Winter Battery Strategy

G

Golfman25

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2009
7,706
IL
Boat Info
1998 370 Sundancer
Engines
7.4 MPI
Inside, heated storage. On previous boats I disconnected the batteries and left until the spring. With the new boat, if the batteries are disconnected, I can't open the hatch. So it looks like the marina left them connected -- still have some power, but very weak, too weak to open the hatch. I have several projects over the winter which will require opening the hatch.

So what do you all do? Just use the shut off switches? Keep them connected, and charge them every so often while at the boat (maria does't want boat plugged in 24/7. Disconnect and reconnect when needed over the winter? Thanks in advance.
 
Is it not possible to back-feed the 12v system through the cigarette lighter power on the dash to open the hatch? That is how my 97 330DA works.

All batteries are toped up with distilled water, then fully charged and disconnected over winter. I use this thing I built to back feed, clipping onto a battery on the bank under the cockpit seat. Someone has also said that plugging into shorepower can also power the hatch even if the batteries are disconnected, but I have not tried that.
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Creekwood said:
Is it not possible to back-feed the 12v system through the cigarette lighter power on the dash to open the hatch? That is how my 97 330DA works.

All batteries are toped up with distilled water, then fully charged and disconnected over winter. I use this thing I built to back feed, clipping onto a battery on the bank under the cockpit seat. Someone has also said that plugging into shorepower can also power the hatch even if the batteries are disconnected, but I have not tried that.
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that's a nice set up but I bet the house the wire on the other side of the lighter plugs not that heavy of a gauge. If I was going to have a rig like that I would install one with a fuse in it that was hook right two the battery.
 
dvx216 said:
that's a nice set up but I bet the house the wire on the other side of the lighter plugs not that heavy of a gauge. If I was going to have a rig like that I would install one with a fuse in it that was hook right two the battery.
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My understanding is that Sea Ray set it up that way and that the boat came with that kind of plug and clips set up for just that purpose. I had to make my own. I think lighter plugs are fused at 10amps. If you look at my wiring you will see two big tape balls. I put inline fuses on both wires (yeah overkill) and buried them in electrical tape. (Very bush league setup, I know. It’s used once a year for about 10 seconds though)
 
Inside heated… I leave everything connected and solenoids off
 
Inside not heated…I unhook the negative battery cables and walk away for 6 months. When I go in the building end of April/early May to get ready for the May 15th opening, I hook them back up and plug in when I’m there and then shut off the battery master switches and pull the plug when I’m not.
 
Creekwood said:
My understanding is that Sea Ray set it up that way and that the boat came with that kind of plug and clips set up for just that purpose. I had to make my own. I think lighter plugs are fused at 10amps. If you look at my wiring you will see two big tape balls. I put inline fuses on both wires (yeah overkill) and buried them in electrical tape. (Very bush league setup, I know. It’s used once a year for about 10 seconds though)
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I need to make one of these for my 340.
 
dvx216 said:
that's a nice set up but I bet the house the wire on the other side of the lighter plugs not that heavy of a gauge. If I was going to have a rig like that I would install one with a fuse in it that was hook right two the battery.
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Actually, the size of the wire that Creekwood used won't have any impact on things. He could use wire that is twice that size and it will still work fine. It's about the draw that the hatch lift is drawing. Having larger wires on the "adapter" doesn't increase the draw on the "other side of the plug". You just wouldn't want the "adpater" wiring to be smaller than "the other side".
 
Lazy Daze said:
Actually, the size of the wire that Creekwood used won't have any impact on things. He could use wire that is twice that size and it will still work fine. It's about the draw that the hatch lift is drawing. Having larger wires on the "adapter" doesn't increase the draw on the "other side of the plug". You just wouldn't want the "adpater" wiring to be smaller than "the other side".
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I don't disagree as long as it's fused to what ever size wire is the smallest.
 
dvx216 said:
I don't disagree as long as it's fused to what ever size wire is the smallest.
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Correct. However, in this case, the boat's cig lighter circuit is already fused. The "adapter" wiring, as mentioned, is larger so it, again, doesn't factor in. The adapter's cig lighter does have it's own fuse, though.
 
superwa said:
I keep everything connected and charge the batteries once a month or so
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Been doing that for the last 60 years or so. If the battery was not easily accessible, I took it out and put it in the basement and did the same charging regimen.

I usually get a minimum of 8 years on a battery. Except for my classic car, which (believe it or not) lasted 25 years.
 
New ProMariner battery charger came today. Will install and charge while I'm up there several times this winter.
 
Topping off the batteries and a solid final
Charge is good idea. I just shut off the main switches. I do leave the 110V adapter plugged into the power cord and hanging outta the transfom locker. That way I can just plug an extension cord into that and allow the house charger to top them up through the winter. I’ve often wondered if the main switch affects charging? I think I turn them on during charging cycles. Anyone know if this kills the path from charger to battery?
 
@Golfman25 Go up once a month and charge them up. Your boat will miss you and be glad to see you. Topics is going to be open a little more through the fall, so stop into your storage building, hook up an extension cprd to charge, head over to Tropics for a burger and a beer, head back over to storage and unplug. Just make sure you are out by 4 because they will lock it up on you. Please don't leave your boat plugged in overnight.

The new charger will help a lot, because your batteries shouldn't be dead going into the winter. For the first charge, you might have to give it a little longer but you can watch that ProMariner and see what it's doing.
 
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