Battery Charging

[CQ_Fisher]

Can anybody tell me if charging a battery on a regular basis (better to be safe than sorry) before use can have any negative effects on the life of the battery?

[dnej]

Get your self a float charger from Super cheap, turns itself off when the battery is charged. Better to charge regularly, as sulphur builds up between the plates when they stand for a long time, and this shortens the life of the battery.
Charger should cost about $45
David

[allniter]

And while we're on the subject.....
Does it do any damage to motor electrics / or any electrics
if you don't disconnect all leads to battery when charging
overnight with a trickle charger??
regards darren

[dazza]

hi,
recently got a sealed lead acid battery. asked the guy the same questions. he advised me to never run it dead flat, and put it on the charger every month. for optimal performance never let the battery run down to under half.
he also advised to take everything off it prior to charging
he said i should get over 5 years use out of it
cheers
dazza

[Mudcrab]

Best way is to buy an el cheapo timer switch and have it kick in for an hour every day via a lead to the charger in your boat. Make sure things are pretty waterproof though as you don't want the sockets or the charger exposed to rain for onbious reasons. Of course you can always pick up one of the cheaper solar panels that are getting around these days and plug that onto your battery.

[Xfactr]

Mate you can buy a solar panel which will only trickle charge the battery and keep sulphur deposites from forming in the cells. All I do is wack it on when I come from fishing and forget about it.
Cheers

[jimbamb]

Cant see any reason to disconnect anything as most/all components are designed to handle the charge put out by the engine alternator usually about 14.5v. and up to 30 amps a charger wouldnt put out more than that.Besides they should be turned off anyway

[dnej]

Thats great when you are fishing, but what about the 4 weeks when its windy
David

[SeaSaw]

I have a 10 Watt Solar charger. This is big enough to trickle charge two batteries at the same time and small enough to never over charge them, so just connect it when you get home and forget about it.

If you only need 1 battery charged then a 5 watt solar panel will do the job and is cheper again. Not 100% sure about the damage to the engine, but I have been told that if you don't isolate the batteries (simple if you have a battery switch) then it can cause serious damage.

Mark

[bidkev]

I have a 10 Watt Solar charger. #This is big enough to trickle charge two batteries at the same time and small enough to never over charge them, so just connect it when you get home and forget about it.

If you only need 1 battery charged then a 5 watt solar panel will do the job and is cheper again. #Not 100% sure about the damage to the engine, but I have been told that if you don't isolate the batteries (simple if you have a battery switch) then it can cause serious damage.

Mark

I use the solar panel when out camping but a trickle charger in the garage.

Failure to isolate the battery when not in use can speed up any process of electrolysis that is taking place on the boat.

kev

[basserman]

i have a solar charger that i lay out on the deck of my bass boat when fishing
it is only used on the deep cycley that runs the leccy i have found that it greatly improves the life of the battery (not tottaly life but life of one charge) ;D