How to charge boat batteries
Charge boat batteries carefully and thoughtfully. A charging battery gives off hydrogen gas. When you mix hydrogen gas with a little air and add a spark, you have the perfect recipe for a disaster. Let’s lay out some ground rules for safe battery charging.
Rule no. 1: No smoking around a charging battery.
Rule no. 2: Have a well-ventilated area for charging.
Rule no. 3: Do not charge batteries while they are connected to a wiring harness.
Disconnecting your battery
When disconnecting a battery from the wiring harness, remove the wires from the negative terminal first and then remove the wires from the positive terminal. By removing the negative first, you will avoid a spark, which could occur if you do it wrong. When reconnecting a battery, attach the positive first and then the negative for the same reason.
If you have safely disconnected the battery, you can remove it from its box or safety frame.
Next, use a hydrometer (a glass vial with a calibrated weight inside) to decide if the battery needs charging. When fluid is drawn into the vial, the weight floats. The height at which the vial floats depends on the specific gravity of the liquid drawn into it. If the specific gravity is below 1.225, the battery needs to be charged. If it reads above 1.265, it does not need charging.
Look for consistency in the battery’s cells. No two cells should have specific gravities that vary more than 10 percent.
Charging your battery
If you need to charge the battery, first determine the rate of charge. The rate of charge for deep cycle batteries is 20 percent of the battery’s ampere-hour rating. Hook up the battery to the charger (positive terminal first). Don’t use a high ampere automotive-type quick charger, or you will overheat and destroy your expensive marine battery. Periodically shut off the charger and check the cells’ specific gravity to make sure it’s charging.
Remember that battery acid is corrosive. Don’t get it on your skin, on your clothes or in your eyes. Wear protective gloves, long sleeves and safety goggles. –Phyllis Jones
Feel at home on the water
Learn to boat with confidence by taking the Boat Handling course online from America’s Boating Club.
Really!
Rule no. 3: STATES “Do not charge batteries while they are connected to a wiring harness”
i would love to hear how many of boaters, charter operators, kaw enforcement, etc, etc. adhere to this Rule?
A boat batty bank, especially a house bank, need charging every day after use and returning to connect to shore power., This seems unreasonable, unworkable and will result in many boaters, myself included, doubting the credibility of .other Compass recommendations.
Does anyone still use wet cell batteries? Info on charging/maintaining Lithium, gel cell and AGMs would have been helpful.