New Battery Storage

[Fred Villiard]

Hi Maine,

Friday I bought 4 GC2 batteries from Sam's, was going to install them on Sunday.

Saturday in the interest of domestic tranquility had to clean the leaves out of the gutters. I was moving the thirty foot ladder watching that I didn't break any windows, snagged a branch and the ladder got away, didnt break any windows but badly bent a hip. They are waiting a week for the swelling, then deside if I'm going to need a hip replacement. That shoots my Nov trip to SC.

My question is the batteries are down in the heated basement, the are brand new, do they need charged? It could be four or five months before i"ll be able to get down the steps, and there isn't anybody that I could get to set up the Sterling charger.


Thank You
Fred Villiard

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

They probably were not charged prior to placement but rather than ask or guesses here, why not call the store manager and ask someone who presumably knows?

 

[Delezynski]

Also, don't let them sit directly on concrete. Put something under them like cardboard or wood.

Greg

 

[kentobin]

http://www.batteryequaliser.com/products/product_battery_maintenance.htm

Battery Life and Performance

Only 30% of batteries sold today reach the 48-month mark. In fact 80% of all battery failure is related to sulfation build-up. This build up occurs when the sulfur molecules in the electrolyte (battery acid) becomes so deeply discharged that they begin to coat the batteries lead plates. Before long the plates become so coated the battery dies. The causes of sulfation are numerous, let me list some for you.

1) Batteries sit too long between charges. As little as 24 hours in hot weather and several days in cooler weather.
2) Battery storage, leaving a battery sit without some type of energy input.
3) Deep cycling engine start battery, remember these batteries can't stand deep discharge.
4) Undercharging of battery, to charge a battery let's say 90% of capacity will allow sulfation of battery using the 10% of battery chemistry not reactivated by the incomplete charging cycle.
5) Heat of 100+°F, increases internal discharge. As temperatures increase so does internal discharge. A new fully charged battery left sitting 24 hours a day at 110 degrees F for 30 days would most likely not start an engine.
6) Low electrolyte level, battery plates exposed to air will immediately sulfate.
7) Incorrect charging levels and settings. Most cheap battery chargers can do more damage than help.
8) Cold weather is hard on the battery the chemistry does not make the same amount of energy as a warm battery. A deeply discharged battery can freeze solid in sub zero weather.
9) Parasitic drain is a load put on a battery with the key off.

 

[Maine Sail]

http://www.batteryequaliser.com/products/product_battery_maintenance.htm

Battery Life and Performance

Only 30% of batteries sold today reach the 48-month mark. In fact 80% of all battery failure is related to sulfation build-up. This build up occurs when the sulfur molecules in the electrolyte (battery acid) becomes so deeply discharged that they begin to coat the batteries lead plates. Before long the plates become so coated the battery dies. The causes of sulfation are numerous, let me list some for you.

1) Batteries sit too long between charges. As little as 24 hours in hot weather and several days in cooler weather.
2) Battery storage, leaving a battery sit without some type of energy input.
3) Deep cycling engine start battery, remember these batteries can't stand deep discharge.
4) Undercharging of battery, to charge a battery let's say 90% of capacity will allow sulfation of battery using the 10% of battery chemistry not reactivated by the incomplete charging cycle.
5) Heat of 100+°F, increases internal discharge. As temperatures increase so does internal discharge. A new fully charged battery left sitting 24 hours a day at 110 degrees F for 30 days would most likely not start an engine.
6) Low electrolyte level, battery plates exposed to air will immediately sulfate.
7) Incorrect charging levels and settings. Most cheap battery chargers can do more damage than help.
8) Cold weather is hard on the battery the chemistry does not make the same amount of energy as a warm battery. A deeply discharged battery can freeze solid in sub zero weather.
9) Parasitic drain is a load put on a battery with the key off.

Trojan, US Battery and East Penn all do not advise any additives what so ever. I have had long discussions with Fred W. at US Battery about this product and their take, after testing, is a flat out NO....

As for the new batteries I would hit them with a good gassing voltage 14.6V+ (7.3V if you have a 6V charger) and then disconnect and let them sit. Top them up very now and then with a good gassing voltage and then disconnect.

The cement floor is actually a GOOD place for them because it will be cooler than the "heated basement" and will help to keep the batteries cool. Batteries prefer cool dry storage as opposed to warm/heated. The warmer the storage the faster the self discharge rate and the faster the sulfation will form.

If the batteries are stored in cool to cold temps self discharge on healthy batteries will be almost non-existent. We store batteries inside boats here in the NE and they are only a few hundredths of a volt lower after a few months, if properly charged before storage and 100% disconnected/isolated from the vessel. Last winter I purposely placed a battery in my un-heated shed on December 11, 2012. On Dcember 14, 2012 it was still at 12.90V or still holding a surface charge due to the cold temps.

I then forgot about until......

February 26, 2013 the voltage was still 100% full / 12.72V...

I then got really bad AHDH.......

September 9, 2013 the voltage was still 12.54V after an entire winter and summer in a unheated then very heated due to the black roof shed.....

It took an entire 8 months, including some blistering summer temps, for this battery to hit the low 90's as a % of charge...... I monitor 20+ batteries a month in my shop and self discharge rates of flooded batteries are nowhere near what the "worst case" scenarios often paint them to be on the net..

Effect of Winter on Self Discharge



The cement floor thing is a flat out myth for today's batteries. When they were made from creosote and wood then sure that old tale held true but today it is pure urban myth...

 

[Fred Villiard]

Thanks All,

I'll have to get someone to drag them up stairs, then I can wire them in series pairs and charge them with the Sterling. I'll put them in the out porch and take the domestic tranquility hit, I know that the concrete floor is a myth with modern batteries.

Thanks Again
Fred Villiard

PS Maine did you wear your flipflops at Annapolis?

 

[Maine Sail]

PS Maine did you wear your flipflops at Annapolis?

Of course! The only time I don't wear flip flops is when there is more than 2" of snow where I need to walk or when I put on ski boots..

I am heading out for a sail here in a bit and will be wearing them today too.. Pretty warm, about 43F now was 37F this morning......

 

[Pat]

I have two 3 month old East Penn batteries (dual service) that are currently on my boat. I
took the boat out for the winter but the batteries are still on the boat...According to the statpower charger LED, they are fully charged..Question, should I leave them on the boat for the winter...and further, should I hook up the shore power to the outlet in my yard space and leave them on the charger or just leave them in their current fully charged state for the winter w/o the charger & shore power....? I really appreciate
your thought. Pat

 

[vtsailguy]

We store batteries inside boats here in the NE and they are only a few hundredths of a volt lower after a few months, if properly charged before storage and 100% disconnected/isolated from the vessel.

Mainsail, dos this also apply to gam gel batteries. If they were fully charged, or to leave on a boat for a Vermont winter.

 

[Maine Sail]

Mainsail, dos this also apply to gam gel batteries. If they were fully charged, or to leave on a boat for a Vermont winter.

AGM & GEL self discharge even slower than flooded batteries, in warm & cold weather. Charge them to full, disconnect, let sit.....

 

[vtsailguy]

Thanks. I'll do that.

 

[Webone]

When leaving batts in boat for the winter (michigan) should I disconnect both neg. and pos. or will just pos. be enough?

 

[Pat]

If my boat still has the well-charged batteries in it and the boat is in the yard and not plugged in to shore power, is there any reason disconnect anything at the battery?
Thanks, Patrick

 

[Ron20324]

When leaving batts in boat for the winter (michigan) should I disconnect both neg. and pos. or will just pos. be enough?

Why not go ahead and do both. Then you can clean them in the spring before reconnecting.

 

[mitiempo]

If my boat still has the well-charged batteries in it and the boat is in the yard and not plugged in to shore power, is there any reason disconnect anything at the battery?
Thanks, Patrick

Yes it makes sense to disconnect at the batteries to eliminate any possible loads that over time could lower their % of charge..