Starter battery preventive replacement?

[Expidia]

Re: Starter battery preventive replacement?

Arrrrgh, I should have posted back earlier today. After hearing about the blems... and needing a pair of deep cycles I called the local Interstate place and asked the lady about blems. She said they don't sell blems, but did have used batteries. Like you, WT* do I want a used battery for... I asked how much new group 29 & 31 batteries were and she said $120+- For that price I'm going AGM.

So, Like you Exp,,, I'm going to hit up WalMart/Sams and buy a couple $75 deep cycles.

BTW, I have 4 batteries in my Crestliner from 2007-2008 and only 1 of them is marginal. It still starts the boat fine and holds a charge, but I can hear it gurgling while charging all the time so I know it's on the way out.

Ya, I know what you mean. I topped off my 3 season old OEM battery last week and it took maybe an hour or two 2.5 on the charger. But my Daughter's starter which is also a deep cycle took all night and most of the next day to bring it up to full. Hers came with her used rig she bought last season so that ones probably a bunch of years old. Either battery does not seem to hold a full charge that long anymore. As another poster mentioned at 12.5 on the digital meter they are probably below the 50 pct capacity. Her's is probably 25 pct.

I top them off each month or two over the winter but let them go about 3 months cause I forgot. I don't like using float chargers and leaving them plugged in all the time for fear of one shorting out and burning my house down from those cheapo harbor freight ones from China

Can't beat the price of the Walmart Everstarts. If one fails, you're always near a store wherever you are!

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Starter battery preventive replacement?

My .02:

Why not have a second, smaller deep cycle battery in place to run the radio? You can get deep cycle/dual purpose batteries that fit in lawn tractors for ~$35.00 and have it dedicated to the stereo. This saves your starting battery for just that...starting. You can either leave it isolated to run the stereo/fish finder and recharge it between uses, or run #6 wire to it so that it trickle charges when the engine runs.

I have always put 2 batteries in my boats. 1 has to be the starting batteries and the other runs the electronics. I don't fish on a lake, though. If my battery dies and I'm stranded, it's usually 25-40 miles off shore. not a good place to be alone. And. I'm not man enough to try to pull start a 150HP Merc!

Also, IMHO, battery change outs are a cheap insurance. I take my dual purpose starting battery and move it to the electronics position. I buy a new starting battery (dual purpose) for $75. I sell the electronics battery on CL or to a friend for $35. Forty dollars out of pocket every 2 years is awfully cheap for piece of mind. I figure, if my wife was offshore with me and the battery died, whould I spend that extra $20 to NOT to have to listen to her yell at me?