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Posts: 750
Location: Minneapolis, MN | This will be the first winter of having an onboard charger so I'm wondering should we just keep the batteries hooked up in the boat with the battery charger running the entire season, should we unplug the charger and then plug it in for a few days a month, or should we take the batteries out?
Thanks
Edited by dami0101 11/13/2014 7:39 PM
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| Some leave it plugged up some remove. I would leave it plugged in. |
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Location: new richmond, wi. & isle, mn | I try to top mine off once a month. That is, if I remember. |
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| I've never done anything to mine over winter. Has 8 seasons on it. Will see if it makes 9. |
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Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
A battery is an interesting thing. When fully charged, the liquid within the battery is not water, but an electrolyte. Due to this it has a much much lower freezing point than regular water.
With this in mind, what you can do is unhook the batteries from the various components they provide power to, and the battery will not lose charge. What many do if the have the onboard charger is keep the charger leads on, then top off the batteries once a month by plugging in. This is more of a preventative maintenance step than anything, ensuring the batteries are kept at full charge.
A recommendation by many, though is to NOT keep the charger plugged in all the time. The reason being that if for some reason the charger fails somehow, the battery could get over charged, thus a potential for explosion, damage, what have you...
In a nutshell, top the batteries off, unhook all electrical items that draw power from them, and recharge for a couple hours once a month. Your batteries will appreciate it. 
Steve
Edited by VMS 11/14/2014 11:36 AM
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| I agree with Steve. Leave them in the boat. Do not take them out and bring them inside a warm basement.
I always left my onboards plugged in. Never had any problems in 20 plus years. |
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Location: The desert | Shep - 11/17/2014 3:24 PM
I agree with Steve. Leave them in the boat. Do not take them out and bring them inside a warm basement.
I always left my onboards plugged in. Never had any problems in 20 plus years.
Why shouldn't one bring them inside? If one keeps them fully charged it shouldn't make much difference should it?
I wouldn't recommend storing them on a concrete floor, however. |
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Location: New Hope MN | I brought mine into the warm basement last year... charged one up and it puked acid all over the cement. sucked!
Leaving in the boat this year. |
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Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hi pointer,
Correct, it really doesn't make much difference if you bring them in or not. I used to bring them all in as well, but found it to be more effort that I really didn't have to do. My father still does it with his...
biggest thing is to have them at full charge.
Steve |
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Location: The desert | VMS - 11/17/2014 9:17 PM
Hi pointer,
Correct, it really doesn't make much difference if you bring them in or not. I used to bring them all in as well, but found it to be more effort that I really didn't have to do. My father still does it with his...
biggest thing is to have them at full charge.
Steve
I figured it likely mattered little, but I'm glad I don't have to go stick them back in! |
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Posts: 1088
Location: Hayward, WI | Batteries will self discharge when sitting with nothing hooked up to them. The rate is fairly low, but it is higher at warmer temps compared to lower temps. So a fully charged battery will fair better in the cold compared to in your basement. |
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Location: north central wisconsin | kjgmh - 11/18/2014 8:34 AM
Batteries will self discharge when sitting with nothing hooked up to them. The rate is fairly low, but it is higher at warmer temps compared to lower temps. So a fully charged battery will fair better in the cold compared to in your basement.
Agreed. I quit bringing them in about ten years ago upon the urging of my local marina when I explained my typical battery life(2-3 year avg). I now enjoy longer battery life(4 years on TM), and my back isn't as sore. |
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Location: The desert | kjgmh - 11/18/2014 8:34 AM
Batteries will self discharge when sitting with nothing hooked up to them. The rate is fairly low, but it is higher at warmer temps compared to lower temps. So a fully charged battery will fair better in the cold compared to in your basement.
Makes sense, but if one is topping them off once a month the rate of discharge is fairly irrelevant.
I'll probably use them from ice fishing anyway, so they won't just sit. |
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| Pointerpride102 - 11/17/2014 3:30 PM
Shep - 11/17/2014 3:24 PM
I agree with Steve. Leave them in the boat. Do not take them out and bring them inside a warm basement.
I always left my onboards plugged in. Never had any problems in 20 plus years.
Why shouldn't one bring them inside? If one keeps them fully charged it shouldn't make much difference should it?
I wouldn't recommend storing them on a concrete floor, however.
Leaving them sit on concrete isn't an issue anymore. When cases were made of rubber many years ago, they would leach through, and promote a greater discharge rate. That is not the case, (NPI) with the plastic used now.
Edited by Shep 11/18/2014 9:23 AM
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Location: Already Gone | I store mine on my basement floor, with a piece of wood underneath. And trickle charge once a month. Been doing it for 15 years, works fine for me.
My boat sits outside all winter, covered with a tarp. It's not difficult to pull the 3 batteries anyway. It's a 2 beer job.  |
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| If you left them in the boat, they'd be better off, and you could possibly sneak in another beer! |
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| Reef Hawg - 11/18/2014 8:47 AM
kjgmh - 11/18/2014 8:34 AM
Batteries will self discharge when sitting with nothing hooked up to them. The rate is fairly low, but it is higher at warmer temps compared to lower temps. So a fully charged battery will fair better in the cold compared to in your basement.
Agreed. I quit bringing them in about ten years ago upon the urging of my local marina when I explained my typical battery life (2-3 year avg ). I now enjoy longer battery life (4 years on TM ), and my back isn't as sore.
This is exactly what the marina told me last weekend when I dropped my boat off...
I forgot to pull them last winter and they got shrinkwrapped with the boat. Thought I was hosed and actually brought a new battery when I unwrapped in the spring. Totally unnecessary, battery was fine, boat started right up....
Good to know about the concrete, I still hear that from people...
RandalB
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Location: Minnesota. | I'll fully charge all 3 of mine with the inboard charger and then put them on a shelf in the garage. Hit w/a trickle charger a couple times a winter...no issues.
Might wanna remove your two covers and top off with water if you have non-sealeds. I've always used plain tap water instead of the recommended distilled .. no issues and they last 4-5 yrs. Been doing this for 20 + seasons now.
Good topic!! |
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| I just fully charge them and leave them in the boat and race car all winter disconnected. Never had any issues. |
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Location: Already Gone | Shep - 11/19/2014 7:53 AM
If you left them in the boat, they'd be better off, and you could possibly sneak in another beer!
Consider it done! Thanks for all the info. |
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Location: Not where I want to be! | kjgmh - 11/18/2014 8:34 AM
Batteries will self discharge when sitting with nothing hooked up to them. The rate is fairly low, but it is higher at warmer temps compared to lower temps. So a fully charged battery will fair better in the cold compared to in your basement.
Lead acid batteries with out any load or connections will discharge at a rate of about 1% to 2% per day at 80 deg. Fahrenheit. The hotter outside, the discharge is greater. It's due to the reaction between the sulfuric acid and the lead plates. The colder the battery gets the slower these reactions are. So as the chemical reaction slows, the battery will slowly enter a dormant state, it doesn't go dead. For long term storage a dormant state is better for the batteries life.
Leave them in the boat, fully charged and disconnected. If a rodent should get in your boat and chews on your wiring you won't have a fire. |
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