Battery storage

[Dave K.]

I’m in the northeast and the season is pretty much over, for me anyways until early spring. What’s the best way to store the boat battery during winter?
Ty Dave

 

[The Force power]

I’m in the northeast and the season is pretty much over, for me anyways until early spring. What’s the best way to store the boat battery during winter?
Ty Dave

IF...fully charged, disconnect the terminals and leave in the boat OR take home charge and put on trickle charge and keep in garage

 

[Dave K.]

IF...fully charged, disconnect the terminals and leave in the boat OR take home charge and put on trickle charge and keep in garage

Ty, quick question: does the trickle charge keep charging even if fully charged or does it only charge as the battery starts to run down?

 

[poconojoe]

I take all 5 of my batteries inside for the Winter. Boat batteries, mowers, etc.

They all go on battery maintainers in my basement. The key word in "maintainer", not trickle charge.

I have five .75 amp NOCO brand battery maintainers. They keep them topped off automatically. They cycle on/off as needed.
There are many other good brands out there. Just make sure it's a reputable brand.

Dont use those cheap $10 trickle chargers. They don't cycle off, they just apply a constant charge and that's bad for your batteries. They will overcharge and the electrolyte can dry up.

 

[The Force power]

Dont use those cheap $10 trickle chargers. They don't cycle off, they just apply a constant charge and that's bad for your batteries. They will overcharge and the electrolyte can dry up.

True in most cases, mostly depends on the size battery.
In my case I use a 31c battery and I plug it in once a month for a day or two, on that size battery the (barely) 1 amp output does not cause the boil off

 

[dingbat]

The rate of self discharged is a function of temperature….cooler better for storage
purposes.

My boat typically sits 3.5 to 4 months in the winter. I just top off (charge) the batteries, make sure the battery switch is OFF and leave the batteries in the boat for the winter.

Throw the charger on the batteries a day before coming out of hibernation and call it good.

 

[Grub54891]

I make sure they are fully charged, unhook the neg, and put them away. Top off in spring and go boating/lawnmowing/atving.....ect, ect ext. No issues and we get to20-30 below. If one of my batteries fails in the spring it's due to the fact it's 6-8 years old.

 

[jerryjerry05]

I'm the worst at battery storage.
When I lived in Michigan or Maryland I'd leave it in the boat, hooked up.
But I do make sure the top is clean and posts are clean and have a coating of white lithium grease, that's year round.
The batteries I had in Mi. lasted as long as 10 years.
Now I'm lucky if I get 4 years.

 

[Dave K.]

Thank you everyone. Mine is out of the boat in the basement, typically cooler there. I have a trickle charge but may grab a maintainer instead. Good info there.
I usually put a charger on it a few days before getting the boat out, early spring. However my batteries the last 6 or 7 years are not lasting as long. This is my 2nd new one in probably 4 years. Never have had that issue w car, Bike or boat. Why I asked

 

[The Force power]

Thank you everyone. Mine is out of the boat in the basement, typically cooler there. I have a trickle charge but may grab a maintainer instead. Good info there.
I usually put a charger on it a few days before getting the boat out, early spring. However my batteries the last 6 or 7 years are not lasting as long. This is my 2nd new one in probably 4 years. Never have had that issue w car, Bike or boat. Why I asked

The thing that matters most; for a of lot, boating season is over

 

[jerryjerry05]

Nope, it just started for us.(season)
Went Tuesday.
Like shark week on TV Friggin sharks EVERYWHERE!!!
Most were the little sandbar sharks that at 3-4ft were eatin size.
We could keep 2 One tiny red snapper and a mess of blue runners.
I usually don't keep them but my partner said they're delicious marinated(3days) with Italian dressing and just about burned on the grill.
Will find out Friday??

 

[The Force power]

Nope, it just started for us.(season)
Went Tuesday.
Like shark week on TV Friggin sharks EVERYWHERE!!!
Most were the little sandbar sharks that at 3-4ft were eatin size.
We could keep 2 One tiny red snapper and a mess of blue runners.
I usually don't keep them but my partner said they're delicious marinated(3days) with Italian dressing and just about burned on the grill.
Will find out Friday??

No Sharks in our great lakes

 

[poconojoe]

My two boat batteries are the same ones in there when I bought the boat used in 2013.
I have no clue how long they've actually been in the boat or how old they are.

I was think of replacing them next year mostly because of their age.

One of them did seem a bit weak last time we went out, so I combined them. Maybe it was due to the boat sitting for 3 weeks.

I'll put them on the maintainer for the winter and see how they are come springtime.

One is a Mercury Marine battery and the other is some off brand. Both are starting batteries.

I believe they have lasted this long due to keeping them on a maintainer over the winter months.

I like using a maintainer vs a simple trickle charger because you can just hook them up and forget about them until Spring. A simple cheapo trickle charger should not remain connected indefinitely, but a maintainer can be.

 

[mike_i]

If you use a maintainer of any kind check the water/acid once in a while to make sure it doesn't boil off during storage.