Good Battery?

[bashr52]

I had my cheapo Walmart "Marine Starting" battery on my boat for half a season last summer, and only a few trips on it this season. It started giving me issues with loosing a charge. I found one of my LED's in my ski locker wasnt turning off all the way, so I fixed that figuring it was drawing it down. Then we had a really wet season and I figured the bilge pump may be draining it. I bought a 3amp solar charger/maintainer to keep it topped off, but that didnt work. It left me stranded in the bay once on vacation (not fun waiting for a tow after being pushed onto a sand bar), and then would go completely dead sitting at my dock at my lake in a few days. By the end of the season I had to jump the boat every time I wanted to start it, and then run it for a while to get enough charge in it that it wouldnt leave me stranded while fishing. Now the thing is completely dead, it doesnt even register when its on a charger :facepalm:

I've got a 17ft tri-hull with an 85 horse outboard. What is a good dependable battery that wont let me down after not even a year of use? Optima? Sears Ultimate (heard they are made by Odyssey)? I think AGM is the way to go, but I want one that I can trust to start and be there when I need it. I've had an Optima in my summer car for almost 7 years, and it has yet to let me down. I just put an AGM in my jetski as well, and that holds a charge perfect even after weeks/months of non-use.

I only run a fishfinder and sometimes a radio when the boat is parked and I'm fishing, so theres not much of a load on it. I got to the point I was afraid to even turn on the radio when parked for a while for fear the thing wouldnt start again.

 

[Don S]

Re: Good Battery?

Have you checked the charging system on the engine yet? If you use the boat and it doesn't charge, then the battery will get lower.

It could also be the charging system overcharging which will damage the battery as well.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Good Battery?

If your boat has a voltmeter on the console, what does it read at anything above 2000 rpm? If you don't have a voltmeter you can buy a multi-tester (volts/ohms/milliammeter) at any home improvement store for less than $15.00. If the charging system isn't working the battery goes dead. If the battery is bad (bad cell(s)) then the best charging system in the world can't make it better. If you are electrically challenged, charge the battery and have it load tested at any auto store (usually free). In my view it is not necessary to spend big bucks on a high-tech, and equally high tech priced battery.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Good Battery?

Have you done a parasitic draw test?

Don't know what you own for electrical testing equipment, but a simple automotive multimeter would be needed.
Have the battery charged and ready to go. Everything electrical shut off on the boat, engine off, radios, lights, etc all off, basically in the same state that you leave the boat in when you're not using it. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery (leave the positive cable in place on the battery). Set the meter to amps scale (typical automotive meter goes has a 10 amp and 400 mA scale, you want it in 10 amps just in case). Place the positive lead of the meter in the 10 amp port (black lead stays in the COM port). Place the meters negative lead end on the negative battery post, and the positive lead end on the negative battery clamp of the battery cable (cable still disconnected, meter is now acting like a jumper wire from the battery to the cable), and read the meter. On a simple boat like that, I would expect to see no more than 100 mA or 1/10 of an amp. Any more, and I would start pulling fuses to see what circuit has a draw. Probably won't find anything with this test, but it is a good base to cover to be sure that nothing is unknowingly drawing excessive current when the boat is off.

 

[JB]

Re: Good Battery?

If the battery:

1. Registers full charge in each cell on a hydrometer after charging and
2. Measures at least minimums on a load tester after a full charge,

. . .it is a good battery.

Any other "test" is a guess. Maybe a close guess, but a guess.

It would be a shame to replace that battery only to discover that your problem is a load or failed charging system.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Good Battery?

Have you done a parasitic draw test?

Don't know what you own for electrical testing equipment, but a simple automotive multimeter would be needed.
Have the battery charged and ready to go. Everything electrical shut off on the boat, engine off, radios, lights, etc all off, basically in the same state that you leave the boat in when you're not using it. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery (leave the positive cable in place on the battery). Set the meter to amps scale (typical automotive meter goes has a 10 amp and 400 mA scale, you want it in 10 amps just in case). Place the positive lead of the meter in the 10 amp port (black lead stays in the COM port). Place the meters negative lead end on the negative battery post, and the positive lead end on the negative battery clamp of the battery cable (cable still disconnected, meter is now acting like a jumper wire from the battery to the cable), and read the meter. On a simple boat like that, I would expect to see no more than 100 mA or 1/10 of an amp. Any more, and I would start pulling fuses to see what circuit has a draw. Probably won't find anything with this test, but it is a good base to cover to be sure that nothing is unknowingly drawing excessive current when the boat is off.

In my opinion, 100mA for parasitic draw is WAY high. I would be concerned about anything above a couple of mA. If anyone has a better measured number from a "good" system, I would be interested in hearing it.

TerryMSU

 

[fucawi]

Re: Good Battery?

50-100ma is a typical car figure with the alarm in standby .....should be near zero on a boat .....runs down at the dock ....dont you have a on /off switch to disconnect the battery? If its on a bilge pump not a good idea unless the battery is charged regularly ..or a decent solar panel.
I never had problems with cheap batteries BUT you must charge any battery at least every 3 months if its idle and I always charge after a trip and before the next one,,,you say wont read on the charger ..just leave it for a week ..often they suddenly pop up ..its sulphated /over discharged,

 

[bashr52]

Re: Good Battery?

No Alt on the boat, just a stator. Since the tach reads off the stator pulses, and the tach is working, I assume the charging sytem is working just fine. Plus, I have the volt meter on my fish finder. With the engine off I will see about 12.2 volts or so. Start it up and bring up the RPM's, and it goes to around 14.2 or so. I do think I will add a small voltmeter on the dash this season, perhaps something similar to this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Digita...332?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab06d84c4.

What is a good rate of charge to see if the battery will recover? Hit it with a steady 2amp trickel, or a full 15amp rapid charge? I will try the parasite test this spring when I get the boat out of storage, I should see a small amount for the clock/radio pre-sets on the radio, but I would think that is it.

The solar panel battery maintainer I bought does a max of 3amps. Could this overcharge/cook my battery if I leave it on all the time?

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Good Battery?

In my opinion, 100mA for parasitic draw is WAY high. I would be concerned about anything above a couple of mA. If anyone has a better measured number from a "good" system, I would be interested in hearing it.

TerryMSU

Of course for the typical boat, 100mA is incredibly high. That is the benchmark for most modern day automobiles with several sleeping modules on board. I know for a fact most vehicle batteries will stay capable of starting a vehicle after around 3 weeks to a month of a 100mA draw. A stout marine battery with what should be even less constant draw (the occasional bilge pump cycle, or maintaining a stereo's memory) should be able to start the engine after sitting for several weeks.

Granted the O.P. should be checking the charging system in his boat, and be concerned with the health of his battery after several complete discharges. I was just giving him another avenue to explore.

 

[coFLounder]

Re: Good Battery?

Walmart has a decent warranty on their batteries. If it is not holding a charge take it back to them. They can use the manufacturing code on the battery if you do not have the receipt.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Good Battery?

I personally wont buy a battery from Manufacturers other than Enersys / Odyssey or East Penn, however that comes from putting hundreds of thousands of batteries into equipment and knowing the warranty return data.

I have found this http://jgdarden.com/batteryfaq/batbrand.htm as a good compilation of manufacturers vs brands.

I agree, something not right on your battery, I would take it back to wally world and get a replacment

 

[NYBo]

Re: Good Battery?

Walmart has a decent warranty on their batteries. If it is not holding a charge take it back to them. They can use the manufacturing code on the battery if you do not have the receipt.

I agree, something not right on your battery, I would take it back to wally world and get a replacment

I think some forum members have posted that WalMart no longer has a warrantee on their deep cycle batteries.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Good Battery?

I think some forum members have posted that WalMart no longer has a warrantee on their deep cycle batteries.

I was one of those. Though, the last time I was in their auto dept I noticed they had put the warranty back on the deep cycle batteries. I'm guessing they had a lot of backlash from their customers. I know I had 1 in my cart and when I was told it had no warranty, I placed it back on the shelf.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Good Battery?

I did a rebuild and rewire on my toon this summer, new battery and ever thing else. All new connections and marine grade switches, and ran into the same problem , after a few trips out battery was low , Have a 9.9 motor so a pull start and it was good and I went thought the charging system and it was fine had a load test ran on the battery and it was fine. Decided to add a battery disconnect switch and that cured it. At the time I didn't have a dock cover and it was exposed to rain and I suspect it was a water ground pulling just enough over time to draw it down and its fine now. I added a percent of charge meter just to keep a eye on things.

I think some forum members have posted that WalMart no longer has a warrantee on their deep cycle batteries.

Ran into that I believe its on all of their batteries now not just marine, was out real early to find some breakfast with the wife , who asked ooo can you stop by Wal-Mart on the way and on the way back out the car battery was dead,, open cell,, so I got a replacement there and was told it had no warranty but that may be just local.

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Good Battery?

My Walmart car battery kept going dead. Three times Walmart said it checked out as "good, needing charge". Same report at Auto Zone. Finally I said replace it even if I have to pay for the new one. They replaced it no charge. No problems since. Bottom line...don't take the battery test results as gospel.

 

[adamjr]

Re: Good Battery?

My Walmart car battery kept going dead. Three times Walmart said it checked out as "good, needing charge". Same report at Auto Zone. Finally I said replace it even if I have to pay for the new one. They replaced it no charge. No problems since. Bottom line...don't take the battery test results as gospel.

Likewise. When I bought my third hand truck it had an autozone battery. One day no starting. I put the battery charger on it on the 15 amp setting for an hour and no start. Put it on the start setting and with some effort it started. Ran the truck in the driveway for 20 minutes and shut her down. Went in the house and came back out and tried to start and it started but was hard to crank. I grabbed the battery out of my boat and swapped batteries. Off to Autozone I went. They tested the battery and in spite of the needle not being able to stabilize they tried to tell me the battery was good. I insisted to the manager that there was something wrong with the battery AND their tester because there is no way it should give a positive report when the live meter kept hitting the bad side. Finally he saw things my way and 2 years later I can leave the truck for a month and she starts right up.

 

[Biff.McGerk]

Re: Good Battery?

I have only used Optima batteries (D31M) or yellow tops, but prefer the blue top group 31 batteries. I am sure everyone has their preference, but i have had no issues with these. I fish hard every year and troll constantly from them without issue. I use an onboard DualPro charger to keep them charged up.

Love Optima.

 

[halojeff]

Re: Good Battery?

I had to replace a Optima d31m last season, it was 2 years and 1 month old..warranty was 2 years, called optima and they were thrilled that it lasted the 2 year warranty! Went to sears and bought a die hard platinum d31 (odyssey makes them) It is the strongest battery I have every tried, I even bought one for my truck! On my boat I run about 1000 total watt stereo for about 45 min before full range amp will cut off(under 11 volts) will start up the boat motor (V8) with no problem after 11 volts, plus it has a 3 year free replacement warranty.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Good Battery?

You don't need to add a voltmeter if you have one on the locator. 14.2 volts with the engine running means the charging system is working. I take it you have a radio on this boat so the station memory is continually drawing from the battery (although in very small numbers). So something else is drawing power or you have a battery. As for your 3 amp solar panel, I think you mean 3 Watts which is not enough to light a bulb. 3amps is a big solar panel. Deeply discharged batters need to be charged at a rate of up to 20% of the batteries AHr capacity. A 100 AHr battery can be charged at up to a 20 amp rate. A 2 amp trickle charger is intended to "maintain" a fully charged battery. They are simply too small to effectively act as a charger. In other words a 2 amp maintainer would take 10 times longer to do what a 20A charger does in one hour. If the battery checks out good, the charging system is working, and you have a place to plug in an on-board charger (maintenance unit or a real charger) then plug in at the dock. Smart chargers can be left on permanently without damage to the battery. During normal boating, are you sitting in one place for hours at a time running a radio or other electronics? If so, a short run back to the dock will not fully charge a battery so you continually lose capacity.

 

[BRICH1260]

Re: Good Battery?

As for your 3 amp solar panel, I think you mean 3 Watts which is not enough to light a bulb. 3amps is a big solar panel.
I agree. A 3 amp charger would be the size of a small desktop. Probably not what you have on your boat. 3 watt, not enough to charge an already depleated battery.