hydrogen). All that is normal, and the battery won't suffer as long as you add water periodically to keep the electrolyte level up to spec.

hope it helps
John

 

[l008com]

Re: Warm Battery?

I've never added water. Just pop the blue caps and fill it to the top with water?

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Warm Battery?

I've never added water. Just pop the blue caps and fill it to the top with water?

Fill it to (approximately) 1" below the top with distilled water. Don't use tap water...too many minerals. Make sure the plates inside are covered with water and you don't want to go slap full.

 

[l008com]

Re: Warm Battery?

Where do you get this distilled water?

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Warm Battery?

Grocery store, next to the drinking water.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Warm Battery?

You can drink distilled water, but it has a "weird" taste...or maybe that's actually no taste at all. I never really figured that out.