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Winterize - Remove batteries and charge with ProSport 12 over Winter?


BlitzedVLX

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I recently dropped the boat off to be stored indoor in a non heated garage. I removed my 2 batteries and also the ProSport 12 that I installed in the boat over the summer. I plan on storing the batteries in the basement of my office and hooking them up to my ProSport 12 over the next 3-4 months. I figured using this unit would be much better than the trickle chargers I have used the past and will hopefully promote optimal battery life.. Am correct in my thinking?

Edited by BlitzedVLX
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Yes that will do a great job in maintaining them automatically, the trickle charger won't. After they are fully charged make sure you check the water level and top off with some distilled water.

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Yes that will do a great job in maintaining them automatically, the trickle charger won't. After they are fully charged make sure you check the water level and top off with some distilled water.

Great thanks for the confirmation and tip.

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Blitzed,

A quality trickle charger is fine for maintenance of a fully charged battery but not as good for restoration of a discharged battery.

So for Spring/Summer restoration you are in great shape with the ProSport. And the ProSport 3-stage charger is equally effective as a safe year-around maintenance charger.

David

Earmark Marine

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Blitz,

Quality is a very subjective criteria. The fact that you have the right tool for the job in the pro-sport 12 makes it a no brainer. It does it all without killing your batteries and you don't have to worry about getting a trickle charger that has the right specs and capabilities so it won't kill your batteries instead of maintaining them. You're on the right path.

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If the batteries are in the basement, make sure they are not sitting right on the concrete. I usually set them on a couple of 2x4s.

Blitz,

Quality is a very subjective criteria. The fact that you have the right tool for the job in the pro-sport 12 makes it a no brainer. It does it all without killing your batteries and you don't have to worry about getting a trickle charger that has the right specs and capabilities so it won't kill your batteries instead of maintaining them. You're on the right path.

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Blitzed,

A quality trickle charger is fine for maintenance of a fully charged battery but not as good for restoration of a discharged battery.

So for Spring/Summer restoration you are in great shape with the ProSport. And the ProSport 3-stage charger is equally effective as a safe year-around maintenance charger.

David

Earmark Marine

what is the problem with the trickle charger?

What if the batterie is charged & on the trickle all winter?

Isn't that the purpose of the trickle charger?

regards

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A-hole,

There is no problem with a trickle charger relating to the maintenance of an already charged battery. Boats, ATV, weekend car, motorcycle, etc. when the vehicle or vessel is put up fully charged. It only has to counter the effects of a battery's self-discharge which would be no more than a couple of percent a month. That only requires a periodic on/off cycle of milli-amps of current to maintain and at that level you would not see any evidence of battery warming or any possibilty for damage. So if you already had a competent trickle charger in the home or shop you would not have to dismantle the larger charger from your boat for the winter usage inside. Although you can. And as mentioned the right larger charger is also completely safe for long term maintenance. That should answer all three of your questions.

I would like to mention that there is a good case for using something stronger than a trickle/maintenance/tender/minder charger after an outting when you are placing the boat into storage with less than a full battery charge. This class of charger may not have the current capacity to correctly desulfate a battery and promote the best in battery longevity. Many use this class of charger as their only option and it certainly is way better than no charger at all. But for restoration and conditioning of deeply cycled batteries I would prefer a multi-stage charger with a larger capacity.

I definitely would avoid the garage boost/high/low type of charger if for anything other than the emergency it was intended for and I wouldn't turn my back on it for any more than the minimum required to start the car.

Hopefully that addresses any other questions but I don't mind offering more info if you need it.

David

Earmark Marine

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If the batteries are in the basement, make sure they are not sitting right on the concrete. I usually set them on a couple of 2x4s.

If you batteries were made last decade - then that would be that case.

Todays' battery cases are made of hard polypropelene versus hard rubber in the past.

"For more than a decade, automotive and commercial battery containers have been made of polypropylene, which is a highly insulative material. In fact, the Interstate Batteries poly material is at least five times more insulative than the old hard rubber. Also, tremendous technological improvements have been made in the seals around the posts and the vent systems, which have virtually eliminated electrolyte seepage and migration. "

http://www.thebatteryterminal.com/TechTalk_Batteries_on_Concrete.htm

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Good topic !

My question is, I have cheapy "maintenance free" battery's. Is there a way, like Bobby said above, to fill it with distilled water?

If yes, would it be a bad thing to stick regular water in it?

Thanks in advance,

Steve B.

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Good topic !

My question is, I have cheapy "maintenance free" battery's. Is there a way, like Bobby said above, to fill it with distilled water?

If yes, would it be a bad thing to stick regular water in it?

Thanks in advance,

Steve B.

Hey steve usually "maintenance free" batteries are sealed up so that water can't be added. Even the maintenance free lead acid batteries I've seen don't have a way to add water to them. What brand and model are they?

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During the charging of a battery, flammable gasses are given off. i would not recommend charging batteries in the basement of a house.

Also, a battery setting on concrete is an old wise-tail from back when batteries where encased in wood and would actually wick voltage to ground. Place them on the kitchen counter if you want, it will not make a difference in there state.

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I put my fully charged batteries on a metal shelve in the basement in November. Throw a quick charge on them in February. Put them back in the boats in early May. This has worked for me simce the 60's. My batteries have always lasted 10 to 13 years and this includes getting pounded by use in the ocean year after year. Sometimes I wonder if the February quick charge is even needed. Maybe I will skip that charge on my oldest battery (2003) this year and let you all know come May.

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I top off the charge every 3 weeks. My only reasoning is, try to cycle it similiar to what may happen in the summer. 3 weeks would be the most I would go before taking the boat out for a cruise.

Bobby, my battery's are (Walmarts?) Everstart Maxx. Lead acid's, one is 875CCA and the other is 770CCA.

They have those standard vents on top, so I dont think they are supposed to be re-filled?

Steve B.

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I top off the charge every 3 weeks. My only reasoning is, try to cycle it similiar to what may happen in the summer. 3 weeks would be the most I would go before taking the boat out for a cruise.

Bobby, my battery's are (Walmarts?) Everstart Maxx. Lead acid's, one is 875CCA and the other is 770CCA.

They have those standard vents on top, so I dont think they are supposed to be re-filled?

Steve B.

Hey steve I've never used an Everstart but you should be able to pop the caps on the top and look in there. Worth a shot I guess. I've heard the older ones are maintenance free and the newer ones you are supposed to add water to when needed.

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