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Location: Oshkosh | Do any of you recommend leaving batteries in a boat over winter if the onboard charger is always plugged in? Does it make a difference if the building the boat is stored in is unheated/uninsulated? Will the batteries keep from freezing and stay well-maintained over the cold months?
All batteries are lead-acid type. I'm probably going to put the boat away for the season and this would be timely info to have now that the building I store it in has electricity.
Thanks in advance for the feedback-
Mark |
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| I've left my batteries in my boats since about 95. On board charger since then. Never a problem.
Here's the scoop. It's actually better to leave the batteries in a cold environment, as long as they are fully charged. Leaving your on board charger plugged in will accomplish this. If you don't have an onboard charger, or if you are leary of leaving it plugged in, just disconnect the terminations from the positive side.
The cold temps reduce the amount of self discharge all batteries have. When a battery is brought in to a heated area, the self discharge accelerates, and you will have to charge them periodically to keep them in tip-top shape. Easier to just leave them in the boat in a fully charged condition.
Edited by Shep 11/11/2011 2:09 PM
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Location: Oshkosh | Awesome! Thanks for the advice, Shep.
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| If left in an unheated area, I'd take them out and store them in the basement. maybe throw them on a charger once over the winter. been doing this for years never a problem. I do not like the idea of leaving the on board charger plugged in ALL winter at all... Don't trust them things at all... just the way I roll... |
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Location: Berlin | I took mine out and have a battery tender on them in the basement. I lost a set of batteries one year after leaving them in but did not disconnect the positive like Shep said. I just don't want to risk it after that. |
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Location: Oshkosh | So keeping the charger plugged in but disconnecting the positive (red) cable will sufficiently maintain the batteries through the winter? Dumb question but is it wise to remove the positive cables from the batteries only when the charger is NOT plugged in or doesn't it matter? |
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| As long as you fully charge your battery, the cold will reduce the rate of self discharge. Just doesn't help at all taking them out of the boat and putting them in a warm basement. Just wasted effort, and if you don't top them off periodically, then they could discharge and shorten their lifespan.
If you are not going to leave the charger plugged in all winter, then make sure the batteries are fully charged, and then disconnet them. Many motors and other electronics have a slight draw, and they will run down a battery over several weeks. So, if you allow the battery to disharge, then it will freeze and damage it. A fully chatged battery will not freeze in WI. Or NY for that matter.
If you had a battery go bad by leaving it outside, then the battery was either not fully charged, had a drain on it, or was bad when you put it up.
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| great info Shep, I can agree with the slight drain issue... even during the season! My last day fishing was yesterday, had a few minutes waiting for the weigh in... standing there in nice weather, pulled the tm batteries quick... charger too... (quick access to batts in tuffy real nice deal!!) I left cranking battery in for winterizing, they'll disconnect pos when done... optima D31M, lets see how it handles winter... If I had good covered place for winter, I'd follow sheps stuff... boat will be shrink wrapped about 35 miles away... |
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| Setting up cold weather battery storage station for batteries in the garage. charged. save some space in the basement.
thanks shep! |
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Location: Oshkosh | Yep- great info. I will be leaving mine in my boat all winter with the on-board charger plugged in 100% of the time. But if they are dead in the spring, hell hath no fury like a Pollock with dead batteries... |
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Location: Manitowoc, WI | I didn't read the other replies so if this is repeat information I apologize.
Here's the scoop directly from a company owner and manufacturer of marine batteries.
First, check to make sure all cells are full. If not, add distilled water to the individual cells. Then, fully charge your battery and disconnect all wiring to it once it's charged. After charging disconnect all terminals and leave in a cold environment. I prefer to leave mine right in the boat. That's it. This will allow the battery to last as long as possible. This particular manufacturer did NOT recommend leaving the onbaord charger hooked up to it but in further conversations he stated that if the charger is indeed a smart charger that would be fine. Good luck!!
Edited by jerry 11/17/2011 10:22 PM
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| more great info! thanks! learned some good stuff on this thread. |
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| This is what I do for my interstate srm 29.
I buy a xmas tree timer to turn on for 1 hour a day. This keeps the plates in the batteries from sulfuring up and keeps everything topped off. My batteries are 5 years old and are as good as new. Do check fluid before winter! |
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