OldSchool

OK, so I get the idiot of the week award. We get down to the boat this morning and both batteries are dead. I start checking around and find that I left the bilge pumps on (they are quiet ) since the last time that we had the boat out. It was two weeks ago

So I break out my little handy dandy jump box and it didn't have enough charge in it to jump the engine because I let someone try to jump his boat on the water a few weeks ago. Brought the boat home and have had it on the charger (6 amp) for the last 5 1/2 hours and the meter is reading 50% charged.

Did I ruin the batteries? Should I just go buy new ones tommorrow? They are 3 years old.

Thanks in advance,
Craig

Smitty

I would try bringing them back to life, but do it slowly. I would say around 10-20 amps for a week. Since they were not dead for long, they should not have sulfated yet.

OldSchool

What do you mean by "bring them back slowly"?

I have a small battery charger that has two options:

6 Amp "medium charge"
2 Amp "Trickle charge"

I've had it on the 6 Amp setting for the last 6 hours and it's now reading about 60% charged. Should I switch it down to the 2 Amp and leave it going all night or turn it off and restart it again in the morning?

Then I've got the other battery to do also. If it's going to take a week, I'll go buy two new ones tommorrow morning and be done with it

mcollinstn

If you had Autozone Gold batteries, they have an 8 yr prorated warranty. You'd pay $26 apiece for replacements.

A specific gravity tester will reveal the condition of your battery once you get it charged. A free test at a parts house will, also, but it still has to be charged for that too.

robyw1

The batteries are in great shape based on what your meter read after 5.5 hours. Charge them at 6-amps with an automatic charger for a day or so. They will be just fine.

A sign that your batteries are trash is when you charge them and the meter moves quickly from say 12amps down to zero 1 or 2 in a few minutes. This is an indication of a dead cell or cells.

Roby

Outdrive1

Three years? You got more than your money's worth out of them. Go buy some some nice Optimas, They have the deep cycle blue tops at costco for about 50.00 less than anywhere else on the planet.

HeavyChevSS

What kind of batteries where they? If "deep cycle" they should come back just fine. JUst keep an eye on water level in them and leave them on the lowest setting on charger 2amp trickle. Deep cycle batteries are made to be run down all the way and come back. They do make a special charger for them that auto runs hi/low amp cycles on then but if your not in a rush the trickle charge just may do the trick without damaging them...
Rick

HeavyChevSS

That failing I would go for the Blue Top OPtimas already mentioned.

OldSchool

Thanks for the replies!! The batteries are group 27 deep-cycles and seem to be OK. I'll run them for the rest of the year and buy new ones in the spring.

Thanks again,
Craig

Downtown42

My group 27 deep cycles went 4yrs but were starting to fade some. Last week I replaced. I figure 4 yrs is a full cycle on boat batteries. Local guy, buys direct from Delco.

McCollin-AutoZone only has 30 months on marine batteries as I ck'd with them. I have the 8yr A.Z. in the truck. I guess you could use the auto battery for marine but I like the deep cycle as I have no shore power.