Battery Maintenance Question
I have a new to me 12' Jon boat that has a Minkota trolling motor on it. I picked up a Deep Cycle Marine battery from Rural King and have had the boat out a couple of times now. I found an old battery charger and feel like I need to charge the battery before my next outing (this is porbably not really needed yet, but I am ignorant so I decide to stay on the safe side). The charger that I have doesn't say anything about an automatic shutoff.
What is the appropriate way to recharge a deep cycle battery? What is the procedure for determining when this needs to be done? What is best for the battery's life? Thanks for the help.
Well, if you only have a cheepo charger to use, then keep an eye on the voltage on the battery with a DC voltmeter or multimeter. While charging, the voltage should not exceed 14.5 +/- volts. The way I used to charge deep cycles is to turn on the charger for an hour or so. Then unhook charger from battery and let the battery sit for 10-15 minutes. Then measure the voltage on the battery. A fully charged lead/acid battery will measure 12.6 volts. If voltage is not 12.6 or higher, turn the charger on for another hour and repeat as necessary. Not too scientific but it worked for me when I was younger and had no good battery charger for deep cycles.
Keep the battery topped off with distilled water for maximum battery life.
Get a smart charger...idiot proof.
Charge batteries monthly if used or not.
That's what I do.
+1 for smart charger.
