Reconditioning batteries?

[danhenke]

2010 Bayliner 185 Flight, 3.0 mercruiser, A1:

ok so, 1 starting battery which keeps the systems on runs ONLY the stereo head unit and starts the motor, and a deep cycle which runs the amplifiers, and other stereo doo dads, but only connected to the onboard charger.

My issue, engine gives me a slow start sometimes, but always starts, and when the motor is off, the stereo will cut in and out. When she’s running, stereo will have zero problems, and will blow your eardrums.

obviously a problem with the starting battery, which is only a year old. I have a charger with a recondition setting, should I use it on that starting battery? On board charger is always hooked to both at home, and it’s too late in the season to replace the battery in my opinion. I’m thinking my battery has created a memory? Any thoughts?

 

[Scott Danforth]

start by cleaning every battery cable connection, including the engine block for the ground connection.

number one issue with slow cranking is bad/corrodded/loose connection.

 

[danhenke]

start by cleaning every battery cable connection, including the engine block for the ground connection.

number one issue with slow cranking is bad/corrodded/loose connection.

good advice, got it, did it...... no help. I think part of my issue is that battery stayed in the boat this last winter, instead of on the little wood pallets I normally keep them on. Had to suffer a year in an apartment with no garage, so the batteries had to stay in the boat in a storage lot.

 

[JoLin]

My batteries always stay on the boat during the off season. I disconnect them and use the "recondition" mode on my charger when I lay them up.. They're fully charged before the boat gets wrapped, and charged again when the wrap comes off.

My .02

 

[Scott Danforth]

take the batteries in and have them load tested.

 

[danhenke]

Scott Danforth yeah, I may have it load tested, I think it’s still under warranty. I own my home now, so I have a garage to keep them in now.

JoLin i have it on the charger now, gonna test this recondition mode in my charger. I recently used it for my camper battery, seemed to cure the issue.

ots just odd that the stereo cuts in and out. When it’s tinning and charging, zero issues. All the other accessories work fine, and I can blow up my girlfriends stupid gigantic duck and our tube, and still have plenty of starting power.

Whatever, season is over after Labor Day, and she goes into hibernation in a few weeks, I’ll get it figured out

 

[Silverbullet555]

take the batteries in and have them load tested.

This. I bought new batteries spring of 17. Went into hospital 2 weeks later. In September pulled batteries and kept them in garage over winter and kept them charged. One was bad this year. Took it in, they tested and replaced for free.

 

[danhenke]

This. I bought new batteries spring of 17. Went into hospital 2 weeks later. In September pulled batteries and kept them in garage over winter and kept them charged. One was bad this year. Took it in, they tested and replaced for free.

im hoping that works out for me, but I bought auto zone batteries, they’re buttholes, and the batteries they sell are garbage!

next time, it’s gonna be optimas!

 

[poconojoe]

If the radio keeps going off and on, maybe there's a bad/corroded connection to it. It seems most electrical problems on boats are bad/corroded connections. Obviously boats are exposed to wet conditions and sometimes previous owners wire things up without the proper (tinned) marine wire and connection methods. Just a wirenut or a standard crimp may work for a while, but can get corroded internally....unseen.

 

[danhenke]

If the radio keeps going off and on, maybe there's a bad/corroded connection to it. It seems most electrical problems on boats are bad/corroded connections. Obviously boats are exposed to wet conditions and sometimes previous owners wire things up without the proper (tinned) marine wire and connection methods. Just a wirenut or a standard crimp may work for a while, but can get corroded internally....unseen.

all new wiring, new head unit, tinned, soldered and heat shrinked connections! I “may” have a career in this! Plus, when the motor is running, and the battery is charging it works like a champ.

I already know why it’s doing it, just curious if anyone recommends that reconditioning mode over immediate replacement.

 

[Silverbullet555]

im hoping that works out for me, but I bought auto zone batteries, they’re buttholes, and the batteries they sell are garbage!

next time, it’s gonna be optimas!

There are other alternatives. I prefer batteries made by East Penn. You can find them under the Deka label and some duracell labels at batteries plus bulbs. But, even my beloved brand has an issue on occasion.

 

[Scott Danforth]

optimas are junk too if you want a bullet proof battery, get an odyssey. East Penn also makes a good battery

Auto Zone will replace the battery up to 8 times, then they give you your money back. and yes, I have found this out by getting a battery replaced 8 times.

 

[danhenke]

Scott Danforth

hahaha, I guess I found the problem then!

last optima I had lasted 4 years, spun the motor so hard, the engine would usually start on its own out of fear the starter would get engaged!

 

[Scott Danforth]

I owned an optima from before Johnson Controls buying the company and moving the production to mexico. it lasted 18 years.

used to spec them on military equipment (we used both Deka and Optima, Deka on commercial, Optima on marine). once JCI got involved, our warranty rate on the Optimas went thru the roof. so we asked the military what they have the best luck with. we switched to Hawker (an enersys brand). the marine version is the Odyssey

 

[danhenke]

Familiar with Hawkers...... you’re talking to a retired Abrams tanker!