Deep Cycle Batteries

[Bull Hunter]

Well, a couple of weeks ago the family went crabbing. I checked the batteries in the boat and they were low but not dead. Both of them were hooked up to a perko switch and it was in the off position. Well, I bought a battery charger, charged them up and off we went. Got to Hammond, launched the boat, got in, turned the key and got about two cranks and they went belly up. Off to Fred's, buy a new battery, start the boat, crab, bring home crab. All's good.

Well, I pulled the batteries out of the boat yesterday and out of curiosity, I pulled the cap off. Guess what, way low on water...so low I could see the plates. Yikes.

I go the store, buy some distilled water, fill them up (used more than 3/4 of a gallon to fill them both up :eek:), and they are charging.

These are size 27D (I think) deep cycle/starting batteries. What do you think, are they toast?

[Bobberman]

I'm no expert but I've done the same thing, and I say you can expect to buy new batts very soon.:shrug:

[Dinikin]

of course if you got 2 of them you could experiment and see, just make sure that one of them is brand new, which probably is.

Two questions.
1 What was specific gravity that you mesured before (charging with hydrometer)? And after?

2 How lond did it take to charge from ? % to 100 %.

That might tell the pros a few things

[chucks electric]

hello, i wouldn't trust those batteries as far as i could throw them. running a battery low on water causes and allows lead oxide to form on the exposed plates. use a conductance tester to test them.
i recommend replacing them.

[Bull Hunter]

I think that is what I am going to do. I would hate to be somewhere all alone, drifting out to the ocean, standing on the bow with my jumper cables and looking for help. :passout:

hello, i wouldn't trust those batteries as far as i could throw them. running a battery low on water causes and allows lead oxide to form on the exposed plates. use a conductance tester to test them.
i recommend replacing them.