Quote:
Originally Posted by mswlogo
10 min really isn’t enough, but it shouldn’t be stone dead the next time you use it. Lead Acid batteries don’t like being left discharged. I always disconnect battery for winter. “Trickle charger” may not cut it. You want a “smart charger”. It can also tell you if the battery is any good when it’s done. Chargers like these have brought batteries back that I thought were surely gone. My first battery lasted like 3 years. My 2nd battery (after buying a similar charger) lasted 14 years, and was still good when I sold the boat.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CZG91FV
It’s also possible you have a leak in the boat. A crude old test I used to do was use a tail light bulb and put it in series with the (charged) battery connection. If it lights up, you have a significant leak.
But today I’d use an amp meter like this one. One of my favorite tools.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TCWL1E |
A check can be made without meters or bulbs. This check must be made at night, in total darkness.
Hold the removed terminal clamp against the post you just removed it from. If there's a parasitic drain, tiny sparks will jump from the post to the terminal. It must be totally dark, so cover the working area (and your head) with a thick blanket. Keep flammables well away.
