# Batteries



## shamoo (Oct 27, 2007)

Dont feel like taken the batterys out of my boat, can I leave them in all winter hooked up to the inboard charger? the charger is suppose to have that trickle draw to a battery that low.


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## Jim (Oct 27, 2007)

I leave them plugged in 24/7 365 if not in the water. I check on them every now and then, the charger stays luke warm but both batteries are ready to go.

I have a Guest 2 bank 10 amp charger.


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## shamoo (Oct 28, 2007)

Thanks Mr. Jim, mines a MinnKota 2 bank, 10 amp.


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## Waterwings (Oct 28, 2007)

I've thought about doing that, but instead put a good charge on them, pull them out of the boat, and set them on some wood in the garage. If you leave the charger attached, you'll still need to check them and the water level in them occasionally. I don't leave mine in the boat over the winter because I cover/wrap the boat real tight with a huge tarp, and getting everything untied to check batteries in cold weather is more than I'm willing to mess with. Now I have two boats to cover and two sets of batts to contend with :shock:


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## redbug (Oct 28, 2007)

as long as you have a smart charger you will be fine leaving them in the boat. Never use a trickle charger as it supplies a constant low amp charge
that can kill a battery.
just be sure to clean all your connections and tighten them before putting the boat away.

Wayne


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## shamoo (Oct 29, 2007)

Mr. Waterwings, thank you for the information. If you dont mind me asking, why you selling the Tracker?


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## shamoo (Oct 29, 2007)

Mr. Redbug, just checked out the manual for the on-board charger(I keep all my manuals) and it said the charger is for "charging & maintaining" so I think things will be O.K. Thanks dude.


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## Fish Chris (Oct 29, 2007)

just some trivia for you....

The old thing about "setting a battery on concrete will cause it to discharge", has no real bearing whatsoever. This started WAY back in the day, when the first automotive batteries actually had some glass components in them. Even these would not discharge if you "gently" set them on concrete, but if you sat them down a bit too hard, the glass would break and completely waste the battery. 

Funny thing is, I still set my batteries on a piece of wood, because I had one leak a little bit of battery acid (out of the top, but down the sides) and etch the concrete in the garage. Really teed off the landlord. Doh ! ;-)

Peace,
Fish


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## Captain Ahab (Oct 29, 2007)

Fish Cris is 100% correct - funny how everyone can remember that.

I sit mine on wood for the leakage issue as well - I have some cool engravings in my father's garage from many years ago - he is still pissed


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## Nickk (Oct 29, 2007)

redbug said:


> as long as you have a smart charger you will be fine leaving them in the boat. Never use a trickle charger as it supplies a constant low amp charge
> that can kill a battery.
> just be sure to clean all your connections and tighten them before putting the boat away.
> 
> Wayne




really, so Battery Tender=no good?


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## Waterwings (Oct 29, 2007)

shamoo said:


> Mr. Waterwings, thank you for the information. If you dont mind me asking, why you selling the Tracker?



Boat, trailer, and motor are in great shape, but we're selling it because we just don't take the time to tow it the 70-80 miles one-way to Ky Lake/Lake Barkley anymore. All of our local waters here are electric only, so that's why we now have the Lowe jon boat with 2 tm's only.


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