Battery Maintenance

[tgrass462]

Well - I took a day of vacation yesterday (it was 70 degrees in St. Louis) to complete my work winterizing my Hunter 26. I now have the two batteries safely on my basement workbench. My question to all of you ... how best to 'maintain' these batteries thru the long winter. I have a regular automotive battery charger. Should I:a. Charge them fully now - and then wait until spring?b. Charge them fully each month thru the winter?c. Keep the charger on them continuously (I don't think this is a good solution)?d. Scrap my automotive charger and buy a better one (if so - what should I look for?)e. Give up - it's an impossible task to maintain these successfully for the winter (again - I don't feel this is a viable choice either)?I appreciate any feedback (or links to previous threads in the archives).Tom GrassBTW - today (Thursday) - it's 35 degrees, freezing rain - and a forecast of six inches of snow tonight! Glad Grasshopper II is safely buttoned up!

 

[Don]

what type batteries?

TomThe answer can change depending on whether they are AGMs, gels or wet cells.Presuming they are wet cells, an auto charger is useable albeit not the option of choice and can easily be used improperly. Unless you want to buy a good 3 stage charger, which isn't cheap, just charge them once a month to maintain them being careful not to cook them. Gels and AGMs can be easily destroyed with your charger.So, a or b are okayDon

 

[KennyH]

While once a month charge if fine check voltage

While once a month charge should keep them just fine you might want to see how far down they go each month. Here is a link. You could go longer before charging or need to charge quicker than once a month. The idea is to keep the batteries at a minimum of 80% charge. This can be measured with a volt meter or hydrometer. Volts for 80% are 12.50-12.55. Charge when your volt meter gets to this voltage. Full charge should be 12.60-12.70 volts at rest. Lots of good info in this link.http://www.phrannie.org/battery.html

 

[Deucer]

Read the box

Tgrass462,I just bought a good automotive battery "smart" charger. It's approved for all kinds of batteries and has a built in volt/% meter. I'm not sure I'd leave it on the boat in a saltwater environment, but since we keep out 260 on a trailer away from the water, I figured for $70 it ought to do OK. I think the thing you want to look for is how the charger handles a "maintenance" charge. The one I've got does not maintain a trickle charge, but monitors the battery and charges when it thinks the batteries need it. Seems to work so far.Deucer