Weatherman says it may drop below freezing next two nights - I am planning to pull my boat for the year on Thursday - do I need to get the battery off the boat before the freeze? We're expecting 28-32 degrees overnight, warming to 50 during the day. Thanks for any insight. Drew
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Plenty of time
With the water temperatures still in the 50's, I don't think a few nights of 28 deg. weather will bother much. The keel is a huge mass at water temperature which tends to moderate the outside air temp.
With the water temperatures still in the 50's, I don't think a few nights of 28 deg. weather will bother much. The keel is a huge mass at water temperature which tends to moderate the outside air temp.
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sloopdeedoo
Don't panic
Don't panic. You leave your car out during freezing weather. You have plenty of time.
Don't panic. You leave your car out during freezing weather. You have plenty of time.
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Scott
Batteries work below freezing don't they?
Drew, Do you bring your car battery inside everytime the temps drop below freezing?
Drew, Do you bring your car battery inside everytime the temps drop below freezing?
Charge 'em and leave 'em on board -
A fully charged battery will not freeze. Many of us leave our batteries on board all winter when on the hard. Fully charge them now, then follow up in January or February with another charge to make sure they are holding. A final charge before launch in April or May, and all is well. We hit minus 40 here on occasion and have never had a problem with our batteries.
A fully charged battery will not freeze. Many of us leave our batteries on board all winter when on the hard. Fully charge them now, then follow up in January or February with another charge to make sure they are holding. A final charge before launch in April or May, and all is well. We hit minus 40 here on occasion and have never had a problem with our batteries.
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william
Start your engine
Start and run your engine for 30 minutes or so to keep the batteries charged. Try to do this on a weekly basis if possible.
Start and run your engine for 30 minutes or so to keep the batteries charged. Try to do this on a weekly basis if possible.
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Drew
Duh...
Ok, Ok. Stupid question. I didn't even think about the car battery analogy, just the water in the battery. Thanks to all for pointing out the non-issue. Drew
Ok, Ok. Stupid question. I didn't even think about the car battery analogy, just the water in the battery. Thanks to all for pointing out the non-issue. Drew
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Scott
We're always worried about our boats!
Our boats seem to get most of our loving concern ... we get a little unrational. Of course my car only gets me to and from work. I don't give it much thought at all. ;D
Our boats seem to get most of our loving concern ... we get a little unrational. Of course my car only gets me to and from work. I don't give it much thought at all. ;D
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Bill O'Donovan
One more thing
To avoid stress on your battery when starting a cold engine, use shorepower to blow a hairdryer into the Yanmar horn. In ten minutes this will warm up the oil for a prompt start.
To avoid stress on your battery when starting a cold engine, use shorepower to blow a hairdryer into the Yanmar horn. In ten minutes this will warm up the oil for a prompt start.
Maybe he has raw water
William, if he is on the hard and possibly has raw water cooling and has winterized everything, how can he run the engine weekly?
William, if he is on the hard and possibly has raw water cooling and has winterized everything, how can he run the engine weekly?
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Drew
Can't Run Weekly
Boat will get stored on the hard - besides, I don't have an alternator. Use solar panel instead. It's been great all summer - we'll see how it does when it's cold! Drew
Boat will get stored on the hard - besides, I don't have an alternator. Use solar panel instead. It's been great all summer - we'll see how it does when it's cold! Drew
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Scott
Bring batteries home for the winter
When the boat's in storage for the winter, I take the batteries out and find a storage shelf in the basement (I've been told that batteries don't like to sit on a concrete floor). Give them a charge in the spring with a trickle charger and you're ready to go. There were a few years with my ski boat when I winterized and shrink wrapped and left the battery in the boat. That resulted in a weaker battery. I don't shrink wrap any more and I bring the battery in for storage.
When the boat's in storage for the winter, I take the batteries out and find a storage shelf in the basement (I've been told that batteries don't like to sit on a concrete floor). Give them a charge in the spring with a trickle charger and you're ready to go. There were a few years with my ski boat when I winterized and shrink wrapped and left the battery in the boat. That resulted in a weaker battery. I don't shrink wrap any more and I bring the battery in for storage.
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John Olson
batterys
batterys dont freeze when charged ,they are fulled with acid I use three RD4 Gells cells and have left them on the the boat since Ive owned it every year in the spring I clean all ends and that it. This year I started solar chargeing on my morring and have 170 watts of power and I see a big change in my battreys they seem to have lots more power.this winter I left a70watt solar chrger hooked up faceing the sun To keep them charged up.I read that keeping atrickel charge on will make the battrey last alote longer .What do you guys thinkJohn Olson
batterys dont freeze when charged ,they are fulled with acid I use three RD4 Gells cells and have left them on the the boat since Ive owned it every year in the spring I clean all ends and that it. This year I started solar chargeing on my morring and have 170 watts of power and I see a big change in my battreys they seem to have lots more power.this winter I left a70watt solar chrger hooked up faceing the sun To keep them charged up.I read that keeping atrickel charge on will make the battrey last alote longer .What do you guys thinkJohn Olson
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Jonathan
Prolong battery life
If your battery(s) is a lead-acid type, it's important to keep it fully charged as consistantly as possible. This is true year-round, not just in the Winter. As someone else pointed out, if you've hauled out and winterized your boat, you can't start it up every week or so, and cold starts aren't all that good for the engine anyhow. Sure enough, concrete will discharge a battery in no time, and the weaker the battery, the HIGHER its freezing point. Whenever a lead-acid batt sits in a discharged state, lead begins to migrate from the liner, and coat the copper plates in each cell. the weaker the batt, the faster the process. When you try and recharge the batt in the Spring, the lead coating prevents the batt from taking a full charge, no matter how long you charge it, and thus you end up replacing it. There's a chemical compound, I'll try and find it's name, that prevents the lead from bonding with the copper, and so even a dead batt can be fully recharged. The easiest meathod however, is to rig up a solar "trickle" charger, which will keep your batt alive and well for years of use. I don't know squat about boats, but I was a motercycle mechanic for years, and they're laid up all Winter, just like a boat, with a lot of the same problems.
If your battery(s) is a lead-acid type, it's important to keep it fully charged as consistantly as possible. This is true year-round, not just in the Winter. As someone else pointed out, if you've hauled out and winterized your boat, you can't start it up every week or so, and cold starts aren't all that good for the engine anyhow. Sure enough, concrete will discharge a battery in no time, and the weaker the battery, the HIGHER its freezing point. Whenever a lead-acid batt sits in a discharged state, lead begins to migrate from the liner, and coat the copper plates in each cell. the weaker the batt, the faster the process. When you try and recharge the batt in the Spring, the lead coating prevents the batt from taking a full charge, no matter how long you charge it, and thus you end up replacing it. There's a chemical compound, I'll try and find it's name, that prevents the lead from bonding with the copper, and so even a dead batt can be fully recharged. The easiest meathod however, is to rig up a solar "trickle" charger, which will keep your batt alive and well for years of use. I don't know squat about boats, but I was a motercycle mechanic for years, and they're laid up all Winter, just like a boat, with a lot of the same problems.
J
Jonathan
Oops...
Er... That's "motOrcycle". Sorry. BTW, I forgot to add that it's important to have a "trickle down" feature on your charger, otherwise during a very sunny period the charger could evercharge and ruin your battery.
Er... That's "motOrcycle". Sorry. BTW, I forgot to add that it's important to have a "trickle down" feature on your charger, otherwise during a very sunny period the charger could evercharge and ruin your battery.
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Jonathan
How big, and how much?
John Olson, What size is your solar charger, and how much did it cost you? I'm in the market for one, but not some huge, expensive monster. I just want something that I can use during the Winter, and then stow below decks on my 37' when I cruise.
John Olson, What size is your solar charger, and how much did it cost you? I'm in the market for one, but not some huge, expensive monster. I just want something that I can use during the Winter, and then stow below decks on my 37' when I cruise.
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