Marine Battery question

[Kathiesboat]

hello,
this is my first time asking a question on iboats.
Just wondering how to get the longest life from marine batteries. Specifically: do you leave them in the boat, which is stored in an unheated garage, in Canada? This is what a 'neighbour' does and has had no problems but it's only been done a 'couple' years. We remove ours and store in a heated garage. Just wondering if we're going to unnecessary trouble.
Second question: is it necessary to switch batteries - to extend their life - during summer months when we're using our runabout with a 90 4 stroke mercury?
thanks for any insight,
Kathie

 

[Silverbullet555]

Re: Marine Battery question

Batteries do best when they are charged properly. So first, make sure to keep them charged. Depending on how cold your garage gets will depend on if they can be left in or should be taken out. Our storage is heated so the batteries stay in the boat, but they are unhooked and fully charged before being put to bed. Both the batteries in our boat are the same so I switch them every year so the starter becomes the house and the house becomes the starter. Lastly, the house battery gets charged each week when she goes back into the garage since there is a bigger drain on the house battery and I want to be sure it gets fully charged. If your batteries are different, swapping them may not be a good idea, but topping the house battery off would be.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Marine Battery question

...wondering how to get the longest life from marine batteries. ... Just wondering if we're going to unnecessary trouble...

Storing them in a warm area for the winter is certainly NOT going to SHORTEN their life!
Don't consider doing this as as excessive work, it is part of the winter maintenance.
Putting them on a charger for an hour or two every month or so is not excessive in my mind.

There are side benefits to the activity.
When you remove and reinstall the batteries, you will be cleaning the battery post just by the nature of the activity.
It also causes you to stick you head in an area that you might otherwise not have.
That incidental inspection may allow you to find another issue that might have gone unnoticed until it became a problem on the water.

It is always better to do as much as possible, than it is to do as little as necessary.

 

[Kathiesboat]

Re: Marine Battery question

Thank you to the folks who replied to my question about over-wintering batteries. We bring ours into a heated basement for the winter. Guess the neighbours just lucky with hers.
thanks again!

 

[NYBo]

Re: Marine Battery question

A fully charged battery can withstand very cold temperatures (I can't remember exactly how low off the top of my head). It becomes a problem when the battery is discharged. Not only is there the sulfation issue, the battery will also freeze, physically wrecking it.