Proud Member of Team Geezer
Charlie Weaver USN/ENC 1965-1979
crappiemax, Smitty39365 LIKED above post
That’s what I figure. Mine is about 5 years old and have had no problems. I appreciate your help on this because a friend has one he bought about the same time you bought yours and afraid he might have a problem but thanks to your research I now have a answer for him if he does.
I have a minn-kota 330 that I installed back in the summer to replace a duel-pro. The reason for change was due to the need to continue to add water to the batteries every couple months. Each charger is a maintenance free unit but, I continue to have to add water to my batteries and so I wonder if the term maintenance free is just a play on words and means nothing. HAVE ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM? In reading the spec. on my new minn-kota 330 charger I was of the belief that the monitor would prevent any lost of fluid.
Ranger RT 188 (2016)
Mercury 4 stroke 115
Garmin 93sv bow
Garmin 106 live scope & console
You are always going to have some water loss. Charging creates heat which inturn causes evaporation of fluid. Most new chargers have a maintaince mode which means at certain periods they go into a deep charge to clean plates. This will cause some evaporation, couple that with summertime temps your always going to have to add some water. About 2 months I would say is average.
Proud Member of Team Geezer
Charlie Weaver USN/ENC 1965-1979
Thanks for the feedback Cray, I was not aware of the deep charge to clean the plates cycle in the new chargers but, to use about a half gallon of fluid in 6 months seems like a lot of fluid lost for 2 deep cycle batteries. The engine battery never needs fluid, and this was the case with both chargers. Just don't make sense to this old country boy.
Ranger RT 188 (2016)
Mercury 4 stroke 115
Garmin 93sv bow
Garmin 106 live scope & console
My guess on the water consumption is the depth of discharge and length of time required to full charge.and this was the case with both chargers
Watch the charger lights and see if the crank battery is done charging before the Tmotor batteries and if so, how much longer do they need to full charge.
Assuming all three batteries are the same age.