Got a Battery Charging Question? Let me know!

[2nazt]

@2nazt Thanks. Been reading up and it sounds like charger is pretty smart. I don't think the DVSR will affect anything either since the charger reads each battery separately.

This has been mentioned in the post covering the red wire. But even being smart with this factory wired way it still turns them dumb from my understanding. It may sense each bank but with that wire it still connects them so they never charge independently. I'm sure it can be explained better and was but that is kinda they simple way to say it I imagine.

Here is a good link https://jetboaters.net/threads/dvsr-bypass.11404/

 

[swatski]

I need to look at the dvsr threads again. That is odd though. 3 charger leads connected directly to three batteries. Seems like it would read each battery independently. My head is hurting too much to think about it haha

Been there!!! LMFAO!! HAHAHAHA

 

[Mainah]

Here is my best attempt of explaining it. The charger is really just reading voltage over time (sine waves are a bit more complex but lets just leave it at that). If two batteries are connected by 4 guage wire then how then how can a 14 guage wire (or smaller) tell the difference ? In the case if a three bank charger on a two bank three battery system charger bank three will read the output of charger bank two and visa versa. Same thing for the red loop wire issue which turns two banks into one.

The batteries will still charge regardless but to get the most efficient charging, best performance, and longest life out of your batteries only one set of charger leads should be used per bank. That and if a bank has more than one battery they should be exactly the same batteries installed at exactly the same time.

Also keep in mind that just one bad cell can foil the bunch. Ok very bad play on words but you get the idea.

 

[NewBoater]

My boat is in the garage. I left the battery in the boat and turned the manual turn knob on the battery from green to red (off). That's all I did for the winter. Should I be good?

 

[MattFX4]

Was battery fully charged before storing? If so, you will probably be ok. Get yourself a voltmeter and check the voltage of the batteries. Use the chart below, and never let them go below 50% SOC. The closer you keep them to 100%, the longer the batteries will last.

 

[Mainah]

@NewBoater - Assuming that you have a marine starting battery, your garage is not heated and that Virginia Beach does regularly see ambient temperatures below 50 degrees F this time of year then you may want to take additional action. How long the battery will sit without getting a charge is another factor. 2-3 months is the max I would personally go even at 70 degrees.

Batteries are very happy around 70 F and even happerier when they get some nutrients (electrons) mid hibernation at a minimum. In your climate if the batteries are getting a float charge then you probably don't need to remove from the boat. I happened to notice a battery tender brand float charger at home depot on sale near the registers as a seasonal buy a few weeks ago. Battery tender is the brand by which all others are judged in the trickle/float charger market. If you already have an onboard shore charger then you can use that instead. Last option would be to run a 2 amp charge from a standard automotive type battery charger a couple of times during hibernation.

 

[NewBoater]

Thanks for the info!