winter storage for batteries

[Five O'Clock]

I took my 2 relatively new (beginning of this season) batteries out of my boat for winter storage and i'm going to keep them in my basement. I'll keep them on blocks of wood instead of concrete, but my concern is the charging or trickle charging to keep them tip top for next season.

Any suggestions on what I need to do? I'd also like some web links to some off-season chargers you all use that I would consider purchasing.

Thank you all.

 

[mla2ofus]

Re: winter storage for batteries

I've been using the float chargers or batt. maintainers and they work really good.
Mike

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: winter storage for batteries

3 batts, in the basement, on wood, 3 maint chargers, hooked one to each. I had forgoten about them until i read this...

 

[SuperNova]

Re: winter storage for batteries

I have all my batteries out and sitting on wood with a sears automatic charger handy. I just go out a couple of times over the winter and hook up each battery in turn til the charger shuts off on each one. There are definitely better ways of doing it, but this works.

 

[seaboo]

Re: winter storage for batteries

I have all my batteries out and sitting on wood with a sears automatic charger handy. I just go out a couple of times over the winter and hook up each battery in turn til the charger shuts off on each one. There are definitely better ways of doing it, but this works.

I do the same thing (2 boat batteries, 2 jet ski batteries, 1 motorcycle battery, and a backhoe battery). A battery tender is cheep and "plug and forget" but I think having an excuse to go to the garage every once in a while is a good thing.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: winter storage for batteries

Sitting on blocks of wood is unnecessary.

 

[Five O'Clock]

Re: winter storage for batteries

any examples of some of the battery chargers/maintainers you guys use?

I'm sure they are all the same but I don't want to buy something cheap that doesn't work, or one that you all have had a bad experience with before.

 

[SuperNova]

Re: winter storage for batteries

Sitting on blocks of wood is unnecessary.

Yeah, I know, I just do it so if any seepages occur, the acid has something else to attack besides my nice concrete floor. Sometimes if I don't have any winter projects going on, I'll just line them all up on a spare workbench, but I still put something under them to protect the surface.

 

[SuperNova]

Re: winter storage for batteries

any examples of some of the battery chargers/maintainers you guys use?

I'm sure they are all the same but I don't want to buy something cheap that doesn't work, or one that you all have had a bad experience with before.

Mine's a little different than this, but the idea is basically the same.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02871222000P

 

[Silvertip]

Re: winter storage for batteries

I've used one of these for the starting battery in all of my boats for years. They can be plugged in indefinitely and I've never had a failure (battery or charger). They list for $43.00 on the Schumacher site but are readily available at farm and auto stores for $24 and some change. They can be permanently installed in your boat and removed for use in doors if you bring your batteries in during the winter.

http://store.schumachermart.com/se-1-12s.html

 

[SuperNova]

Re: winter storage for batteries

I've used one of these for the starting battery in all of my boats for years. They can be plugged in indefinitely and I've never had a failure (battery or charger). They list for $43.00 on the Schumacher site but are readily available at farm and auto stores for $24 and some change. They can be permanently installed in your boat and removed for use in doors if you bring your batteries in during the winter.

http://store.schumachermart.com/se-1-12s.html

That looks like a nice little charger, I'm going to keep my eyes open for one to try. My camaro gets about 52 miles on it a year and that would be perfect for keeping the battery charged and not tying up the bigger charger.

 

[oceansbreeze]

Re: winter storage for batteries

I have a 10/2/50 Motomaster autocharger as well (like SuperNova). My batteries are put on a shelf in basement (off concrete) and a few times over the winter I will plug in the autocharger. A nice little all purpose charger, and the boost feature is great for the car too.

I have a motorcycle battery trickle charger from my days of bike ownership .... but I think it's only 1/2Amp. It also does not have auto shut off, so I use that for my snowmachine battery only.

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: winter storage for batteries

The most important thing is to charge the battery before storage. I like to let them sit without any type of charger on them then charge them a few times throughout the winter. Personally I have this charger and love it.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-..._1?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1259373356&sr=8-1

 

[pecheux]

Re: winter storage for batteries

Sitting on blocks of wood is unnecessary.

Over time been told by several mecanic that sitting a battery on concrete will kill it dead ???? So not being a mecanic myself ... I beleve what they said LOL LOL

 

[seaboo]

Re: winter storage for batteries

Over time been told by several mecanic that sitting a battery on concrete will kill it dead ???? So not being a mecanic myself ... I beleve what they said LOL LOL

A LONG time ago battery cases were not made of plastic (they were made of hard rubber and before that tar lined wood). And storing them on a concrete floor could do them harm. You can safely store a battery on a concrete floor now as the cases are plastic.

That being said I am as "old fashioned" as anyone else. My batteries are on a wooden work bench. If I store them on the garage floor I always place a piece of wood under them. It just makes me feel better (and if my battery somehow leaks I just hurt a piece of wood and don't stain or harm my floor, I guess that is MY justification as to why I do it).