Battery charge: I purchased a start battery early last year and two 12 v marine batteries in Sept. I went fishing once after the purchase of the marine batteries and then had to stop.

bigredone Loc: Yuba City, CA

I purchased a start battery early last year and two 12 v marine batteries in Sept. I went fishing once after the purchase of the marine batteries and then had to stop. My boat has been in storage since. I bringing it out this week. As the batteries have no life, what is the best way to charge them back up. Thanks for any help.

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

bigredone wrote:

I purchased a start battery early last year and two 12 v marine batteries in Sept. I went fishing once after the purchase of the marine batteries and then had to stop. My boat has been in storage since. I bringing it out this week. As the batteries have no life, what is the best way to charge them back up. Thanks for any help.

The deep cycles will probably come back. Put them on a slow charge until they're at 100%. Take them off and let them sit for a week and see how much charge they retained. The starting battery is probably toast, because they are not designed to be fully discharged, like deep cycles are. You can try charging it as well, but don't get your hopes up. Good luck.

Seegundo Loc: Lake s minole Georgia

He gave you good advice I also use onboard battery chargers.if you have electric in your storage unit charge them once a month

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Seegundo wrote:

He gave you good advice I also use onboard battery chargers.if you have electric in your storage unit charge them once a month

I would say all of your batteries are still good. If they had frozen, which I'm sure they didn't down there, it would be a different story. Put your marine batteries on a 2 amp charger and the starting battery on a regular charger.

Jeremy Loc: America

Fredfish wrote:

The deep cycles will probably come back. Put them on a slow charge until they're at 100%. Take them off and let them sit for a week and see how much charge they retained. The starting battery is probably toast, because they are not designed to be fully discharged, like deep cycles are. You can try charging it as well, but don't get your hopes up. Good luck.

Exactly. 100% accurate.

Start batteries are comparable to tin foil plates inside the cells. Deep Cycle batteries are thicker plates inside the cells. Start batteries have ability to produce higher current for a short period of time do to thinner plates ( more surface area ). Deep Cell batteries have thicker plates that can produce moderate current for longer periods of time. Deep Cell are best for lower current over long periods of time. Both battery types are best to be charged at lower current just as Fred recommended.

Best recommendation for batteries is to keep charged or maintain on a monthly basis. At least every 60 days. Float chargers ( solar or plug in ) automatically keep the battery voltage at 13-14.4 volts.

Jeremy Loc: America

flyguy wrote:

I would say all of your batteries are still good. If they had frozen, which I'm sure they didn't down there, it would be a different story. Put your marine batteries on a 2 amp charger and the starting battery on a regular charger.

YUP

Pro XS 250 Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

It sounds like you don't have a breaker between you batteries & end devices. If so, put a 30 amp breaker between your trolling batteries & motor, and put one between your start battery & end devices. Without a breaker, those batteries will constantly have a draw on them. With a breaker, switch to off when you're out of the water & you should keep a charge for months while your boat is sitting up. I have 4 blue top optima batteries & they will keep a charge from The middle of November to the middle of February. I don't fish during deer season.

Paddyj Loc: S E Michigan Lake Erie

When my boat comes out of the water my batteries go home to my garage. I put them on 2 Amp charge for the entire winter. My charger turns to "maintain" when batteries are fully charged. When the boat goes back in,the batteries do too, the charger on the boat works like my home charger so I am set for the season. I carry a jumper unit on the boat in case I have a problem, haven't needed it yet but tows can be expensive.

SALMON ADDICT Loc: Snohomish county Washington

bigredone wrote:

I purchased a start battery early last year and two 12 v marine batteries in Sept. I went fishing once after the purchase of the marine batteries and then had to stop. My boat has been in storage since. I bringing it out this week. As the batteries have no life, what is the best way to charge them back up. Thanks for any help.

Charge as others have mentioned, then to maintain hook up a battery tender,its a smart charger that will maintain a charge at 1-1.25 amps.they are relatively inexpensive and can be bought at Walmart.

smitty Loc: maine

battery testers are cheap

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

I ha e to keep mine charged in the boat or bring them indoors to keep growing freezing. I just keep the watchdog charger plugged in all winter.

Barnacles Loc: Northern California

FF is right. Your best chance to bring them back is a SLOW trickle charge.

For the future, get a small battery maintainer and leave it connected anytime the boat isn't being used. That'll be a LOT cheaper than new batteries every spring!

If you ever go to lithium, it's a different protocol. Lithium batteries will have a protection circuit that doesn't let them get run down too far. Also, they self-discharge so slowly that you can ignore it. If nothing is taking energy from a lithium battery, it'll take maybe ten years to run itself down. Even when disconnected, a lead-acid battery can go dead over the winter. The biggest problem with lithium is - you guessed it - $$$!

And Marvin Loc: Lawrence, Ks

bigredone wrote:

I purchased a start battery early last year and two 12 v marine batteries in Sept. I went fishing once after the purchase of the marine batteries and then had to stop. My boat has been in storage since. I bringing it out this week. As the batteries have no life, what is the best way to charge them back up. Thanks for any help.

Not any help this time but next time you leave stored long term disconnect the battery cables
It worked for me when I stored an antique car and only used once a year