Battery Question

[cc322]

I have dual batteries in my boat, how long will they last if I have the perko switch turned off and dont get out to the river for a couple months. The last time I ran it was in November. Should I have pulled them out and brought them home and put them on a trickle charge?

[Havasu Hangin']

That's what I usually do. I hate getting out to the river and not knowing about the condition of the batteries.

[HOOTER SLED-]

You should've at least disconnected the ground. Even if you had the Perko switch off. I charge mine every month and a half or so during Winter. And they don't even really lose that much of a charge in between.

[Havasu Hangin']

All batteries discharge a little over time...how fast they discharge really depends on the condition of the battery.

[Rexone]

Turn the switch off and get a couple Battery Tenders. Dont use trickle chargers for battery storage, they will fry the batteries long term. I have batteries I've used over 5 years with Battery Tenders that see little use (sit most the time).

[cc322]

My only problem is I do not have electricity at the storage unit, so I will have to go get them and bring them home

[Rexone]

That would be a good idea. letting them sit and discharge only leads to sulfation and premature bat death.

[spectras only]

You live in sunny cali/arizona, get a solar panel charger and plug it in your accessory socket :idea: .

[CARRERA]

It's all about LUCK. The one in my first boat was still in the boat when I sold it 16 years later and I never did anything to it. :mix:

[HOOTER SLED-]

Turn the switch off and get a couple Battery Tenders. Dont use trickle chargers for battery storage, they will fry the batteries long term. I have batteries I've used over 5 years with Battery Tenders that see little use (sit most the time).
Hey Rex. What does a battery tender do differently then a trickle charger. What are some good types and brands of tenders????

[cc322]

You live in sunny cali/arizona, get a solar panel charger and plug it in your accessory socket
Will that work when the boat is in inside storage?

[Havasu Hangin']

Hey Rex. What does a battery tender do differently then a trickle charger. What are some good types and brands of tenders????
A tender senses when a battery is down, and shuts off when it's full.
A trickle charger keeps charging, even if the battery is full.

[spectras only]

You live in sunny cali/arizona, get a solar panel charger and plug it in your accessory socket
Will that work when the boat is in inside storage? I guess a 150W bulb left on above would suffice :p . Didn't I mention "sunny" :argue: :D . I keep my boat inside a heated place ,no trickle charge.Battery life usually 5 yrs :cool:

[Raisin Wake]

I think is what Rex is talking about:
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/overtons/detail/pdetail2.cgi?r=detail_view&item_num=70852
Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Tom Brown]

I'll tell you what I do to my Optima Red top... not a damn thing. I don't even pull the battery from the boat but I do have a battery disconnect switch and I disconnect it in the fall. The battery sits through +90 to -45 degree weather and receives zero maintenance.
I the spring, I condition the battery by rotating the key in a clockwise direction until I can hear noise from the battery conditioner.
Of course, I'm not trying to get every last milliwatt of power out of my battery for a stereo or a high draw accessory. I just need it to start the boat.
I'm not recommending this as the best way to do it because I know it isn't. I'm just saying that I don't have any problems and I've been doing that for a few years. My Dad has been following this procedure since before I was born. We just kick out for a new battery every 6 or 7 years and carry on.

[checkr'd past]

Why do I need 2 battery tenders? If I put the selector to all and charger on one battery wouldn't that charge both? I use a trickle charger that way when I'm out there after a month or so and I can see both batterys bubbling.

[Misogynist]

Why do I need 2 battery tenders? If I put the selector to all and charger on one battery wouldn't that charge both? I use a trickle charger that way when I'm out there after a month or so and I can see both batterys bubbling.
One tender will work as long as they are wired in a parallel circuit. But.. if one battery is in poor condition... the good battery may get overcharged as the tender trys to top up the bad battery.