not charging your battery right after use is the number one cause of batteries going bad.
i charge mine right away after every use.
i charge mine right away after every use.
BATTERY CHARGING QUESTION...
HEY GUYS,
JUST WONDERING IF YOU CHARGE YOURE CRANKING BATTERY AFTER EVERY USE? THIS IS MY 1ST BOAT AND JUST HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. CHARGED THE OLD BATTERY ONE TIME, MAYBE 2 IN THE FIRST YEAR OF USE.
JUST WANTED TO KNOW HOW THE CHARGING GOES AND HOW OFTEN.
I CHARGE THE TROLLING MOTOR BATTERY AFTER EVERY USE, JUST NOT SURE ABOUT THE STARTING BATTERY.
THANKS
LONNIE
JUST WONDERING IF YOU CHARGE YOURE CRANKING BATTERY AFTER EVERY USE? THIS IS MY 1ST BOAT AND JUST HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. CHARGED THE OLD BATTERY ONE TIME, MAYBE 2 IN THE FIRST YEAR OF USE.
JUST WANTED TO KNOW HOW THE CHARGING GOES AND HOW OFTEN.
I CHARGE THE TROLLING MOTOR BATTERY AFTER EVERY USE, JUST NOT SURE ABOUT THE STARTING BATTERY.
THANKS
LONNIE
1 - 20 of 27 Posts
i have a three bank charger so yes i do,
Battery is a battery. Trolling or cranking. In theory, your cranking battery will be charged by the alternator, but still should be maintained as it will lose its charge over time and battery life is extended when you are at a certain level. I have a 3 bank onboard charger for my 2 = trolling motor batteries (24V) and cranking battery. It charges, then maintains the batteries once charged; hence stays on all the time.
charge after each use, max charge rate to get max life out of them is 10amps, not charging within 48 hours of use batteries will get a memory to them and then will never recharge to full charge, thus shortening useage time and life of battery. yes most marine motors have a charging system of some type but all have different outputs,thats why charge start battery also after use. if not used and storing for extended time you should do maintanence charging once a month and make sure water level is up to snuff, this is an easily overlooked part of battery care and charging a battery with plates showing will kill or seriously shorten the life of the battery.
Yes after every use I plug in and recharge. I keep my batteries topped-off by also check the fluid level and reservice with water from my RO system, look for tightness of the wingnuts.
not charging within 48 hours of use batteries will get a memory to them and then will never recharge to full charge
Pretty sure "battery memory" only applies to nickel cadmium batteries (NiCd). And then it only applies to a certain type NiCd.
Charge after every use with a quality charger, and avoid the trickle chargers that just supply a low current. They almost always overcharge and damage the battery. Then the battery is thought to have a "memory".
Lead acid batteries will have increased sulfation if not kept charged. This equates to memory in NiCd.
A sulfated battery is a damaged battery that is often mistaken as memory. A lead acid battery has no capability of a memory.
At any rate, the moral of the story is keep your battery's charged.
At any rate, the moral of the story is keep your battery's charged.
Having worked in a USAF battery shop while my injuried ankle was healing. The shop had a Lead Acid side a room roughly 12x14 feet and a duplicate room for the NiCads. We used to have between 20-50 lead acid batteries on charge at any given time. We also had 10-15 NiCad's on charge too. The acid smell in the Lead side was so strong that if the vent fans stopped working the room was shut down and an alarm went off. We had to wear a face shield and rubber apron and gloves, but the fumes still would attack your fatigues and if you worked in here for any length of time as in a month your uniform was shot.
Anyways the first order for us was to check the fluid level of any incomming battery. Take a specific gravity reading then clean off the battery and the posts. Service the battery with distilled water and put it on the charge. The charger was a power supply of around 13 +/- 1VDC attached to these 2 copper strips (1 positive and 1 negative) that went around 3 of the 4 walls. From this we basically had attached jumper cables to the copper strips, One end was bolted to the strips and the other was the clamping jaws you have on jumper cables.
While charging we would monitor the batteries for cell activity and take specific gravity readings and a multimeter to check for voltage levels of the battery. Checking too for batteries that swelled up from overheating. Once charged the fluid level was rechecked and they were placed on a rack and tagged, every so many days they were put back on the charger to be topped off. If they made it that long. Between ground powere equipment, vehicles, UPS systems we had a few hundred lead acid batteries. NiCad's we had around 200.
Our NiCad's were 19 cell batteries, 1.2VDC per cell for 28VDC total. Each time a NiCad was brought into the battery shop it was tested, then discharged (Very time consuming) torn down, fluid level inspected and washed. Then put together and recharged and tested. If I recall right we had to charge and discharge it 3 times before it could be put back in use on a plane or ground power equipment.
About 15 years ago I seen a battery on a KC135 tanker, it had been in this plane for 5 years non-stop. It was not a Nicad or wet cell. It was tested in the hottest and coldest climate. It was a gel cell and that battery was awesome.
Keep the lead acid battery clean, liquid level up to the proper level, keep it charged and you have done everything you can to get the max life. I am going over 3 years om my TM batteries and seeing one is not showing its age.
Anyways the first order for us was to check the fluid level of any incomming battery. Take a specific gravity reading then clean off the battery and the posts. Service the battery with distilled water and put it on the charge. The charger was a power supply of around 13 +/- 1VDC attached to these 2 copper strips (1 positive and 1 negative) that went around 3 of the 4 walls. From this we basically had attached jumper cables to the copper strips, One end was bolted to the strips and the other was the clamping jaws you have on jumper cables.
While charging we would monitor the batteries for cell activity and take specific gravity readings and a multimeter to check for voltage levels of the battery. Checking too for batteries that swelled up from overheating. Once charged the fluid level was rechecked and they were placed on a rack and tagged, every so many days they were put back on the charger to be topped off. If they made it that long. Between ground powere equipment, vehicles, UPS systems we had a few hundred lead acid batteries. NiCad's we had around 200.
Our NiCad's were 19 cell batteries, 1.2VDC per cell for 28VDC total. Each time a NiCad was brought into the battery shop it was tested, then discharged (Very time consuming) torn down, fluid level inspected and washed. Then put together and recharged and tested. If I recall right we had to charge and discharge it 3 times before it could be put back in use on a plane or ground power equipment.
About 15 years ago I seen a battery on a KC135 tanker, it had been in this plane for 5 years non-stop. It was not a Nicad or wet cell. It was tested in the hottest and coldest climate. It was a gel cell and that battery was awesome.
Keep the lead acid battery clean, liquid level up to the proper level, keep it charged and you have done everything you can to get the max life. I am going over 3 years om my TM batteries and seeing one is not showing its age.
SWEET! THANKS FOR THE TIPS. I WAS THINKING OF GETTING AN ONBOARD CHARGER. I DONT MIND PLUGGING IN AND CHARGING THE BATTERIES MYSELF AFTER THE TRIP. OTHER THAN THAT, ARE THERE ANY ADVANTAGES TO HAVING THE ONBOARD CHARGER, OR JUST THE CONVENIENCE FACTOR?
LONNIE
LONNIE
thank you BOBLead acid batteries will have increased sulfation if not kept charged. This equates to memory in NiCd.
2 advantages come to mindSWEET! THANKS FOR THE TIPS. I WAS THINKING OF GETTING AN ONBOARD CHARGER. I DONT MIND PLUGGING IN AND CHARGING THE BATTERIES MYSELF AFTER THE TRIP. OTHER THAN THAT, ARE THERE ANY ADVANTAGES TO HAVING THE ONBOARD CHARGER, OR JUST THE CONVENIENCE FACTOR?
LONNIE
1. you charge all batteries a one time[no need to switch from battery to battery and taking up to 3 or more days to charge them all] 2. with todays modern chargers its allmost impossible to overcharge your batteries.
Just be sure to do some research on the charger you buy if you decide on a multi-bank charger. I am still trying to settle on which one to try next, it's been a bit of a fiasco. I had the BPS XPS 5/5/5 three bank and it was junk, you could light a cigarette off it, it was so hot. I got the Minn Kota 315 after that, I heard good things about them but the two I tried both had shut-off problems so I abandoned MK chargers. I hear very good things about the Dual Pro line of chargers so I might give those a go next. I'm sure there are other good quality chargers, just read reviews at least. You get what you pay for with chargers. Maybe someone else will chime in with more suggestions, I'd like to hear them too.SWEET! THANKS FOR THE TIPS. I WAS THINKING OF GETTING AN ONBOARD CHARGER. I DONT MIND PLUGGING IN AND CHARGING THE BATTERIES MYSELF AFTER THE TRIP. OTHER THAN THAT, ARE THERE ANY ADVANTAGES TO HAVING THE ONBOARD CHARGER, OR JUST THE CONVENIENCE FACTOR?
LONNIE
These multi-bank chargers are meant to keep your batteries in top shape, that's why they recommend keeping them plugged in all the time if you can. They keep the batteries maintaned/fully charged, which maximizes their life.
Good luck
If I charge my optima AGM starting battery should I set the charger to the maintenence free/deep cycle setting or the conventional settind. Should I even be using a charger like that or do I need a special charger for an optima? Thanks for the help.
get a stealth or trollbridge...Just be sure to do some research on the charger you buy if you decide on a multi-bank charger. I am still trying to settle on which one to try next, it's been a bit of a fiasco. I had the BPS XPS 5/5/5 three bank and it was junk, you could light a cigarette off it, it was so hot. I got the Minn Kota 315 after that, I heard good things about them but the two I tried both had shut-off problems so I abandoned MK chargers. I hear very good things about the Dual Pro line of chargers so I might give those a go next. I'm sure there are other good quality chargers, just read reviews at least. You get what you pay for with chargers. Maybe someone else will chime in with more suggestions, I'd like to hear them too.
These multi-bank chargers are meant to keep your batteries in top shape, that's why they recommend keeping them plugged in all the time if you can. They keep the batteries maintaned/fully charged, which maximizes their life.
Good luck
+1 My 3 bank Stealth1 charges all of my batteries anytime the engine is running...get a stealth or trollbridge...
I'm pretty sure AGM batteries require a different charging profile. Make sure your charger specifies AGM capabilities. My single battery portable has a selection for Wet, AGM, or Gel, which you select before you begin charging. If it doesn't have something similar or specification for AGM on the charger, it's likely a wet cell charger only and probably not the best for your expensive Optima.If I charge my optima AGM starting battery should I set the charger to the maintenence free/deep cycle setting or the conventional settind. Should I even be using a charger like that or do I need a special charger for an optima? Thanks for the help.
+1 . Thata boy!!i have a three bank charger so yes i do,
Get home, plug the boat in and call it a day.
I guess its time to buy a new charger. Thanks for the info.
II'm pretty sure AGM batteries require a different charging profile. Make sure your charger specifies AGM capabilities. My single battery portable has a selection for Wet, AGM, or Gel, which you select before you begin charging. If it doesn't have something similar or specification for AGM on the charger, it's likely a wet cell charger only and probably not the best for your expensive Optima.
1 - 20 of 27 Posts
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