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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | So I have noticed that when I am charging my trolling motor battery, it only gets about 3/4 of a charge. It's about a year and a half old, but I haven't done any work to it (filling etc). Should I check to see if it needs more water in it, and if so, will it have a negative effect since it's been like that for a couple of months? If I do have to put distilled water in there, is there anything I need to look for when filling it? Can you overfill it? I'm a putz when it comes to stuff like that. Ususally I just get a new battery, but I figure, why not learn to maintain them.
Also, if I fill it with water, do I have to recharge the battery for a while, or since it's fully charged (as full as it will get right now) will it just take a short time after I fill it with water.
Thanks guys. | |
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Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Joel- By all means, check the electrolyte levels- if the battery plates are exposed/not covered with electrolyte, it's probably time for a new battery. How hard have you been working it? Most deep cycle batteries are only good for 100-200 deep discharge/recharge cycles, i.e., they do wear out from use.
Does your battery charger have an equalize setting for wet cells? If so and the the plates haven't been exposed to air, top it off w/ distilled water and then try a 24 hr equalize. If that doesn't bring it back to full capacity, it's probably time to go get a new battery.
Any time you top off a wetcell with distilled water you should put it through a charge cycle to mix the electrolyte w/ the added distilled water to achieve a uniform electrolyte specific gravity (SG).
Al
Edited by ESOX Maniac 9/19/2006 9:09 AM
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | Thanks Al, I may hold off on messing with it. I have to take some time to figure out what you said. LOL I'll take a look and see if the thing a ma jiggers are exposed. If they are, that is bad it sounds like. What if they are just partially exposed? How big are these things that I'm looking for?
My charger is a pretty simple charger. I just plug it in and it lets me know when it's charged. (Minkota charger).
I don't want to mess with it this week if it will wreck it cause I have a tourney this weekend. But if it will help to add the water, I can do that.
Would it screw it up if I added water now, or would it just continue to get the same charge, if the plates are exposed. I still get a pretty good charge, just want a FULL charge.
Thanks for all the info Al! | |
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Posts: 5874
| Go ahead and check the levels, and add water if needed. Then as Al said, put on the charger. It won't hurt it, but it will prevent it from further damage from exposed plates.
Best way to check the battery is to take it to a reputeable battery shop, and have them test it with a full charge. | |
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| you can also get a battery shocker/equalizer?....heard of those working for older and dead batteries
for now, i'd add the water, charge it...run it.
i ran my last ones till they were dead.
i have trojans for Trolling motor and an Optima 1000cc for motor.
i don't even charge the optima maybe 1time a month.
the trojans last so #*^@ long. i could probably charge them once a weekend...even if needed at THAT....for a 43lb TM.
Edited by The Yeti 9/20/2006 1:23 PM
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Battery Charging Question