Seasonal Battery Charging

[Timmy!]

How long are you guys charging your batteries for after winter storage? I charged mine at 2 Amps overnight and it's still not at 100% but I'm guessing that after a full season of use that it wouldn't get back to 100% since the battery is 1 1/2 years old. Both batteries have taken about the same charge.

Am I doing this right or ?

[chpthril]

How cold is it where there are stored? Temp will affect thier ability to charge.

[ggalbraith]

Seasonal Battery Charging

The best investment you can make is a battery tender charger. I bought a two bank charger and keep it plugged in all winter. I have been told it will make the batteries last up to 5 years instead of two or three. I did it on the closed jetski batteries also and I am on the second season for those batteries. Also, the jetskis started on the first crank, which never happened for me in the past. I am sold on keeping them charged all winter. The brand I bought was Battery Tender for the boat and Battery Tender Jr. for the jetskis. I am very satisfied. Just my two cents worth.

[Timmy!]

How cold is it where there are stored? Temp will affect their ability to charge.

Indoor non-insulated storage in Denver...definitely freezes in there and probably got below zero at least once. I guess for next year I should pull the batteries and leave them in my garage, didn't even think about it this past year. Maybe even pickup a battery tender like you suggested ggalbraith.

[ggalbraith]

Seasonal Battery Charging

I got mine from these guys, www.batterystuff.com. One two bank charger for the boat and the little waterproof ones for jetskis. My boat stays outside, but covered all winter and I just run an extension cord to it. Beats removing all the batteries and storing in the garage for the winter! Super easy to attach if you want to make it permanent, but I just take it out and reattach if needed. One of best boat investments I have made. ( Don't know if I can call much of my boating expenses an investment, but these things are worth the money).

[dogbert]

I'll second the recommendation for the battery tender. Given the fact that it freezes for long periods of time, I would remove them when you put your boat up for the winter and I would still put them on some kind of trickle charger to maintain them for the winter.

[Weil Thing]

Do you guys disconnect all the wiring to your batteries while charging? I've never done this on previous boats, but my battery boxes have bright yellow stickers saying damage could occur if you do not.

[dogbert]

No, my onboard battery charger is designed to do this without damaging anything else. However, if you have a Perko battery switch, just turn it to the off position.

[chpthril]

Most chargers, like Dog's, will step down the amps as the battery comes up, but, I dont recommend setting the charger any higher then 40 amps, and only for about 20 mins or if the battery is very cold.

[dogbert]

I would agree. I'd go with a 10 amp setting if your charger has one. If you have an onboard, there's nothing to worry about.

[atlcajun]

My boat is in dry storage and has no access to power (or sunlight for that matter). I remove the batteries when winterizing and store in garage on low-amperage trickle chargers (or maintainers). If this is done, make sure you do not place the batteries directly on the concrete floor (I don't know why, but it does damage them). Place a piece of plywood between the batteries and floor. When I replace the batteries in the spring, they are completely charged and ready for another season!

[chpthril]

My boat is in dry storage and has no access to power (or sunlight for that matter). I remove the batteries when winterizing and store in garage on low-amperage trickle chargers (or maintainers). If this is done, make sure you do not place the batteries directly on the concrete floor (I don't know why, but it does damage them). Place a piece of plywood between the batteries and floor. When I replace the batteries in the spring, they are completely charged and ready for another season!

This was true back when batteries where made of wood boxes. If anything, it will eat the paint/coating off of a floor, long before anything will ever happen to the battery.

[TRD]

I have been reading the posts about battery charging and battery tenders and I seen one response about this.

1) Should I disconnecting all the wires from the battery before trickle charging. I have 1 battery, and I will set my charger on 2amps and let it charge overnight before going out. I do NOT take the wires off the battery. Should I be disconnecting the battery before charging like this?
I don't have a battery switch yet, if I put one of these in that would sovle this wouldn't it.

2) When I get a battery tender, can I take this out of the boat when I take the battery out for the winter and let it tender over the winter? or would you just leave the batteries in the boat hooked up over the winter? I live in NC, it gets down to about 20° sometimes and not for long periods I would guess.

3) If I get a 2 battery tender, can I use it only to tender 1 battery until I make a dual battery setup on my boat?

Thanks

[ggalbraith]

Seasonal Battery Charging

I don't disconnect any wires before charging. The battery tender has a connection that you place under the screws on the battery and then just plug it in like and extension cord or you can take out of the boat and trickle all winter. I live in Abilene, Texas and keep the two battery charger on my batteries all winter. Just run an extension cord to the charger and leave all winter. I use the waterproof ones on my jetskis all summer when not in use. They sit on the dock and I just plug them in and go home. It makes the batteries last longer and always easy to start. So far I think the battery tender chargers are one of the best buys I have made, especially the ones for the jetskis.

[da.bell]

The best investment you can make is a battery tender charger. I bought a two bank charger and keep it plugged in all winter. I have been told it will make the batteries last up to 5 years instead of two or three. I did it on the closed jetski batteries also and I am on the second season for those batteries. Also, the jetskis started on the first crank, which never happened for me in the past. I am sold on keeping them charged all winter. The brand I bought was Battery Tender for the boat and Battery Tender Jr. for the jetskis. I am very satisfied. Just my two cents worth.

^^ Bingo...