How do I keep My Boat Battery Charged-Introduction and Charging?

If you are always on the water, you know how it is important to have a good battery. It keeps you on the water for days, making it enjoyable. Unlike other batteries, a boat battery has different demands. There are many power needs that the battery needs to supply. For instance, the boat motor needs power to start, and the marine battery should also power gauges, pumps, lights, and other electronics. 

 Besides having a good cell, there are ways to keep it charged. In this article, we shall look at how to keep your battery charged and enjoy more days on your boat.

How do I keep my boat battery charged over the winter?

When the summer and fall season is over, it's time to say goodbye to boating activity. Unfortunately, nobody wants to start boating with a dead battery after winter. As a battery owner, you are aware that cells are vulnerable to both hot and cold temperatures. This can lead to repair issues or even replacement. Therefore, the best thing you can do is to store it properly throughout the year. 

Lead acid batteries are prone to freezing during the cold season. The cell completely drains energy hence causing a chemical reaction that dilutes the electrolyte liquid. The diluted liquid freezes and damages the battery cells. In some cases, it makes the battery case expand and crack. On the contrary, lithium-ion batteries don't face freezing issues unless the temperature drops to -15 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Can you leave a battery in a boat during winter?

Even though it is permissible to leave your battery in the boat during cold temperatures, it's not a good idea. It is likely to damage or call for extra maintenance. You should fully disconnect the cell during seasons of extended inactivity. In addition, store them in a well-ventilated area to trickle charge. If you have a traditional lead-acid battery, consider a battery maintainer or tender. It protects the battery by keeping it charged and preventing freezing. Battery maintainers also have smart technology to prevent overcharging.

There is no need to remove lithium batteries from the boat. You only need to fully charge it and disconnect it from the switch. Thanks to its technology, lithium marine battery is not affected by cold temperatures. Lastly, they can also be stored indoors because they are non-spillable and non-toxic.

Winter Storage Safety Guide

Here are the steps to ensure your battery is ready for spring startup:

●Store the battery where it is easily accessible.

●Check whether the charger is designed for the battery type. For example, AGM and flooded batteries call for different chargers and algorithms.

●Charge the battery. This ensures the cell will completely recharge. It also lowers the risk of having a frozen battery during winter.

●Remove and store it in a cool, dry place to avoid freezing. Places like storage facilities, garages, and wood surfaces are recommended. 

●Disconnect the negative cable. 

●Disconnect terminals to get rid of electrical loads from your boat battery. Electronics have parasitic loads, which means that small power draws when they are not in use. The slow drain can damage the cell.

●Charge monthly to avoid self-discharge. Full-charged cells are also less vulnerable to freezing and have long spans.

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How do I know if my deep cycle battery is healthy?

It is important to detect battery problems and resolve them at an early stage. However, you can only tell the health if you inspect and test regularly. Here are three methods to test if your deep-cycle battery is healthy:

Step 1:Visual Inspection

In most cases, you can tell if the battery is healthy by just looking at it. It starts from the outside to the inside. The few things to inspect are:

Broken terminal: loose or broken terminal can lead to a short circuit. When a short circuit occurs, there will be burning and melting, or the battery can explode due to excessive heat production.

Dirt and debris: check the terminals and top of the battery for any dirt or grime. Remove any corrosion from the connecting wires. 

Bulge in the case: when a battery bulges in the case, the issue is overcharging.

Excessive leaking: leakage is a sign of case damage in flooded batteries. It is dangerous to operate a cell in such a condition.

Water in the cells: it is a must to maintain the water level in flooded batteries. Nonetheless, if the cells have been exposed to oxygen for a long period, the paste surrounding the lead plates dries faster, thus causing a chemical reaction. Besides water levels, check the color of the water. It should not be dirty or discolored.

Step 2: Voltage Inspection

Battery voltage after full charge is an effective method to determine health. It reveals internal issues such as short circuits, dead cells, stratification, and sulfation. Here is a comparison between the state of charge and voltage:

●If it's reading 0 volts, it means the battery has experienced a short circuit.

●If the reading cannot reach more than 10.5volts when it is charged, the battery has a dead cell.

●When the battery is fully charged but the voltage cannot go beyond 12.4, it is sulfated.

Step 3: load test

You need a digital voltmeter to load the test. First, fully charge the battery and let it sit for 12 hours to remove the residual charge and get accurate results. To load test:

●Expose the battery to access the terminals.

●Hold the prongs of a voltmeter to the right terminals.

●Push the start button and how the voltage drops.

A healthy battery should have a voltage range from 9.6-10.5 volts. 

What should a 12-volt deep cycle battery read when fully charged?

Technically, a voltage in a fully charged deep cycle battery should read 2.12 to 2.15 volts per cell, while 12.7 volts for a 12V battery. The number may be lower in case the battery is old or can't hold a full charge. 

Conclusion 

Traveling by boat is an exciting activity during the boating season. However, it's devastating to experience a dead battery in the middle of the lake. This is more upsetting, especially when you have kids on board. As a sailor, it is important to understand ways to keep your boat battery charged in order to avoid being stuck. Lastly, a marine battery is an investment. Regular maintenance can help to detect