If your boat batteries are properly maintained, you will be able to enjoy them for five to seven years! Some people use their motor boats far more often than others, and generally, those who do have batteries last longer. In order to prevent unnecessary wear and tear on your engine and electrical system, you should start and run your boat regularly to maintain proper lubrication of engine parts and charge of your battery.
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Boat batteries will power things like bilge pumps, lights, and sound systems. They are also different than car batteries. We strongly recommend that you use deep cycle marine batteries for your motor boats. Take extra caution if you keep your boat on salt water as exposure to salt water will accelerate corrosion of metal parts.
Some maintenance tips:
- (1) If you store your boat in a region with cold winters, remove your battery and store at home in a dry location.
- (2) Do not place your battery directly on the ground or floor. Doing this may provide the battery with a grounding source and will drain its power supply. Place your batteries on a shelf or piece of wood.
Some safety precautions when dealing with marine batteries include:
- (1) Remember that electricity and moisture don’t mix. Try to work in a cool and dry environment.
- (2) Wear eye protection.
- (3) If your batteries contain lead acid, baking powder is a good absorbing substance in case of a leak. Battery acid is corrosive, and you should wear gloves when handling it.
Steps for Replacing Your Motor Boat Battery:
Step 1: Open the battery compartment and check both the condition of your battery terminals and for acid leaks. Clean leaks appropriately. If you notice build up around your terminals, you may clean them gently with a wire brush.
NOTE: Marine deep cycle batteries have coated terminals to prevent corrosion. Using anti-corrosion grease on your cable terminals and battery terminals is advisable as an extra precaution in wet environments… i.e. a boat’s bilge.
Step 2: Remove the negative (black) cable terminal from battery first. This may require a socket wrench or pliers for those stubborn wing nuts. Take care as to not strip the nut if it is over-tightened.
Step 3: Remove the positive (red) cable terminal from the battery. It is very important to not let the negative and positive cable terminals touch each other. It is even MORE important to not touch the terminals with your hands if you have a screwdriver or metal in them; if you accidentally touch both red and black at the same time, you will complete the circuit and not be around to enjoy your boat any longer (Just kidding, but you will begin "welding" instantly and be temporarily blinded by the" fireworks" display).
Step 4: Taking the stability of the boat into consideration, carefully remove the old battery and place aside. Now is a good time to clean the terminals of the cables before you install the new battery. Again, use a wire brush to gently remove any oxidation or corrosion and use conductive and protective grease.
Step 5: Place the new battery in the battery compartment and be sure it is seated properly.
Step 6: Attach the positive (red) cable terminal to the positive terminal post on the battery. Re-thread the nut taking care to not over-tighten or strip the threads.
Step 7: Using caution, replace the negative (black) cable terminal to the negative terminal post on the battery. Re-thread the nut as you did in step 6.
Step 8: Replace the cover and straps. Boats tend to follow a jerky motion as they move through the water. You do not want your battery sliding around; ensure that it is secure for sea!
After the new battery is connected, clean up, turn the key, and take the boat for a test run.
NOTE: Batteries should not be disposed of in the trash. Please take your spent batteries to the nearest service station and ask for advice on how to dispose.