How to Make a Boat Battery Last Longer
A boat's battery allows you to access critical safety systems. It also provides a large boat with all the comforts of home. If you neglect to follow proper maintenance procedures, you can end up replacing your battery too soon. To learn more about boat batteries, visit us at Clews & Strawbridge in Frazer, Pennsylvania. Our staff serves Philadelphia and West Chester, with the best deals on boats for sale in Philadelphia.
Monitor the Battery
A helpful first step to maintaining your battery is to set up a means of monitoring the charge. If you cannot read the percentage of power, you are essentially blind when it comes to keeping it in working order. A way to monitor your charge and charge lets you know if something requires fixing or replacement.
Battery Capacity
Another part of monitoring the battery is looking at its capacity. You should have a way to see where your battery is in its life cycle. If the capacity decreases too much, it could cause more harm than good.
Everyday Maintenance Tips
Small actions can have enormous consequences with maintenance. Keep the connections clean to make your battery last for as long as possible. Routinely clean the tops of your batteries with a baking soda solution to neutralize the acid. Check the ventilation in the area where you keep the battery in case of the accumulation of dangerous gasses.
Minimizing Battery Use
If you don't want your battery to fail prematurely, look into ways to minimize its use. For example, LED lighting is an excellent way to reduce strain on boat power systems. Refrigerators need to be suitably insulated to prevent energy waste and increase energy efficiency.
When You Replace a Boat Battery
At some point, while monitoring your battery, you will see that it is not keeping a charge. Always consider your options when replacing the battery.
Perhaps you will choose a different type of battery to replace the old one. Your boat might benefit from alternative power sources. For example, you would not replace a power source running complicating systems for long periods with automotive batteries. These types of batteries are useful at starting boat motors but do not offer great sustained power.
Boat maintenance can often vary depending on your model, so make sure you always follow your service manual when in doubt. Do you have a specific question about boat batteries for the staff at Clews & Strawbridge? We welcome everyone in West Chester and Philadelphia to come to our Frazer, Pennsylvania location and tell us about your boat. We also have an extensive selection of boats for sale in Philadelphia.