Batteries
Batteries are an enigma for many boaters. What power rating do you need? What size? How do you install one? How do you maintain one? How long will it last? How do you know it’s starting to die?
These are all reasonable questions. Some are straightforward such as the size and power-rating, especially when replacing an existing battery. Installation is fairly straightforward, as is maintenance. However, things get tricky when forecasting end of life. Experience has proven that forecasting battery life is a bit like predicting the weather – it’s tough to get it right.
A number of factors are involved including: usage frequency, proper charging, solid maintenance, etc. The primary ways to increase the forecast accuracy is to put the battery under load and/or check the specific gravity of each cell with a hydrometer. The hydrometer test is reputed to be best, however the artificial load by the battery tester usually works pretty well, too.
Your battery is a key piece of equipment. It’s needed to run the blower; drive the bilge pumps; and start the engine. It pays to take care of your battery and to consider replacing it sooner than forecast. A boat without a working bilge pump is typically a bad place to be..
