bh87ss Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 Hi Gang with 3 new trolling batteries in the boat this year I wanted to get your opinion. Have a minnkota charger hooked up and the garage is not heated. Is it better to take them out and keep them warm on a charger or leave them in the boat with the charger connected and on. Thanks in advance for the replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 mine is unheated garage , I leave them in and only plug them in about 3 times over the winter. never had a problem with them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 Take a chance or not. I always took my batteries inside. Why take the chance. Last thing I would of wanted, is a battery to crack and leak in my boat. Better safe then sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyS Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 How do you think the battery will crack more in the winter as opposed to any other season? Otherwise these would be cracking in vehicles all the time in -20C weather. I leave them in the boat and plug in the charger a few times a year. I used to bring them indoors many years ago and there is no difference in life expectancy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 How do you think the battery will crack more in the winter as opposed to any other season? Otherwise these would be cracking in vehicles all the time in -20C weather. I leave them in the boat and plug in the charger a few times a year. I used to bring them indoors many years ago and there is no difference in life expectancy. Like I said Take a chance. If memory serves me right, there was a battery that was stored in a classic hot rod, It cracked in half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Ironmaker Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 When I left my boat out in the elements I took them in and charged them once or twice over the winter. The last 2 winters I stored the boat indoors, no heat and just disconnected them. Someone told me to disconnect both neg. and pos. I charge them up once in March and haven't had a problem, knock on my wooden noggin. I was told to never store batteries on concrete. Someone on iboats.com said just last week this is a wives tale. Battery casements now are not made of the same material they once were, rubber, and nothing will happen. For the time it takes to put a piece of plywood under them I still wont put them on concrete. 3 new batteries can run about $450.00 or more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Ironmaker Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 How do you think the battery will crack more in the winter as opposed to any other season? Otherwise these would be cracking in vehicles all the time in -20C weather. I leave them in the boat and plug in the charger a few times a year. I used to bring them indoors many years ago and there is no difference in life expectancy. I'm not concerned about a battery cracking because of freezing. A battery price is based on it's quality and only has so many times it can go from a full charge to below 20% until it can't be charged again. Some can be only 10 discharges and some 20. I was told that by an automotive pro here and confirmed by others. Thus the difference in prices from a $89.99 CTC economy brand to a $150.00 premium unit from a big name brand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 When I left my boat out in the elements I took them in and charged them once or twice over the winter. The last 2 winters I stored the boat indoors, no heat and just disconnected them. Someone told me to disconnect both neg. and pos. I charge them up once in March and haven't had a problem, knock on my wooden noggin. I was told to never store batteries on concrete. Someone on iboats.com said just last week this is a wives tale. Battery casements now are not made of the same material they once were, rubber, and nothing will happen. For the time it takes to put a piece of plywood under them I still wont put them on concrete. 3 new batteries can run about $450.00 or more. Was told the same thing . Why mess with TRADITION. Like I have been saying, why take the chance. Like you said, $450 bones is not a cheap coin to just flip away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 (edited) I will admit the newer technology these days, has a lot to do with battery life. I have a sealed AGM that has been on a piece of rug the last 8 months. I put the volt meter to it and reads 14 every time. Those AGM are something else eh. Going to use it this winter for my finder and lights in my portable. Going to need my sunglasses in there. LOL Edited October 12, 2017 by Misfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Ironmaker Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 Yep Brian I don't like paradigm shifts until I am convinced 110% , and that ain't 20 cents. Why take a chance because you read it on the internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostAnotherOne Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 This will be my third season with my boat. So i brought both batteries inside in the winter and didnt charge until spring. I guess i should of charged them a couple of times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecmilley Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 I fully charge my battery's disconnect them leave em in boat from Nov to march Zippo issues typically still reading 12.5 12.6 vts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 I leave em in the boat and charge a few times over the winter No issues Like stated.... your car battery that remains charged doesn't freeze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grimsbylander Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 Leave them in...a battery doesn't know if it's in your car, garage or boat. When you hear stories about cracking batteries it's because when it was time to winterized the boat they were super low on fluids and Joe Boater poured a litre of water in, plugged it in, and walked away. Frozen batteries don't charge...they split. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBW Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 Mine goes in the garage on a board or foam on the floor and get's checked 1 time mid winter and then again as the spring is coming and then thrown on the charger. Why, old habit... I'm sure it would be fine in the boat, covered outside the garage but old habits die hard... This year was the 1st time in 6+ years I needed a new cranking battery following my old routine BUT there was a constant draw draining it that was found later after there was no saving it... Less work if it's/they are safe in the boat and you keep checking on them to ensure they are not drained... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Ironmaker Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 (edited) If you can get 7 years on a car, truck or marine battery today it doesn't owe you anything. 110,000 is what my new Chevy Silverado factory installed battery lasted. Edited October 12, 2017 by Old Ironmaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Farmer Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 mine is unheated garage , I leave them in and only plug them in about 3 times over the winter. never had a problem with them X2, but then again, I'm using my boat in Dec. April. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lape0019 Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 Honestly, whatever you are comfortable with is fine. As you can see from the variety of answers, it really doesn't matter. I take mine out and store inside the house and charge them once in a while. Local tackle shop pwner leaves his in and charging all winter. A buddy leaves his in and charges once in a while. What do we all have in common? Our batteries last 4-5 years before needing to be replaced. So it really doesn't make any difference. Just pick something you are comfortable with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 My batteries haven't left my boat. I keep it in the garage, no heat, I don't disconnect anything, and I charge them every time I use them. If you put them away charged, they will still be charged come spring, and they won't freeze. In the spring, I put the plug in the charger, and in about 10 seconds, the green full charge light comes on. Good to go. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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