Trickle Chargers

[cindys diamond]

I’m going to install the batteries in my Seafox tomorrow. It’s got two Yamaha 150’s and three batteries. I keep each battery on its own trickle charger all winter long in the garage.

I’d like to put the chargers back on the batteries after they’re in the boat, since it’s going to be another four weeks before I get it in the water. Should I worry about damaging anything in the motors if I keep the battery leads connected while charging?

[Greg Manning]

If you have a battery switch the batteries will be isolated. 4 weeks will make no real difference unless you have a discharge situation.

[debugger]

Battery switch on or off. Won't hurt anything either way. charge away.

[biposto]

make sure it's a marine 3 stage charger so you don't cook the batteries, don't use a car version

[joe009]

you could get a battery minder pluse ,they run about 50 $and keep the batterys charged and desulfate them also.

[joshs]

If I didn't trickle charge my batteries during the winter, will they need to be replaced?

Also, If I get something like: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...9&classNum=683

can I trickle charge my two flooded batteries at once? How would I wire them?

[hatterasman]

west marines combiner was the cats meow now you have to get blue seas version. allows 2 batteries to charge from one source yet one cant discharge the other. either from batt charger or when running leave switch on 1 and 2 will charge. then gat a small marine grade automatic charger.

[bustedflat]

Originally Posted by joshs

If I didn't trickle charge my batteries during the winter, will they need to be replaced?

Also, If I get something like: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...9&classNum=683

can I trickle charge my two flooded batteries at once? How would I wire them?

Maybe, how old are they? Did they have a full charge before layup? Batteries age faster the lower they are on charge. A fully charged battery ages very slowly.

[Eyeball]

Originally Posted by hatterasman

west marines combiner was the cats meow now you have to get blue seas version. allows 2 batteries to charge from one source yet one cant discharge the other.

That's what a battery combiner/integrator does. There are choices beyond Blue Sea. Depending on your needs, maybe even better choices than what Johnny has:

Ample Power - Eliminator (perhaps the 'smartest' unit, does smart multi-level charging of the starting batt from any charging source.)
http://www.amplepower.com/products/elim/index.html

Newmar Power - BI-100 & BI-200 (a batt "integrator" includes solenoid to combine batt banks for starting if needed.)
http://www.newmarpower.com/Battery_I...tegrators.html

Yandina - C100 (simple, affordable solution.)
http://www.yandina.com/NewCatalog.htm