# Battery replacement



## H20hound (Apr 15, 2008)

I was going through the boat and fired her up for the first time last week and noticed that my batteries are from 08'. They still seem to be going strong (Diehard) but wondered about replacing them as preventative maintenance. I noticed the price of batteries is up about 25% since the last time I purchased. There are just a pair on the boat (1 start, 1 house). 

The last thing I want to have battery issues on the lake, but don't want to shell out the $$ if I don't have too. Given they are only charged/discharged 1/4 amount of the time of a typical car battery, do you guys see longer life out of them?

thoughts?


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

Five years is the average I have had batteries last.
That said, I had a battery last 7 years in my wife's car.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Plan on replacing them next year.


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

When was the last time battery maintenance was performed, e.g. make sure plates are covered with distilled water, battery posts cleaned and tightened. If the answer is never or I think I did it once, go out today and buy new batteries.


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## H20hound (Apr 15, 2008)

The water is topped off once a year of needed and the terminals are always clean.


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

If not using water, they should be good for another year as KaGee advised. Don't rely on how the terminals look. You want to remove each one and lean both the battery post and the terminal and then retighten. The total cost is 0 dollars.


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## Workdog (Jan 10, 2007)

I have two deep cycle batteries in my boat (one for each engine) which I use to start my engines and run equipment. I get 10-12 years out of mine. I store them in a house garage in the winter and put a charge on them midwinter (I do not trickle charge them). I have an off/1/2/both Perko switch for each battery, and an on/off Perko switch which I can use to put the batteries in parallel to start the motors if one loses too much juice.


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