Question on batteries and charging

dburne

dburne

New Member
Jun 8, 2012
590
Nashville TN
Boat Info
2013 Sea Ray 190 Sport
Engines
4.3 MPI Mercruiser Alpha One
Hey gang,

In my new 190 Sport, I had them install a dual battery system with the selector switch. I picked up the boat about 3 weeks ago, I store it outside behind my garage, and currently have the battery switch in the OFF position.

Now I know, that the boat still pulls a little from the batteries, for things like the stereo memory, bilge pump, etc - essential things that the OFF switch does not kill.

So is this good enough to keep enough charge on those batteries until I go boating here in about 6 weeks?
What do you guys do, for your batteries when your boat is put away for the winter?

I have a battery charger, it is a Schumaker 2/10 amp charger.
http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SE-520MA-Automatic-Dual-Rate-Chrager/dp/B0009IBJCG

Just curious what others do for their batteries in the off season?

Thanks for any tips,
 
I leave my batteries from a full charge all winter in the off position, come back in the spring and they are still around ~12.5 volts. I don't think 6 weeks will be a worry as long as they are fully charged when you leave


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I have a promariner charger, leave it plugged in all winter.
 
The best thing you can do for your batteries to maximize their lifespan is to keep them on a charge, with a quality charger, all the time. Short of that, make sure they're fully charged and then remove the negative lead. In the timeframe of 6 weeks, it may not be necessary to remove the lead, but it would better if you did.
 
I take my batteries home for the winter and keep them on a trickle charge. When I leave the boat during the season I keep the switch in the off position.

Jim from BOE reccomended a blue sea add a battery kit which has an automatic charge relay (ACR). It manages charging automatically so you don't have to turn the switch to both so it will charge both batteries. That leaves the door open to draining both batteries. The ACR isolates the battery so you won't drain both.

I've been very happy with it.

I've
 
Many thanks guys!
I will look into some of those recommendations.
 
Thanks Jim,

Ok think of me as a battery charging rookie...
I have this Schumaker charger:
http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SE...-Rate-Chrager/dp/B0009IBJCG?tag=vglnkc5670-20

Which the way I understand it, I can use this one to fast charge using the full bore setting, or select the 2amp setting for trickle charge on automatic?

I have two batteries set up with the switch selector, so what is best way for me - should I take the batteries out and put them in garage, and just keep a trickle charge on each alternating between the two? Or run an extension cord out the back of my garage, set the charger in the boat, and do it with them still connected, but the switch in the OFF position?

Sorry for sounding so green on this. Since I will be getting it ready to go to the lake here in another few weeks, I probably won't mess with it between now and then and just leave the switch in the OFF position with them still in the boat, mainly for future reference....

Thanks for any tips,
 
Don, the one you linked to is not for extended use. It will still cook the battery if left on for extended times. You need a "smart" charger. You need something that kicks down to a very small amperage. Think of charging batteries like filling a glass with water from the tap. If your intended purpose is to fill the glass all the way to the top (fully charged battery), what happens if you put the tap on full blast? The glass fills quickly, but you can probably only fill it 75% or you risk overflowing (cooking a battery). So instead, you start full blast, but then you start slowing the water flow (stepping down the amperage) more and more until you finally have just a small trickle (ever wonder why they are called "trickle" chargers? Although not all trickle chargers are created equally). Doing it that way, you can get the water right to the top.

I don't have any experience with the one that Jim linked to, but I have a couple of these that I use in the garage (actually, these are the newer version of what I have) for various batteries over the winter. I've had the chargers for over 10 years: http://batteryminders.com/12-volt-maintenance-charger-desulfator-1500. While these, nor the Schumacher (I assume) is approved for use in a gasoline bilge, with the Battery Minder, you can permanently attach the leads, then leave the charger out of the bilge and plug in. When you're ready to go boating, disconnect the charger at the quick connects.
 
Just because I'm curious... What type and brand of batteries came in the new boat?
 
Well I know the brand is Interstate, not sure on type - don't know if you can tell much from this pic or not :

IMG_0314.jpg



Now, dumb rookie question here.
So if I should get that Battery Minder, do I just hook it up to each battery separately , with the way my batteries are configured in the boat, with the switch in the OFF position? I see the Battery Minder allows multiple hookups?
 
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Regular lead acid batteries.

You can charge them both at the same time with a temporary jumper from positive to positive. Just don't forget to remove the jumper when you take them off charge (or you bypass your battery switch).
 
It appears they're both the same size/type battery, so yes, one charger can work. But, you need to make sure both batteries are fully charged before combining them. I sometimes have multiple batteries in my garage of the same type/size. I still think it's easier to just have a second charger - one for each battery. Make sure your battery switch is off.
 
Lazy Daze said:
It appears they're both the same size/type battery, so yes, one charger can work. But, you need to make sure both batteries are fully charged before combining them. I sometimes have multiple batteries in my garage of the same type/size. I still think it's easier to just have a second charger - one for each battery. Make sure your battery switch is off.
Click to expand...
Good advise as always Dennis... but you know as well as I do, every time you flip that switch to both after you have drained one, the good battery dumps a huge charge into the bad one. Not that its good for the batteries, but it happens all the time.
You and others here tend to advise on the safer side, where I sometimes just share the blunt truth!
Thanks... I'm still learning how to properly advise.
 
I wasn't correcting anything you said, Jim. It is all dead-on. And you made a good point about removing the jumper. The reason I mentioned charging both batteries and then turning the switch "Off" is for the exact reason you mentioned about the lower battery draining the higher battery. Both batteries have to be charged exactly the same in order for one charger to properly charge them. In fact, what you mentioned about the "both" switch and draining the good battery is the reason I rarely, if ever, run on "both". Besides, the engine will also charge an individual battery faster if it's not on "both". I run on "#1" on odd days, and "#2" on even days to even out the battery usage.
 
Lazy Daze said:
I wasn't correcting anything you said, Jim. It is all dead-on. And you made a good point about removing the jumper. The reason I mentioned charging both batteries and then turning the switch "Off" is for the exact reason you mentioned about the lower battery draining the higher battery. Both batteries have to be charged exactly the same in order for one charger to properly charge them. In fact, what you mentioned about the "both" switch and draining the good battery is the reason I rarely, if ever, run on "both". Besides, the engine will also charge an individual battery faster if it's not on "both". I run on "#1" on odd days, and "#2" on even days to even out the battery usage.
Click to expand...
:thumbsup:
 
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