winter storage

[jerkoz]

usually fog and store the 50hp outboard in unheated garage. keeping the boat in the garage to keep fishing through the winter until freeze up. should I keep the chargers going (trolling and starter )?

 

[dingbat]

The self discharge rate of a battery in “cold” storage is next to nothing.

Put a full charge on the battery before putting to bed and don’t worry about

 

[iggyw1]

I do exactly as dingbat suggested. I put a full charge on my batteries before I put them to bed for the winter, stored in a garage. In the spring of the year, the batteries always still have a great charge on the enough to start the motor with no problem.

The one thing I think is a "must do" before winter, is to change the lower gear unit lube. That way, if there is any water in the oil, it will be gone and not freeze during the winter. I learned this the hard way years ago. It was an expensive repair bill on my 8 H.P trolling motor when the water in the oil froze and broke things.

 

[racerone]

If there is any water in a gearcase it is time for a seal kit !!

 

[Mark ofs]

I have lost a couple good deep cycle batteries leaving them in cold storage over the winter. I would recommend either hooking them up once a month or so to a charger, or bring them in and store them where it dosen't get below freezing.

 

[dingbat]

I have lost a couple good deep cycle batteries leaving them in cold storage over the winter. I would recommend either hooking them up once a month or so to a charger, or bring them in and store them where it dosen't get below freezing.

A fully charged battery freezes at -92 Degrees F.

https://www.trojanbattery.com/pdf/WP_DeepCycleBatteryStorage_0512.pdf

 

[Mark ofs]

Nice to know...now...tell that to the batteries that were fully charged and less then 6-months old, I guess they couldn't read..... Happened to me twice, in different years...learned the real world lesson, just will try not to let it happen again to myself, and sharing my lesson with others.

 

[appleo]

I do exactly as dingbat suggested. I put a full charge on my batteries before I put them to bed for the winter, stored in a garage. In the spring of the year, the batteries always still have a great charge on the enough to start the motor with no problem.

The one thing I think is a "must do" before winter, is to change the lower gear unit lube. That way, if there is any water in the oil, it will be gone and not freeze during the winter. I learned this the hard way years ago. It was an expensive repair bill on my 8 H.P trolling motor when the water in the oil froze and broke things.

Agreed on the drain lower unit lube.

Ever wonder why you find outboards for sale on craigslist in the springtime with “ lower unit housing cracked”. LOL.


I just drain mine and leave it empty over the winter.


If you dont use the outboard much and the lube is water-free you can reinstall it in the spring if you are tight on cash

However Walmart does have lube pretty cheap.

 

[racerone]

It is a mistake to leave the gearcase drained over the winter.

 

[iggyw1]

I would not drain the gearcase and leave it empty for the winter because I would worry about rust in there if you do not fill it with the gear lube. Even if you want the better lube, at least fill it with some cheap stuff from Wallmart (hight tech gear oil) for the winter then drain it again and put in the good stuff if you want it in the spring. All I use is the cheap stuff and never had a problem with my lower units.

Never had a charged battery go bad in the winter either, but I keep the boat in a garage for the winter months here in michigan.

 

[Crosbyman]

yep... refill the gearcase before storage Personnaly I bring the battery inside and keep a trickler on it.

If I have issues with my car or friend's car battery at -20 -25 c I just use my ready & fully charged boat battery to jump start the car. that way I do not have to buy me a $150 battery booster box.

 

[webbd]

I like my Optimate battery tender... It's a 4-phase tender that I've heard will help to somewhat desulfate batteries. I used it on my motorcycle and kept a battery working for over 3 years. Now I have a LiPO4 on the motorcycle, and use the Optimate on the boat.

- DW