What to do if marine battery isnt charging?

[phead lakeman]

Just bought the marine battery last year brand new. I charged it for over 24 hrs and when i went to go use it yesterday it was almost dead. Even though it still lasted 3 hrs it never was fully juiced. Battery should be fine.... SHould i change out the water in the fill things on top of the battery? Battery charger seems to work fine as well. How can u tell if the battery charger isnt working properly? Well, all the help would be great guys. Im sure u will solve my mystery. U guys have been great to all my meathead questions,lol.

[mongosmash]

         i have one ? back at you, where do you store your battery? the first thing i would do is go to the grocery store and get a gallon of distilled water, and fill the water calls. if you've left it on the ground over the winter or on the floor in your basement you'll have to go and get yourself a new battery. the cement floor will draw the battery dead and you will not be able to fix that.
          when storing the battery you have to leave a trickle charger on it for the winter to keep it from freezing. place the battery on a shelf off the ground at least four feet. also charge the battery up full then place the trickle on it to maintain the battery. a trickle charger will not charge the battery. hope this helps

[phead lakeman]

yeah someone else told me that before with the cement floor thing, looks like both my batteries are shot. Heres another thing ill charge it till its says fully charged then i take off one of the clamps then put it back on and it goes back to not being fully charged. Am i giving it more of a charge or......?

[rgfixit]

There is no scientific or technological proof that today's lead acid batteries will discharge any faster on cement or metal or any other surface. 50 years ago it may have been true with hard rubber battery cases, but today, battery cases are made from a highly insulating polypropylene, electrolytic leakage is just not possible.

That being said, fill your battery with distilled water if necessary, put it on a working charger for 24 hours or more, then take it to an auto parts store to have it checked. Your charger should be putting out between 12.5 and 14 volts DC.

RG

[skunkedbywalleye]

I would love to hear an explanation as well....I have heard all sorts of different theories on how to charge a battery and keep it going strong. SOme say to run it til it has no charge and only charge it before you use it. I have heard that you should charge it after every use. I have heard some people say there is battery memory....is that like muscle memory?? I have also heard that concrete does nothing to the battery although there is a battery shaped "eroded" part of my garage floor where I put a battery for about a month. I just charge every time I get home no matter how much I used the battery for trolling or depth finder.

[rgfixit]

Battery chemistry hasn't changed in a hundred years. Voltage must be properly applied to a battery to remove sulfation on the lead plates inside the battery and create a clean surface, thereby allowing the chemical reaction between the electrolyte and lead plates to occur.........whew!

Buy a smart charger designed to charge deep cycle batteries and you'll get the most out of your investment.
RG

[CAPTJJ]

There is no scientific or technological proof that today's lead acid batteries will discharge any faster on cement or metal or any other surface. 50 years ago it may have been true with hard rubber battery cases, but today, battery cases are made from a highly insulating polypropylene, electrolytic leakage is just not possible.

That being said, fill your battery with distilled water if necessary, put it on a working charger for 24 hours or more, then take it to an auto parts store to have it checked. Your charger should be putting out between 12.5 and 14 volts DC.

RG

Too late again. Starting the 6th season with the same batteries in my boat, still charging good.

[FISH ON]

I have the same problem, Here is a battery site i found, It's for the new optima battery, It say's that the battery will not go dead if set on a concrete floor!  



http://- Batteries are designed to store electricity.
- Batteries do not make electricity.
- Batteries must be charged before any testing is accurate or effective.
- Alternators ARE NOT battery chargers!
- Seldom to batteries discharge / re-charge on their own.
- Deep Cycle batteries will take much longer to charge.
- Battery chargers need to be tested and amperage and the voltage checked manually.
- Sitting a battery on concrete does NOT discharge it!

Battery charging instructions:

* Voltage at the battery terminals when vehicle is running should Be from a minimum of 12.8 volts to < 15.0 volts
* Battery chargers should charge 13.8 ? 15.50 volts,

Never charge a battery at > than 15.6 volts.

We recommend the following charging procedure for a fully discharged 34, 34/78, 75/35, and 6v:

1) Charge the battery A MINIMUM OF 100 amps for 15 mins ( @ 14.5+ volts)
a) Let battery and charger cool for 15 mins
2) Repeat step one at least four times - after letting battery cool 15 mins after each charge
3) Charge at 2-10 amps (trickle / automatic) for 24 hours minimum
4) Test the battery
5) D31 batteries: repeat each step again

--> WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND CHARGING TWO BATTERIES AT A TIME- CONNECT THEM POSTIVE POST TO POSITIVE POST ? negative post to negative post) AND PUT THE CHARGER NEGATIVE CABLE ON ONE BATTERY AND THE POSITIVE ON THE OTHER BATTERY! (and DOUBLE CHARGING TIMES)

ALL Optima's need Charged up if they have been discharged, before testing!


We compare charging an Optima to waking a teenager up on Saturday morning, or filling an empty 55-gallon drum with water ? it?s going to take some work!

Charging 10 amps on a drained 31 series battery is like filling a 55 gallon drum with an eye dropper!
Charging 10 amps on a drained 34/78 sries battery is like filling a 55 gallon drum with a 10oz cup - it can be done; but why?

Your alternator will not (and should not be used to) charge an OPTIMA up - unless you have a 100 amp alternator and less than 100 amp draw, and charge it for A long period of time with the car running. (and this will only ruin your alternator)


Experience indicates most batteries thought to be defective may have been discharged, and just need woke up ? and recharged,

[rgfixit]

Optima batteries are a spiral core battery. I don't remember if they're gel cell or not. Their charging instructions will be carried out by a smart charger.

A standard charger will only partially complete the process and dramatically shorten the life of your investment.
RG

[FISH ON]

Real pricey, $234 dollars @ Napa And $208 on line Depending what size it is. But they say that the optima will last 3X longer than a regular deep cycle!

[FuzzyGrub]

Larry,

What brand/model batteries and what brand/model charger do you have? 

The most important thing you can do is fully charge them as soon as possible after each use.  Charge them once a month or trickle charge when not being used. 

[kchamp]

first check the level of acid, what is it? next check to see if it is cracked, if the fluid is not full that is your problem. If fluid is full next check your charger with a meter. If you left it hooked up all winter, and have a radio or fishfinder hooked up it killed your battery and cracked it. take it back and have them give you a new one

[ugp685]

Make sure your posts/terminals are nice and clean, mine would not charge properly once until I cleaned them up real nice.  I stored my battery in our polebarn this winter and it would not charge in the spring.  It was bloated/swelled up, i think it froze solid over the winter so I took it back to Walmart and they tested it for an hour and said it was no good, luckily it was within a year so I got a free replacement, upgraded to the best one there, Everstart MAXX 29,  longest lasting battery I have ever used (I have used about 7 different batteries).  On the battery there should e a warranty for a year or so, sometimes longer.  Try to take it back, they will test it and tell you if its good or not.

Sounds to me you might need to add distilled water though.

[FuzzyGrub]

, upgraded to the best one there, Everstart MAXX 29,  longest lasting battery I have ever used (I have used about 7 different batteries). 

I like that battery, as well.  Used one for 2 years on the trolling motor (MG W45).  Diesel tractor battery (from china) bit the dust over the winter.   Moved  the Maxx 29 to tractor, and bought new for boat. 

[Johnny Ringo]

Hi Guys:

I have had the same 2 batteries going on 4-5 years for my 24V Trolling Motor. I have always charged them separately and then connecting them as follows:

Pos Main to Pos Terminal of Battery# 1; Neg Main to Neg Terminal of Battery #2.. Short connecting wire from Pos Terminal # 2 to Neg Terminal # 1...

Oftern wondered if I should be charging them together vs alone would be better and might have to give the above suggestions a try...

Thanks