Winter Battery Storage

[Mike the Pike]

Well its that time of year folks to put the boat away since purchasing my boat 4 years ago I am on battery #3 for Cranking amps and I have seen 2 deep cycle Kirklands fail in the 2nd year and one from CTC last only one season.

 

So question number one where is the best place to store your cranking amps battery during the winter and yes I know not to put it on the cement floor.I have left it in the boat all winter like some of you do but that resulted in a dead battery in the spring that I could not revive.

 

Should I charge my battery during the winter?Is indoor storage the way to go?

 

After having alot of bad luck I need some input suggestions will be much appreciated.

 

Thanks Mike

[Dondorfish]

Hey Mike - As you know - I just disconnect them, charge them up, and leave them in the boat. If you are going to take them out, keep them in a cool place like a garage or basement, and charge them full - then just throw a trickle charger on them once a month to keep them fully charged.

 

 

Don

[lew]

Mike, I keep my 1 cranking battery & 2 deep cycles in the basement, sitting up on a wooden shelf for the winter.

 

I top them up with tap water when they go into storage, then fully charge them, and then recharge them every 2 months, and then a final charge before they go back in the boat in the springtime.

 

All 3 of my batteries are 8 years old and are as strong as the 1st day I bought them and I NEVER use distilled water in them, just plain old tap water.

 

I also charge them up throughout the season everytime I use the trolling motor for more than a couple hours. Keeping them fully charged ALL the time is the secret to long battery life.

[BFSC Kevin]

good post.. i need some of these advice too..

[Fishn Technishn]

Here is a link for a site full of info on batteries.

http://www.batteryfaq.org/

I have batteries that are 8-9 years old before they konk out. Biggest tips are -use DISTILLED water to top up if availabe but tap water will do if not, charge them fully after each use, check the levels often. You don't have to store them on wood as the plastic cases in use now, do not leak voltage- BUT batteries will lose a little each day they are not in use. Same goes for rechargables for cmeras etc. I store mine in the unheated garage & charge them once a month. A discharged battery will freeze much quicker than a fully charged one- read the info in the link.

Some of my buddies make fun of me 'cuz I always hook up the charger after each time out.....but I have never had one fail half way thru a trip!!

 

FT

[caper]

Just a question on storing them in the freezing garage. I thought I read somewhere where it says you shouldn't charge a frozen battery. If you were to drop the charger on them every couple of months how would this affect them if it was freezing outside? or does it matter? or do they freeze?

Edited November 25, 2007 by caper

[lookinforwalleye]

Does your car battery freeze in the winter time??? A fully charged battery will NOT freeze if it`s not fully charged it will freeze.

 

I store my batteries in my garage all winter, just throw a charge in them every 2 months or so and they will be fine.

 

And as most know by now storing a battery on a cement floor will NOT drain a battery.

[SlowPoke]

Just a question on storing them in the freezing garage. I thought I read somewhere where it says you shouldn't charge a frozen battery. If you were to drop the charger on them every couple of months how would this affect them if it was freezing outside? or does it matter? or do they freeze?

Let a battery thaw before freezing. Better yet, don't allow a battery to freeze in the first place. Storing them in an unheated garage will be fine. Batteries won't freeze at 0*C. The actual freezing point will depend on the condition of the electolyte. A discharged battery will freeze slightly below 0*C while a fully charged battery should withstand anything a Canadian winter could throw at it.

Top it up with distilled water. Give it a full charge. Check the level again in case you've overcharged and top it up. Leave the battery in your garage or shed and test it once a month.

-Brian

Edited November 25, 2007 by SlowPoke

[Guest gbfisher]

As long as the battery is CHARGED when stored, it will not freeze.

Do not leave it on the cement floor as it will only DISCHARGE and freeze over the winter. Keep it on a Piece of wood or up off the floor like Lew has suggested.

Edited November 25, 2007 by gbfisher

[misfish]

A worthy investment is the 1.5 amp trickle auto charger that wal-mart sells,thirty five bucks.It,s the little black box one.On board charger.Leave it on all winter long.Wont hurt the battery and will keep it at it,s top charged level.

 

Oh that wood thing is a myth.

Edited November 25, 2007 by misfish

[douG]

Sorry, but the concrete floor thingy is just wrong. Where you park a plastic cased battery makes no never mind. How could it possibly affect the battery inside? 'Lectricity don't go through plastic unless you have not 12 V, but 120,000V. When it does punch through the plastic, it is quite spectacular, like a lightning strike.

 

Put it on your garage floor already.

Edited November 25, 2007 by douG

[danc]

And to add to DouG's reply, I've read that some people recommend putting it directly on a concrete floor, which will keep it cooler.

[Fisherman]

yes I know not to put it on the cement floor.

After having alot of bad luck I need some input suggestions will be much appreciated.

 

Thanks Mike

 

OLD INFORMATION THAT APPLIED TO BATTERIES 40 YEARS+ AGO Heaven forbid, don't sit on cement, you might have a "discharge" too. Clean the outer case of the battery with water and a bit of soap, some say to use baking soda, if you use that and get any of the solution into the battery, you'll be buying new ones again. Keep the top between the terminals and around the fill holes clean and dry. Charge the battery BEFORE adding distilled water and then gently agitate the battery to mix the water with the acid solution. A good tool for that is an old turkey baster. Charge the batteries at least once a month or better yet, get a "Battery Minder" from VDC Electronics or Battery Tender from Deltran. If you take care of your batteries, there is NO reason they won't last several years. My boat battery is about 6-7 years old, my RV battery is 9.

Do yourself a favour and check the following and click on the learning center: http://www.vdcelectronics.com/boating.htm

Edited November 25, 2007 by Fisherman

[misfish]

Besides all that Fisherman,did you fish the docks today?Looked for ya,but then again,we all look the same down there.HAHAHA

[Bernie]

The colder you keep your battery the better. It slows down the chemical reaction. Thats why a cold battery puts out less energy.

 

ONE MORE TIME!!!

 

Cement floors do not affect modern batteries.

Years ago batteries were made in a wooden case and the acid would sweat through into the concrete. The lime in concrete would then soak into the battery neutralizing the acid.

 

Charged batteries do not freeze

When a battery is dead the chemical reaction that takes place turns the acid to water and then it will freeze. The freezing action can harm the battery bending the plates and shorting them out.

[Greencoachdog]

You don't wanna hear what I do with my boat batteries in the winter...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

... I use them for fishing!!!

Edited November 25, 2007 by Greencoachdog

[2 tone z71]

I turn my batt selector switch to off and close the door to the console and the marina shrink wraps here ,ive got 2 Optimas ,if theres no drain or draw on the batterys its fine

[fishindevil]

For several years now i have been living in a basement apartment,and have no other choice but to store my batteries on a cement floor,and i have never had a problem,i heard that about 10yrs ago that setting your batteries on a concrete floor was a myth,this was comming from a freind who worked in the general motors battery plant in oshawa,he says just keep them fully charged and top up the levels,THATS IT !!!!they dont need any special attention,and if they are used for a period of time with low water,you can buy a battery restorer chemical that you pour into your battery and add distilled water and charge it back up,that should do the trick....the only time it wont bring a battery back from the dead is if you have burned a plate,from being partially out of the water in your battery if that happens its just a matter of time and it will be toast !!!! thats about all i know about battery storage,and i have had them last almost 10 years ,so i guess it works...cheers

[Fisherman]

Besides all that Fisherman,did you fish the docks today?Looked for ya,but then again,we all look the same down there.HAHAHA

No, the donut fairy captured me at Country Style, took a drive by and damm near had an accident, couldn't believe how many people there was. But, I will strive to make it next weekend, come snow, sleet or that damm donut fairy.

Edited November 26, 2007 by Fisherman

[Tybo]

I do the same as Green Coach!

[Guest gbfisher]

Googled.....