Thread: Cold Temps & Baterry Question ?

Was wondering if this is true. Batteries do better in warm temps so I plugged my trickle charger on my boat in. Will this help? what are your thoughts.
Thanks,
Vince

That's what I do.

some do some dont, I do.

I store mine outside, and last winter left the batteries plugged in all winter. did not seem to hurt anything at all (as far as I know).

Mine is plugged in as we speak. This is my first boat. Bought it from MDuncan on CDC... has an onboard charger, he said just leave it plugged in, so that's what I'm doin! Sounds like that's what most do - I think that is the purpose of those on board chargers - when you are using the boat, they charge stuff up by simply pluggin it in...then when stuff is charged, it just trickles... hopefully that's right :D

I have a lot to learn about owning/operating a boat...:o

Originally Posted by wannagofishin

Mine is plugged in as we speak. This is my first boat. Bought it from MDuncan on CDC... has an onboard charger, he said just leave it plugged in, so that's what I'm doin! Sounds like that's what most do - I think that is the purpose of those on board chargers - when you are using the boat, they charge stuff up by simply pluggin it in...then when stuff is charged, it just trickles... hopefully that's right :D

I have a lot to learn about owning/operating a boat...:o

You could not have found a better place to learn that stuff. LOT'S of folks on here know tons about boats (not me) and I'm sure they will answer your questions.

Mine is plugged in.

Originally Posted by Crappie Novice

Mine is plugged in.

You are talking about the boat?

A discharged battery will freeze, may burst. Need to be kept charged.
BUT, do not try to charge a frozen battery! BAD things will happen.

On the other side -
Old fishing, hunting buddy down by Mt. Vernon, MO bought a used '02 Tracker deep vee with 115 Merc, loaded. Had it 5 weeks. He had it under a metal carport next to his new metal building with the onboard charger plugged in. By chance he got up to answer the call at 0345 and happened to look out the bathroom window. His boat was on fire, and not just a little bit either! Completely! He called the rural fire dept. By the time they got there the boat and everything in it was gone, nothing left except the motor and trailer. The motor was heavily damaged. Carport was destroyed, paint burned off the side of the building. Insurance replaced everything.
Fire chief told him it might have been caused by a defective cell in one of his batteries but I lean more toward a wiring defect such as worn through insulation, etc. Good to have a close look at that stuff ever so often.

Originally Posted by peculiarmike

A discharged battery will freeze, may burst. Need to be kept charged.
BUT, do not try to charge a frozen battery! BAD things will happen.

On the other side -
Old fishing, hunting buddy down by Mt. Vernon, MO bought a used '02 Tracker deep vee with 115 Merc, loaded. Had it 5 weeks. He had it under a metal carport next to his new metal building with the onboard charger plugged in. By chance he got up to answer the call at 0345 and happened to look out the bathroom window. His boat was on fire, and not just a little bit either! Completely! He called the rural fire dept. By the time they got there the boat and everything in it was gone, nothing left except the motor and trailer. The motor was heavily damaged. Carport was destroyed, paint burned off the side of the building. Insurance replaced everything.
Fire chief told him it might have been caused by a defective cell in one of his batteries but I lean more toward a wiring defect such as worn through insulation, etc. Good to have a close look at that stuff ever so often.

That's what I have always been afraid of.So I usually charge it to full the night I get back from fishing and then plug it back in the night before I go again. Just wanted to see if keeping it plugged in would help in this extreme cold.