My father in law lives on his boat 5-6 months out of the year. He informed me that I should replace my electronics batteries with 2 golf cart batteries in series. They last longer than the standard batteries and hold up to recharging a lot better. I did this 2 years ago and I would have to say it was the best move I ever made. My batteries run like brand new and they seem to have a longer running time as well. He also uses them in his new RV.
Deep Cycle labels are being used loosely these days and most likely you are really buying a hybrid battery which is a auto/marine type of battery. I have yet to find a conculsive review on using Deep Cycle over a Car battery for your cranking battery. I have been told by several people price vs usage and time lasting. You are better off using a car battery for your cranking battery on a bass/pleasure boat.
Here are a few articles on batteries for those who want specs:
http://www.partsonsale.com/batteries.htm
http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm
Battery Care
From gathered research and interviews, several conclusions were drawn on how to extend the life of batteries.
1. Equalize the batteries on a monthly basis. In a six pack of batteries the strain and drain on each of those batteries is different. After some time of charging and recharging the batteries do not all react alike. Stratification may occur, where the acid concentration is greater at the bottom of the battery than at the top. Equalizing batteries will allow all the batteries to be equal and not cause unwanted damage to each other.
2. Keep the water levels in your battery full. On wet celled lead acid batteries one must always be aware to keep the water levels inside the cells of the battery full. It is simply a matter of pouring distilled water into the cells, only distilled water must be used, regular tap water has too many impurities that will hurt the plates. By keeping the cells of the batteries full, this increases the life of your batteries.
3. DonÂt let batteries sit around non-functioning. If a battery sits around for a while it begins to sulfate, which decreases its life span, also batteries tend to self discharge if unused for long periods of time. So never try to save a battery until later, for later it wonÂt be good to use as it was now.
4. Keep the connectors of the batteries clean. If the connectors are dirty or corroded, they will resist the electricity from the battery to the EV, thereby making the EV less efficient.
Spring Time Battery Preperation:
Here's How:
1. Disconnect the ground (negative) terminal first! THIS IS A MUST. Then disconnect the positive terminal.
2. Remove the battery from the boat and place it on a work surface.
3. Clean off the outside of the battery. Make sure the top is free of dirt, grease and oil.
4. Clean the terminals with baking soda and water, then wipe them dry with a paper towel.
5. Remove the caps from each of the cells and check the fluid level. If the fluid is not up to or near the top of the cell, add DISTILLED water ONLY. Then replace the caps.
6. Take a multimeter and set the dial on the D.C. (Direct Current) setting. Then place the negative lead on the ( - ) terminal and the positive lead on the ( + ) terminal.
7. Each cell should produce about 2.1 volts at full charge. As a result, your meter should show around 12.6 volts - or better - total.
8. If the battery is below full charge, hook up a small, low ampere charger and charge the battery slowly. I remove the caps during this process.
9. After the battery reaches full charge, replace the caps and let it set for 24 hours. Check it with the multimeter. If it has held its charge, it's good to go.
10. Using an inexpensive battery terminal cleaning device, shine up both the terminals and the cable ends on the boat. Check the cables for any signs of corrosion or over-heating.
11. Clean your battery box inside and out. Make sure that it is firmly affixed to your boat.
12. Put the battery back into the boat. Connect the positive terminal first and the negative terminal last. Make sure they are really tight.
13. Cover both terminals with nonmetallic grease. You can either purchase battery terminal grease, or use petroleum jelly such as Vaseline.
14. Replace the battery box cover and secure it.
Tips:
1. Batteries produce hydrogen gas. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER have any kind of open flame near them!
2. Batteries have acid in them. Use rubber gloves, wear clothes that you no longer care about and wear safety glasses when working with them.
3. When you're moving the battery around, keep it as level as possible. This will help keep the battery acid from leaking.
4. Make sure there is good (read: excellent) ventilation in your battery compartment.
5. Check your battery's water level often and then make sure the top is clean and dry.
What You Need:
* Small adjustable wrench
* Battery post cleaner
* Distilled water
* Nonmetallic grease or petroleum jelly such as Vaseline
* Rubber gloves
Anyone else that has tried different solutions please post them.
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