Charging Batteries

[Chip Hindes]

Of course the so-called maintenance free batteries don't have removable caps.

Gel and AGM batteries are maintenance free in that way. However, I've never seen a deep cycle marine, conventional lead acid battery which is maintenance free. All those I've seen have caps and must be checked and refilled with distilled water periodically.

Not that they don't exist, just that I personally have never seen one.

I leave my charger on for months at a time and the peace of mind of a marine type charger is more than worh it. The price is more than that of a cheapo automotive, but a good automotive charger will run nearly as much.

The fire I recall was on a brand new M, burned to the trailer, and as I recall the fire was caused by an automotive type charger which was left on. I may be wrong. I just did a quick search and didn't find it.

[James V]

A quick note on that - Solar pannels can overcharge your batteries if you do not have a regulator.

This can cause damage.

[ROAD Soldier]

One big danger is corrision on your battery cables and terminals that can cause a short. The higher the amps going in the more dangeroues this is. In my Huey UH-1 helicopter days that used a nickel cadium battery that weighed 81lbs because the Huey had an electric starter the weight about 50lbs that turned the engine and rotor blades over at the same time to start so it drained fast and had to be recharged fast, that caused corriosion like mad. The corrision had to be cleaned off every 25 flight hours or 30 days which ever came first. If this cleaning didnt take place the battery could and would explode and take the front part of the helicopter off. So make sure you constantly fight corrision.

[Night Sailor]

One of the great advantages of using a closed cell battery like the Optimas that I use, is that they do not outgas and do not leak in any position no matter how rough it gets, even upside down, so the only corrosion will come from outside the battery. Salt air or salt bilge water, corrosive cleaning chemicals could cause corrosion on any exposed metal in the wiring system including battery terminals. Of course one never has to add water.

I've run my Optimas on the boat and travel trailers and never doneany thing but once a year wipe off any dust that has accumlated on the outsides. Once the cables are fastened onto clean terminals, they stay clean. That alone makes them worth the intial extra cost, not to mention that I used to go through a conventional lead acid battery every year, and haven't had to replace a battery in ten years since going to Optima.

[Paul S]

One of the great advantages of using a closed cell battery like the Optimas that I use, is that they do not outgas and do not leak in any position no matter how rough it gets, even upside down, so the only corrosion will come from outside the battery. Salt air or salt bilge water, corrosive cleaning chemicals could cause corrosion on any exposed metal in the wiring system including battery terminals. Of course one never has to add water.

I've run my Optimas on the boat and travel trailers and never doneany thing but once a year wipe off any dust that has accumlated on the outsides. Once the cables are fastened onto clean terminals, they stay clean. That alone makes them worth the intial extra cost, not to mention that I used to go through a conventional lead acid battery every year, and haven't had to replace a battery in ten years since going to Optima.

Overcharged they CAN outgas through a safety one way valve. Problem is you can't maintain it like a lead acid battery. They are heavier and have fewer amps than a lead acid of similar size and weight. Not to mention about 2 times the price of conventinal batteries.

If my boat get to a place where the batteries are over my head.. I have other more pressing issues to deal with!!

Been using LA batteries since our powerboat (1992) and never had an issue with corrosion (I cleaned them annually) or short life (always topped them off).

Gell and AGM are good. But I will stick with conventional batteries myself.