charge battery from motor

[garry]

It is real hard to get at my starting motor battery, after setting a couple weeks without being used I'd like to put the charger on the battery to make sure it's ready to go fishing. If I take the hood off my motor (90hp mercury 2002) I could hook my charger to the battery cables that go to the starter and charge the battery though the cables. Is this a BAD idea and what if any damage could I do?

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: charge battery from motor

Not a bad idea at all if you follow a few precautions : This is going to be a much tighter space, make sure that you can get the charger positive lead clamped on without touching (shorting out to) any nearby parts or other connections on the starter. Make sure you do not turn on the charger until after it is connected and unplug the charger before you dissconnect the leads. Yes we are all supposed to follow that last rule anyway, but this time you are close to the carbs and fuel line.

 

[garry]

Re: charge battery from motor

thanks waterone1<br />I hadn't thought about any sparks, thanks for the reply.

 

[ndemge]

Re: charge battery from motor

Another option...<br /><br />Make a permanent charging outlet. Lot of people charge through the trolling motor plug,... mount on of those and make a pigtail for your charger and you can just "plug in" then you don't ever have the risk of sparks or making a bad short and melting something, as that is not a fused connection.

 

[Doug Durako]

Re: charge battery from motor

I hooked a small solar panel trickle charger (12 by 6 inches) directly to my battery. I Clamp it on the side of the boat behind my seat in the spring, take it off in the winter. Available at Radio Shack for about $30.

 

[Doug Durako]

Re: charge battery from motor

PS---the trickle charger is on my fishing boat with outboard motor, not the rig listed below.