A couple battery questions

[Revica]

I have a couple of questions regarding batteries and battery maintenance. First, I have a Die Hard deep cycle battery on my boat that I used this past summer to power my trolling motor. On the boat is a ProSport 20 triple bank onboard marine battery charger. After the last time I used the boat, I plugged in the charger until it indicated that the battery was fully charged, then unplugged the charger. I winterized my boat, and it is in my garage until the weather breaks, question, is the battery ok until I get it out and use the boat again in the spring, or should I be doing something to better take care/maintain the battery?

Second, I recently got a new trolling motor, 24v, and am looking at buying two new deep cycles to run the motor on. About a month ago I almost purchased some expensive batties, but had to hold off, and I recently discovered the Ever Start batteries at Wal Mart for about $70 a battery. I've read varying opinions on this message board about the batteries, I guess I'm just looking for more opinions, and I was also wondering if they are Maintenance free batteries.

Last, sorry about getting long winded, the Die hard 27m battery I have on the boat now, can I use that to start my boat motor and run other electronics while using the two new batteries for the trolling motor?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: A couple battery questions

Plug the charger in and leave it plugged in until you are ready to use the boat again. It will go into a maintenance mode and trickle charge the batteries when they need it. Great feature. Personally I don't like Walmart batteries but a lot of people say the Maxx ones are OK. And yes you can use the die hard for a starting battery.

 

[Revica]

Re: A couple battery questions

Thank you for the answers sir! Going out to the garage to plug it in right now. I am going to continue researching the batteries, any other opinions on batteries would be great. Thanks again.

 

[shawnperkins]

Re: A couple battery questions

I too have had problems with Walmart Batteries. I currently have two Interstate batteries I bought about three years ago and they're still running strong.


Shawn Perkins

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: A couple battery questions

if you unplug the charger, make sure to disconnect from the batteries. there is a voltage drop resistor in the charge circuit used to monitor current output. that resistor will discharge a battery in about a week with the charger unplugged.

if you are leaving your battery charger plugged in, make sure it does have an automatic maintenance mode

 

[Silvertip]

Re: A couple battery questions

There are places other than WalMart to look for batteries. If you travel to the outskirts of many major cities you will find "Farm Stores". Although they sell more than farm/ranch equipment, they generally have automotive sections where you can get great prices on batteries as well as trailer and other vehicle parts..

 

[fucawi]

Re: A couple battery questions

If you want to read some sense on batteries try this

http://www.sterling-power.com/support-faq-2.htm

eg sense like this .......
Gel,battery is a standard lead acid battery except that the acid has been transformed into gel. But by solidifying the electrolyte, you introduce many problems not associated with free flowing water based batteries

Most expensive is best” This is so not even close to being true. In fact I would say the reverse is true in the marine leisure market.

Watch the term leisure / deep cycle as it simply does not exist. The standard, so called, leisure batteries, are simply starter batteries with extra support for the active lead material. This may increase the life by 5 – 10 %, but does not turn a starter battery into a deep cycle battery.

 

[Dobroplayer]

Re: A couple battery questions

I just had to put my two cents worth in here. I just had a really bad experience with Interstate.... they may give you a 24month warranty on a battery but if it fails because of a manufacturing defect instead of your neglect or misuse...your nice $100 starting battery is now worth a whole $8. I guess that pays for lunch if your not picky, and they did let me pick my own lunch spot! I have been boating for over 35 years and have NEVER had any battery just fail due to an internal defect... I am sure it does happen, do as you please but I personally will never own anything...I mean anything Interstate! I never asked them for a free battery as they would like to tell you all.... I did ask for 50% on a new one and I would have gladly laid out my half because of the defect.... Just sour grapes???? You bet! I work hard for my money just like you all do! I have 3 deep cycle batterys that came from Rural king, they are 4 years old and still measure way above their CCA listed ratings.
The scary part here.... I installed over $1200 worth of new ignition system on my engine, I am sure my dealer also saw this was a new battery and it was not suspect either. Thinking I would have to replace the Rural King batteries, I bought a 100amp battery load tester. That is how I found out the Interstate battery was junk! If I was a betting man..... I'd bet that battery was bad when I walked out with it in the first place. so, one interstate battery 24M $100 equals a lot of grief! I hope their $50 savings here ends up being worth it to them! That would have been their cost to make a customer happy. Whatever hapened to the customer is always right.....and some sort of decent customer service?

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: A couple battery questions

Dobroplayer, sorry to hear about you experience. I used interstate batteries for 10 years and was always happy with them.

 

[fucawi]

Re: A couple battery questions

perhaps I read that wrong but you said a manufacturing defect and I think in the warantee period so why no replacement...????? I understand now if you have a failure in the warantee period they pull the battery apart and if its a manufacturing defect you get it repaced if not you get shiiit all

Batteries ..buy cheap ..buy heavy and pray ...