I have 2 deep cell wet batteries in line, to put a trickel charger on for the winter do I leave them installed, and connect the charger to + on one, and - on the other battery ? or just recharge them in the spring ?
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Battery charging
I just asked the marina where I keep my boat for the winter what the best way to keep batteries charged was. My question was... Do I take the batteries and charger (Xantrex true charge 20) and hook them up at home for the winter? or do I just take the batteries and charge them with a regular charger? Their suggestion was to not use the Xantrex charger. It sounds like it would be a good idea to use it, but it's probably not the best route to go. If the batteries are removed and put on a trickle or smart charger without any type of draw on them it can shorten the life of the batteries. They need to be discharged to a certain point before charging. normally on a boat there is some type of discharge (bilge pump etc.) that discharges them before they start to charge. They said it's better to let the batteries sit on a shelf and charge them once a month or month and a half during the winter. I'm not a genius at electrical stuff, but it sounds right to me.
I just asked the marina where I keep my boat for the winter what the best way to keep batteries charged was. My question was... Do I take the batteries and charger (Xantrex true charge 20) and hook them up at home for the winter? or do I just take the batteries and charge them with a regular charger? Their suggestion was to not use the Xantrex charger. It sounds like it would be a good idea to use it, but it's probably not the best route to go. If the batteries are removed and put on a trickle or smart charger without any type of draw on them it can shorten the life of the batteries. They need to be discharged to a certain point before charging. normally on a boat there is some type of discharge (bilge pump etc.) that discharges them before they start to charge. They said it's better to let the batteries sit on a shelf and charge them once a month or month and a half during the winter. I'm not a genius at electrical stuff, but it sounds right to me.
I would disagree about the smart charger (Xantrex)
I would have to disagree about the Xantrex smart charger and the trickle charger. This is exactly what the Xantrex does best. It keeps your batteries at maintenance levels. Typically it keeps them from boiling and if you are using the flooded setting, it will cycle them every 21 days to top them off. The entire idea behind the Xantrex is to plug them in and forget about it. It is always a good idea to check the fluid level on a regular basis.
I would have to disagree about the Xantrex smart charger and the trickle charger. This is exactly what the Xantrex does best. It keeps your batteries at maintenance levels. Typically it keeps them from boiling and if you are using the flooded setting, it will cycle them every 21 days to top them off. The entire idea behind the Xantrex is to plug them in and forget about it. It is always a good idea to check the fluid level on a regular basis.
Steve is right on. We leave our shore power...
connected during the winter for a variety of reasons, the main one being the Xantrex charger. We also have a small space heater that we leave on low to help keep the moisture level to a minimum and to prevent things from freezing up on cold days. I enjoy sailing year around and stepping into a warm boat on a cold day helps make the venture more enjoyable. Terry
connected during the winter for a variety of reasons, the main one being the Xantrex charger. We also have a small space heater that we leave on low to help keep the moisture level to a minimum and to prevent things from freezing up on cold days. I enjoy sailing year around and stepping into a warm boat on a cold day helps make the venture more enjoyable. Terry
About the + and - connections
It sounds like you are using 2 batteries. My Xantrex 40 has separate leads to each battery. Remember, putting batteries in series adds the voltages (12+12=24). In parallel, the voltage remains the same but the current capability adds. If you have a main battery switch, it selects one or the other or both (in parallel). I would not suggest a trickle charger which keeps a charge on all the time. A smart charger does not charge unless needed. It samples the voltage level and charges when the voltage drops below a certain level. It does not exercise the battery like the Xantrex. I take my batteries home and into the basement on a wooden platform. I have a Sears smart charger, but I do not leave it connected. About once every 4 to 6 weeks, I charge the batteries separately on the deep-discharge setting.
It sounds like you are using 2 batteries. My Xantrex 40 has separate leads to each battery. Remember, putting batteries in series adds the voltages (12+12=24). In parallel, the voltage remains the same but the current capability adds. If you have a main battery switch, it selects one or the other or both (in parallel). I would not suggest a trickle charger which keeps a charge on all the time. A smart charger does not charge unless needed. It samples the voltage level and charges when the voltage drops below a certain level. It does not exercise the battery like the Xantrex. I take my batteries home and into the basement on a wooden platform. I have a Sears smart charger, but I do not leave it connected. About once every 4 to 6 weeks, I charge the batteries separately on the deep-discharge setting.
Battery charging
Batteries do best when kept on a charger, called float charging. For a 12V battery the normal charging voltage is about 13.3V, depending on the temperature and battery type. This counteracts the self discharging of the battery and keeps them at the best possible condition to prolong life. Check with the battery manufacture and get the charging specifications, most are available online. There are several failure modes of batteries. Almost all of them have to do with leaving the batteries in an uncharged state for prolonged periods of time. (The others have to do with overcharging). Boat batteries, unless plugged into shore power each night and on a charger, are almost always undercharged. This causes sulfation, plate corrosion, and therefore decreased battery life. A long time on a float charge can also help to reverse some of the sulftaion that is inevitable in batteries. As long as they are not discharged while they are on a smart charger the charger should maintain the proper float voltage and thereby prolong battery life (that’s what they are designed to do). Keep you batteries on a charger year round. Also make sure you check them just as you would over the summer (water level, connections, cleaning). They won’t use as much water because of the temperatures. BTW, I design battery chargers and install high reliability battery installations for commercial customers (UPS, telecommunications, etc.).
Batteries do best when kept on a charger, called float charging. For a 12V battery the normal charging voltage is about 13.3V, depending on the temperature and battery type. This counteracts the self discharging of the battery and keeps them at the best possible condition to prolong life. Check with the battery manufacture and get the charging specifications, most are available online. There are several failure modes of batteries. Almost all of them have to do with leaving the batteries in an uncharged state for prolonged periods of time. (The others have to do with overcharging). Boat batteries, unless plugged into shore power each night and on a charger, are almost always undercharged. This causes sulfation, plate corrosion, and therefore decreased battery life. A long time on a float charge can also help to reverse some of the sulftaion that is inevitable in batteries. As long as they are not discharged while they are on a smart charger the charger should maintain the proper float voltage and thereby prolong battery life (that’s what they are designed to do). Keep you batteries on a charger year round. Also make sure you check them just as you would over the summer (water level, connections, cleaning). They won’t use as much water because of the temperatures. BTW, I design battery chargers and install high reliability battery installations for commercial customers (UPS, telecommunications, etc.).
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