battery & charging ?

[fishercurtis]

my ac delcos are 2 years old, and my charger is showing them not charged. 1: do you leave your chargers plugged in all the time. I fish once a week and always have left them plugged in. Never been a problem until tuesday when I had a dead battery or two. Not sure. 3 bank charger, skeeter zx225 stock charger. Trolling motor is 101 minn. I have very little power to the trolling motor. Anything I should check before I go and buy all new batteries?
Thanks
Curtis

[ScottyJ]

I just went thru a similar situation. I have the dual pro 3 bank charger and I always top em off before I go out then charge em full before I store it for next trip. First check all connections and make sure they are clean and tight. Maybe switch em around and see if it makes a difference. If not take the batteries to kragens or any auto place and have them run a test on them and they can tell you if or which ones are bad.

Scott

[MIKE TREMONT]

I think the only way you're going to get them checked is to pull them out and take them to someone with a modern battery tester. I'm pretty sure those are sealed batts, so a specific gravity tester ain't an option.

I use to leave my batteries on the charger all the time, as the instructions say you can as once the batts are fully charged, these chargers "condition" the batteries. Problem, if one or more of your batts won't reach fully charged, the charger keeps hitting them with full power. I've had 2 chargers fail on me because of this.

I now unplug the charger after the batteries show charged. I've gone a full day after the boat sat for a month. My charger is still operating as designed, although 3 years on these trolling motor batts seems to be about it for me. Now my starting battery is over 8 years old, but that's another story...

[Bill K]

If your fluid/acid level is up to par, and all other connections, etc are good. Have the batterys tested and go from there. Bill K

[fishercurtis]

I used a battery tester from a local autoparts store and it showed 2 batteries "bad" it wouldn't read one of the others at all. It showed my cranking battery as bad too, but my boat gauges showed it at 12volts and I don't have a problem with that one. Like I said I'm on the water every week 1-2times and never had a problem, all of a sudden all my batteries bad? Thanks
Curtis

[Leon Pugh]

Read this, It will answer most your questions.
http://www.westernbass.com/dotcom/libra ... ml?id=3282

[Murph]

Put one at a time on a Manual 10 amp charger and let them boil for 48 hrs. This should get rid of some of the bad stuff that has accumulated... I've done it to all of my batteries this year and it really helped after the Winter layover. I do take them out of the boat, while "Boiling".

[Leon Pugh]

Murph, if a battery is boiling you are doing serious harm to it.

[Murph]

I'm sure you're right Leon. Boiling is prolly not the correct "terminology"

[TonyL]

I recommend using a load tester ,you can pick'em up at most auto stores now,they're mini versions of a regular shop tester,but they'll definately load a battery enough to point out the culprit.Those digital testers,I dont care for -eroneous readings ,I think due to surface charrges.Also like Murph I also started givin my batteries a good kick in the arse every 3-4 months on a manual charger,but I hit em with 40 amps or more,but only for bout 30 minutes(most onboard chargers,charge at 10 amps,there would be no difference at this rate),this takes the "staleness"out of em ,I haven't had any issues since doing this.Hope this helps.

[luvmystratos]

On weekends when I am not fishing I watch this show called "Ship Shape" where they actually go over all aspects of Boating from Repairs to Detailing to Engines and Electronics. They had an episode last week on Deep Cell Batteries and how to prolong their life. Here is the additive they used to prolong the battery's life:
http://www.inoxed.com/MX2.htm they actually had a Battery that was not charging to full capacity and after one treatment of this INOX the Battery was charging back to the day he purchased it. I have not tried it but I am going to see how it works on my Batteries. Cost about $9.00 per bottle and the distributor is located in Reno.

[blkdog812]

my quess is the batteries got low on water and the plates sulfated up. see if the sides are bulged. if they are they are done.
fyi most maintence free batteries still need water added, although they look sealed the cap usually come off to add water.

i always charge right after use and then unplug the charger. if needed, u can top off the night before if your worried. had batteries last 5 -7 years that way.