Charging Battery Question

[fish2xtc]

I have been charging my deep cycle battery for the last few days at 1amp trickle charge. Today I went out and I can hear some boiling going on. I can't see anything or feel heat, but the top of my battery is a little moist. But I have an automatic charger and it does not say complete yet. Should I be worried?
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[Theekillerbee]

Just check your fluid level (if possible). If it is low, just refill with distilled water and you should be fine.
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[walleyebob]

I would be more worried if it quits charging after just a day or so. A good deep cycle battery can be charged at 10 amps and still take days to finish charging at 1 or 2 amps. Sometimes they won't ever shut off at 1 amp.
Moisture on top of the battery is normal. Keep it topped off with acid or water and it should be good for a long time.




W.B.
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[Tarponjim]

I re-charge my deep-cycles nightly, about 200 times a year. Instead of charging for days at one amp, get a little portable charger that starts out at 8-10 apms, and trickles down as the battery becomes charged. Overnight, you will go from dead to full, and the acid will not come to a boil in most cases. Charger will fully shut off when charging is complete. If it doesn't, its time for a new battery.

Wal-Mart sells a completely sealed one with an 18 month free replacement if it fails, for about 80 bucks. I get between 300 and 400 re-charges out of 'em, using them daily in summer heat and sub-zero winter, and they're group 29, 875 CCA, leak-free powerhouses. And no, I don't get them free and Wal-Mart is not a sponsor. They don't fail, and they're cheap!

Don't get suckered, as I did, into those expensive Orbitals or "Al Lindner" Optimas. I've tried several, and none lasted a season, which for me is roughly 200 re-charges. The Dual Pro and other AGM batteries are great, but they cost $200 and up, and don't out-last the $80 by even twice as much, yet are triple the price.
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[bassrods]

You should never trickle charge a deep cycle battery,, put 10 to 15 amps in it .....

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[fish2xtc]

Thanks for the info everyone, that really helps. So it sounds like I am ok t charge with a bigger charger? I did get a smaller one because of my fishfinder battery, but the guy at the store said to only charge my deep cycle with a trickle.
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[fsh4fun05]

It's ok to trickle charge a deep cycle battery once it's charged, at a point you have to keep the batteries from losing their charge. I see this alot in maintanance of boiler and chiller rooms, the electrical room has a bank of batteries as a backup that is on a constant trickle charge.

[url "http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm"]http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm[/url]
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[DennisW]

Jim, which charger do you have?
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[kd...]

Tarponjim

I'm not trying to start an argument or anything like that but my experience with the Optimas has been just the opposite from yours. By the way the Optimas are AGM batteries. They are just wound as a spiral instead of stacking square plates. I have found that my Optimas last at least twice as long as wet cell batteries. I have two old 'red top' Optimas that are still going strong after 8 years. These are in two of my vehicles. I suspect if you are killing AGM Optimas, there might be something wrong with your charging procedure. Like I said, I'm not trying to pick a fight or anything. Just sharing my own experience for those who are interested.

Cheers
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[Tarponjim]

kd: I'm sure you're correct, but we're comparing apples to oranges.

A car battery, or starting battery on a boat, almost never gets completely discharged. Most of 'em will last for many years. Its the daily draining from full charge to near-dead, over and over again, that dictates the life of a battery. They have so many "life cycles" and that's it. The red tops aren't even deep cycles, and are not intended to be discharged. AGM batteries, in general, will take more discharge cycles than standard lead batteries, but not the two blue top and one red top Optimas I bought. As a starting battery, they are fine. I have one in my boat now, third year, and it works like new, but it gets charged every time I start the outboard motor, and never once has gone dead. It will last many more years because of that.

For deep-cycle trolling-motor applications, I don't recommend Optimas, though I've had reasonable life with other AGM's. That's from experience, and I draw a battery dead over 200 times a year with a trolling motor, and have for 20 years. As I had said eariler though, for deep cycle, charge-and-drain applications, most AGM's don't last twice as long as the Wal Mart specials, but they do cost twice as much.

Cheers to you too!
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[Tarponjim]

Dennis: I use a Black and Decker 10/6/2 Smart Charger, and a Vector 10/6/2 Smart Charger. Both are so similar that they may be manufactured by the same company, whoever that is. If my battery is only about half drained, I'll start it at 6 amps and let it trickle down. If I'm dead, I'll start it at 10 amps. I'm always fully charged come 5 am! They shut off when charging is complete to avoid overcharging, and prolong battery life. They're about 50-60 dollars as I recall.
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[DennisW]

Just curious, what made you go with that charger over an onboard charger like a Guest or Dual Pro? I'm assuming, or course, that yours is an external unit. And that you have to hook up each battery to it to charge, then disconnect and store when you use your boat?

Also, I'm guessing you have 3 batts: 2 for a 24v bow mount trolling motor and 1 starting/electronics batt? With two single-battery chargers, you're charging each separately and not charging your starting battery? There are a few more options but I'm curious to hear how you're doing it.

Thanks.
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[Tarponjim]

My battery charger hangs from the ceiling of my garage, directly over my batteries in the bow of the boat, with a 110 socket right next to it on the ceiling. I just grab the clamps, hook it up, and plug it in. Takes about 6-8 seconds. I seldom ever charge my starting battery because the outboard does that daily. I use a 12-volt trolling motor, so usually only need to charge one of those batteries nightly. If I fish in enough wind to drain both batteries, I should have my head examined, and can still charge both that night because I have two chargers and plugs on the ceiling above the batteries. I usually just use one battery a day, and sometimes switch to the second one near the end of the day, and continue with that one the next morning so I'm rotating which battery gets run dead each day, and to make sure I'm running them dead. They seem to last longer going from dead to fully charged rather than only running them down 1/2 or 3/4 of the way and then recharging. Something about "memory" as I recall, so I alternate each day.

The on-board chargers are fine, but I opt for the simplicity and lower cost of the portable. My parking garage is set up so that I never have to unhook the trailer from day to day. (60 feet long--drive-through.)
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[Gumbo]

Thanks for the info--I'm just trying to decide whether to buy an onboard and which one to buy.

Also, lead-acid batteries don't have memory, as NiCad batteries do (common in many small electonic devices). Lead-acid battery life is actually shortened by depleting completely--well, it's the time they spend depleted that shortens their life span. It's best to 1) never let them completely deplete which allows the plates to corrode, and 2) recharge them completely as soon as possible after use.

I currently charge my three batteries manually, like you, but I only have 1 charger. And while I only use them a fraction that you do, mine sit too long in a depleted state (while I'm charging the other battery) which shortens their life.

Thanks again for your insight.
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[Tarponjim]

As for on-board chargers, I've never had one, but all my guide friends and other guides I've heard talk about the issue in the Florida Keys, they all swear by the Dual Pro. I've never heard any of them say otherwise, and most of them have on-boards down there. On the larger boats especially, keeping livewells and electronics running is their livelihood.

I wasn't sure about the memory issue with lead-acid batteries. I do recharge as soon as I get home, so maybe that's why they last so long. I have found over the years that they last longer when I do fully deplete them. When I didn't do that, they died sooner. Not sure why??? Maybe I wasn't charging them properly when they were only partially depleted. In that case, I don't have a clue what I'm talking about on this post!!!

Thanks for enlightening me.
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[neveronsunday]

[red][size 3]I've done my best to destroy my boat batteries the last few years and have done a pretty good job. [unsure] Here is everything you ever wanted to know about batteries and more![/size][/red]
[url "http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/index.htm"]http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/index.htm[/url]
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[Fishcrazy]

Thanks!That site answered some things about batteries for me,cleared up my misconceptions[]
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[grzbear10]

I have a ProMariner ProSport12 on board battery charger on my new boat and it sure beats the external battery charger. You just plug it in and forget it. They have them for 1 bank up to 3.
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[wiperhunter2]

I'm not sure if you noticed this but the thread you responded to is 3 years old [crazy]and it is very likely that his question has been answered. WH2
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[grzbear10]

oops
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