As the warm summer days get shorter and cooler it’s time to face the fact that your summer fun is about to take a hiatus. While you are tucking your boat away for the winter season, don’t forget to give your battery some love too. Winterizing your boat includes winterizing your boat battery as well. Here’s what you need to know.
A stored marine battery will discharge even when it is not in use.
A stored battery that is not in use will still discharge. When you put your boat in storage make sure that all of the switches are turned off and disconnect any equipment that might drain the battery. It might help to create a checklist so you can make sure that you’ve shut down everything.
Clean the battery thoroughly, including the posts and cables, and make sure it has a full charge before you store it.
If possible, recharge your battery periodically while it is in storage.
If your boat is going to be in storage for a while, say a month or more, then you should check its charge and recharge it every four to six weeks. This will keep it from discharging all the way to the point where it cannot be recharged.
A trickle charger is a good way to keep your boat battery from losing charge while it is stored.
Investing in a good trickle charger will keep your marine battery charged all through the winter but it is designed to prevent overcharging it. That way when you are ready to get out on the water when warmer days return, you won’t have a dead battery.
Properly preparing your boat and battery for storage will not only ensure that your boat is always ready for use, it also extends the life of your battery. At Lifeline Battery, we have a wide selection of marine batteries that are backed by our 5-year pro-rate and one-year free replacement warranty – one of the best in the industry! Call or visit our website today.