Marine Battery

[Mike the Pike]

Went out this morning hooked up the marine battery to the boat after a good 24 hour charge and she was dead.The battery is finished.

 

This will be my 4th season with my boat and I had to buy a new one from the dealer today.Last time this happened I needed a battery in a hurry went to Canadian Tire and bought a Nautilus.This battery was only 2 years old.I kept it in a heated garage all winter tested it during the winter off the cement floor on top of some wood and it never seemed to lose its charge.Temperature in the garage was about 58f all winter.

 

Should I question the quality of Nautilus batteries?

 

What am I doing wrong when I store my battery for the winter.This is my third battery

Edited April 15, 2007 by Mike the Pike

[Dondorfish]

Hey Mike - only thing that I can think of is you treat them to good! Mine get charged in the fall and left in the boat for the winter. If we get a mild spell, I will throw the charger on them again to top them up - going on 6 years with the same batteries! Probably just jinxed myself - open up the boat next weekend!

 

Don

[easton13th]

Does the battery not come with a warranty longer than 2 years! This does seem odd. I would question the quality and Cnd Tr. I am on the 4th year with mine fingers crossed. I don't think you are doing anything that would end your battery's life cycle.

[Roy]

CTC Nautilus have a one year free replacement and 2.5 years pro-rated. Before putting it on charge, did you check fluid level?

[irishfield]

Yep...quit charging them so much. Your charger may be warping the plates together. The CTC nautilus battery I have in the steel work boat has a 98 date circle on the top of it. It was left sitting in the boat for 3 years from what I understand without use before I bought the cottage. I've charged it once and the marina charged it once last spring saying it was on it's way out (but in reality they had run it flat using the bilge pump in the boat without the motor running). We used it again all last season for the 25 Honda and I guess I'll see in two weeks if I'm going to get an 9th year since mfg from it!

 

I've had my best luck with Interstate batteries though in the last 10 years...but when it comes right down to it there aren't many manufactures anyhow..with different names wrapped on them. I've historically had absolutely NO luck with CTC batteries...the one above is an odd ball to my experience with them and I never buy CTC batteries anymore.

[Mike the Pike]

CTC Nautilus have a one year free replacement and 2.5 years pro-rated. Before putting it on charge, did you check fluid level?

 

Yup she was full Roy.

[PERCHER]

Mike was it your cranking battery or your deep cycler?

[mikemo]

Mike.

The same thing just happened to me with my Nautilaus battery, just going on 3 years. Mine is a deep cycle. My starting battery is fine, and it was stored right beside it in my garage. Although not directly heated, it was fairly comfortable in the garage.

I think I misused mine over the years in that I would charge it up too often. I would charge it every couple of outings, even though the reserve capacity was quite high. I read the other day that re-charging when it's at mid reserver capacity or highe is not good for the deep cycles - just like Irish said.

So, I need a new one to for this upcoming weekend. I'm not sure what brand I'll try this time. I'll have to check out some stores this week.

[irishfield]

Many brands of portable charges, outputs, are badly controlled and do more damage than good to batteries. They get you going when needed..but many boil the batteries/heat the plates if you leave them hooked up overnight. If you have a GOOD onboard charger for your trolling batteries...there is no reason you can't plug it in every night, no matter how little you've run the batteries down, when you come back in off the water....as they shut off automatically after taper charging for the last few % of capacity.

[lew]

Yep...quit charging them so much. Your charger may be warping the plates together.

 

Afraid I'm gonna have to disagree with you on this Wayne, it's always been my experience with both deep cycles and cranking batteries that if their kept fully charged all the time, they'll last a lot longer.

 

Mike, the 3 batteries in my boat are still the originals from 1999 and are as strong as ever and I can still easily get a very long day outta the 2 deep cycles and often spend 12 hours a day using the troll motor.

 

I have an on-board charger and plug them in at the end of EVERY day, even if I've only used them for a couple hours. The cranking battery is kept charged by the alternator.

 

I store them in the basement during the winter, but charge them every 8 weeks.

 

Start with good batteries, keep the fluid level full and charge them very frequentely.

 

And I have NEVER in my life used distilled water, just the stuff straight outta the tap.

[irishfield]

You missed my context Lew. Sounded like Mike used the standard "charger" external of his boat to give it a full day charge..not a high quality onboard, automatically controlling unit as I alluded to in my second post.

 

Wayne

[Mike the Pike]

You missed my context Lew. Sounded like Mike used the standard "charger" external of his boat to give it a full day charge..not a high quality onboard, automatically controlling unit as I alluded to in my second post.

 

Wayne

 

 

This was my Cranking amps battery and I did charge it for 24 hrs before I put it in the boat.

 

My dealer says to leave the battery disconnected in the boat for the winter .Which I don't do and have disagreed with my dealer.I know this worked for Tracker for 6 years I believe.

 

At one time I read on the Lund website that the battery should be stored indoors.

 

Wayne I did charge on trickle charge for 24hrs.

 

Today I bought a Deka marine battery.And Wayne no more Nautilus batteries for me.The new battery was $30 cheaper than CTC and my dealer says they are good quality.

 

Well hopefully this battery will last longer than my previous batteries.

 

I had my first fiberglass boat for 3 years stored the battery indoors without issues.Never changed the battery.

 

It was time for a brand change.

 

 

One more question when charging should I take the plastic caps off the battery or leave them on.I heard mixed opinions on this.

Mike

Edited April 15, 2007 by Mike the Pike

[sonny]

gotta remember guys if a battery goes dead it can take up to 24 hours or longer for it to start taking a charge again...doesn't mean that the battery is toast,,,,but not on a high amp charge a trickle charge,,,,i would try to keep it on charge for a timeframe to see if it comes back,,,all battery's that are stored still need maint about once a month throw a trickle charge on them for 6 hours

[easton13th]

I believe you take the caps off! Gives room for expansion of the acid, as it boils.

[caper]

I believe you take the caps off! Gives room for expansion of the acid, as it boils.

 

What do the guys do that have the on board charges do they still pop the caps? Just curious

[easton13th]

Trickle charge from on board chargers don't expand.. I was just referring to a major charge or a charge for 24 hours. The acid has a chance to boil or react. Lead acid batteries have to expand.

[John Bacon]

Did you charge the battery periodically throughout the winter? It's not good to leave the battery all winter without charging it once in a while.

 

You also mention storing it off the concrete floor in a heated garage. It is only a myth that storing the battery on concrete will harm them. Also, ther e is not need to store them in a heated garage. In fact, they will last longer when stored in a cold location.

[Bernie]

True John...the myth does have some history though. Years ago lead/acid batterys were made with wooden cases,the electrolyte would seep through the case and react with the lime in the cement. The cooler you can keep your battery will also slow down any chemical reactions and extend battery life. A charged battery will not freeze. But a frozen discharged battery may warp or break the plates.

[Guest lundboy]

CTC Nautilus batteries are labeled as deep cycle marine, but they are actually the Exide Nautilus dual purpose, NOT the true Nautilus Gold Deep cycle. If you want a real deep cycle Nautilus go to a marine dealer that sells Exide and get the real thing.

 

(This info comes from the Exide rep for my dealer) That's how CTC sells a type 27 DC for only $89.00! The Real Exide Nautilus Gold DC is $120. And comes with a 3 year warranty.

 

I made the mistake of replacing two Exide Nautilus Golds that served me well for 5 years with two CTCs. Same usage cycle and charging habits. They only lasted 2 seasons and half the capacity was gone. I took them back to CTC they stuck them on their tester, said they couldn't see anything wrong, wouldn't honour their warranty and sent me away.

 

I bought two Exide select Orbitals to replace them from my dealer and the dealer scrapped the CTCs. Thats when I talked to the Exide rep.

 

(The orbitals are fantastic, much lighter, charge in 2/3rds the time, 3 year replacement non-declining warranty, and they never leak or need maintenance! Not quite as much capacity as a type 27, but enough to get me through a heavy day of trolling and boat positioning).

[Tybo]

Mike.

Are you over charging from the engine.

Say about 14 1 /2 volts or better.

2 batteries in four year seems to be 2 too many.