# Marine battery not holding a charge well, Any Help?



## BigLunkerSOB

Besides buying a new marine battery, is there anything I can do to revive this battery that seemed to have gradually lost charge over the 2 years that I have owned it. I don't seem to get the same charge out of it as previously. Any suggestions besides shelling out 100 bucks for a new Deep cycle marine battery? It is used with a 30lb Minn Kota trolling motor and that is its sole purpose.

thanks in advance!!!


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## GarryS

Not much you can do.... I just bought 2 everstart batteries from wal-mart.. I think I have 60.00 in each one.... they seem to be doing the job fine.


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## BigLunkerSOB

Darn I thought there was some sort of magical thing I could do to charge my battery to new, looks like I will visit Wally World soon, thanks!!!


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## freyedknot

two years is short battery life? do you keep it full w/ distilled water and always charge it immediately after use?


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## triton175

I agree with freyedknot, charge battery ASAP after each use. I didn't know to do that with my first battery and it gradually lost power and died over a 2 year period. The one I have now (Everstart) shows no sign of power loss after 2 years.
Brian


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## walcat

Have you killed it dead? They will develope a memory and not full charge. You have to kill it stone dead to get rid of it. The rest gave you correct info.


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## BigLunkerSOB

In the past i haven't always charged the battery directly after using it. I think that is how it developed a 'memory'. I mainly used it to push around a 12 foot jon boat, but I think it basically developed a memory like walcat mentioned. I will try killing it dead and then a recharge. Freyed- I haven't checked the water level, but I will, it is a maintenance free battery though. Thanks for the help guys!!!


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## freyedknot

they are only maintenance free if you can not open the caps, most batteries can open to add water even if they are maintenance free batteries.


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## Trucked

BigLunkerSOB said:


> In the past i haven't always charged the battery directly after using it. I think that is how it developed a 'memory'. I mainly used it to push around a 12 foot jon boat, but I think it basically developed a memory like walcat mentioned. I will try killing it dead and then a recharge. Freyed- I haven't checked the water level, but I will, it is a maintenance free battery though. Thanks for the help guys!!!


I agree with Freyedknot. I too had that problem with battries. I had Walmart Everstart. They were'nt charging right, I brought them to N.A.P.A. and they put them on a charger for me for 8 hours. After he took them off I asked him to test the load for me. He said one battery was good and the other one say's replace. I said o.k. I will wait until after the winter. (last) I then filled them both with DISTILLED water and put them on the charger and left them there for the winter basiclly. I am still using the batteries with NO problem. I charge them fully AFTER each use. I can troll (24V) with my 71lb thrust for 8 hours and still have 8o% left on the batteries. 

I love those Everstarts. reasonably priced and holds the charge.


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## KaGee

The autoparts stores also sell battery acid to use as opposed to distilled water.
Never use tap water.


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## Chucky

If you haven't checked yet. Check to make sure that the cables going to the starter are tight. Mine was lose a lil'bit and wasn't charging all the way.


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## papaperch

Just as a follow up. If I remember correctly lead acid cells do not develope a " memory " for a charge cycle. Nickel cadium and metal based plates other than the lead acid do have that tendency.

A 12 volt marine battery consists of six individual cells capable of holding a 1.5 volt charge. If one of these cells goes bad the battery will not hold a charge for very long. The best way to test a battery is with a hydrometer. They take a specific gravity reading of each cell. A fully charged battery should read 1240-1270. A bad cell would read somewhere below 1180. The hydrometers are not an expensive tool a good one will run less than 20 dollars.


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## UFM82

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER add acid to a lead acid battery. Even if the thing is bone dry, you should only add distilled water to the battery. NOT tap water, NOT spring water, NOT bottled water. It must be distilled. 

If you add acid, it will ruin the battery. The acid has been absorbed by the lead plates in the battery although the water may have been boiled off. If you fill the battery back up with water and charge it, the acid will be released from plates again and the battery may come back. If you add acid, the mix in the battery will be thrown off and the battery will never come back. 

If you add water with minerals or other impurities, those impurities will remain in the battery as the water boils/evaporates out, leaving deposits in your batteries and ruining them.

2 things to do with batteries that will extend their lives. 1) Charge immediately after use, and 2) Keep water levels above the plates at all times. A properly charged battery will rarely if ever freeze in your garage and will never suffer any damage other than normal cycle loss. My batteries last me 4 years on average and I Everstarts from Walmart and the BPS brand batteries. Not high dollar models but they last for me. 

UFM82


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## Lewis

How do you add water to a maintenance free battery?


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