battery maintenance

Siamese · Mar 12, 2016

The answer is... probably. Many "deep cycle" batteries are conventional flooded lead acid batteries, and require monitoring of their fluid levels and occasional topping off with distilled water.

If you have caps that pry off the top of your batteries and there's liquid inside, you'll need to add distilled water when they get low. Shame on you

for not keeping an eye on your batteries, but going forward, you'll know to keep some distilled water onboard and add occasionally. Your batteries will thank you for it.

Bill Roosa · Mar 12, 2016

If they say maintenance free then no water required. If they have caps then yes you need to monitor water levels.

Head Sail · Mar 12, 2016

Given the chose, why would one choose a non-maintenance free? Are their amp hr ratings lower?

Stu Jackson · Mar 12, 2016

Head Sail said:
Given the chose, why would one choose a non-maintenance free? Are their amp hr ratings lower?

It's not only the ah ratings. Sealed batteries are not true deep cycle batteries. That simple.

Benny17441 · Mar 12, 2016

Learn something every day. What is a true deep cycle battery? I was recently told by a battery guy that true deep cycle batteries are too sensitive to movement to be used in a moving vehicle application. He indicated they excel for storage of power in backup applications and even in off the grid solar panel home applications but they like to sit still in a solid platform. He indicated that the type of batteries used in Golf carts and marine applications are a form of semi- true deep cycle adapted for performance under motion. These sounds to me like semantics as we consider deep cycle marine batteries as true deep cycles but I remember someone a while back that had thought he hit the mother load as he found some used but lightly cycled batteries that had been used for computer back up at a real good price. I don't know if he purchased some or not but it might just be a good idea to stay away from those. I do choose batteries that are designated for marine or golf cart applications. Most if not all "maintenance free" deep cycles I have seen are AGM. It does seem that most regular wet cell deep cycles will have caps and require periodic maintenance. just a tidbit of information, nothing of real importance for us, but something I had not heard before.

Siamese · Mar 12, 2016

If you want to learn more about batteries, I highly recommend anything MaineSail (forum member here and on Sailnet) has to say about them. Depending on how much you care to delve into his information, you can gain some excellent practical knowledge without making your head spin too badly.

Stu Jackson · Mar 12, 2016

Siamese said:
Depending on how much you care to delve into his information, you can gain some excellent practical knowledge without making your head spin too badly.

Like, start here:

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/deep_cycle_battery

Noodle around his site.

He has a "column" here, too, under featured contributors.

This might help, too:

Electrical Systems 101 http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5977.0.html

Head Sail · Mar 12, 2016

I suppose if deep cycle isn't an issue, say as in a starting battery, maintenance fee would be the preferred choice.

Stu Jackson · Mar 12, 2016

Head Sail said:
I suppose if deep cycle isn't an issue, say as in a starting battery, maintenance fee would be the preferred choice.

It's just another choice. You could also use a deep cycle as a reserve bank, too.

RoyS · Mar 13, 2016

Wet batteries can freeze if discharged. Freezing will cause internal damage. Proceed with caution.

Maine Sail · Mar 13, 2016

RoyS said:
Wet batteries can freeze if discharged. Freezing will cause internal damage. Proceed with caution.

Only if left discharged or unless you live in Fairbanks where it regularly gets to -60F or colder.

AGM & GEL batteries can also freeze and be damaged. The idea that AGM or GEL can't freeze and be damaged, if allowed to become discharged, is really quite untrue.

Any lead battery should always be left 100% charged and 100% disconnected in cold temps to minimize any parasitic draws and this is regardless of whether or not you have AGM, GEL or Flooded lead acid batteries..

Siamese · Mar 13, 2016

Head Sail said:
I suppose if deep cycle isn't an issue, say as in a starting battery, maintenance fee would be the preferred choice.

You may be taking "maintenance free" too literally. At the very least, the term is an exaggeration. Battery manufacturers and retailers make a lot of claims, and most of them are suspect.

One thing you can be sure of with a maintenance free battery is that it cannot be maintained. You won't find them on my boat.

Benny17441 · Mar 13, 2016

Maintenance free batteries also come in a vented and non vented types. I guess the vented allow a small amount of charging gases to escape and the non vented.....

capta · Mar 13, 2016

Benny17441 said:
Learn something every day. What is a true deep cycle battery? I was recently told by a battery guy that true deep cycle batteries are too sensitive to movement to be used in a moving vehicle application.

Though I'm not positive, I believe deep cycle batteries were primarily developed or at least first commonly used in golf cart, fork lift, etc. applications. If they are "too sensitive to movement to be used in a moving vehicle application" then one would think that they were not very suitable for golf carts or fork lifts. Whoever told you that they were not suitable "to be used in a moving vehicle application" is someone who knows nothing about deep cycle batteries at the very least and would probably not be a good source for any marine related information.

Maine Sail · Mar 14, 2016

capta said:
Though I'm not positive, I believe deep cycle batteries were primarily developed or at least first commonly used in golf cart, fork lift, etc. applications. If they are "too sensitive to movement to be used in a moving vehicle application" then one would think that they were not very suitable for golf carts or fork lifts. Whoever told you that they were not suitable "to be used in a moving vehicle application" is someone who knows nothing about deep cycle batteries at the very least and would probably not be a good source for any marine related information.

There are some deep cycle "stationary" batteries that are not designed for moving vehicles but these are usually massive tubular batteries.

There are many dep cycle batteries designed for use in motive applications from 2V cells & 6Vbatteries to 12V batteries..

These are stationary deep cycle...

capta · Mar 14, 2016

Maine Sail said:
There are some deep cycle "stationary" batteries that are not designed for moving vehicles but these are usually massive tubular batteries.

There are many dep cycle batteries designed for use in motive applications from 2V cells & 6Vbatteries to 12V batteries..

These are stationary deep cycle...

I stand corrected, again.

lee oakley · Mar 15, 2016

WOW! you all sure do keep up on your batt. info

seadaddler · Mar 15, 2016

If you have allowed the water level drop so that you can see the lead plates for too long
than your have shorten their life for sure and maybe pretty soon will need to be replaced soon.
I have 4-6 volt Trojan T-105's and they are really great batteries if you take care of them
and I used them pretty hard and they are really doing a great job but check the water level
and don't let them get below 50% too