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drop below freezing (0°C/32°F). Disconnecting the
battery is not necessary if boat is equipped with an
on-board battery charger and the aforementioned
conditions apply.
If the boat is being placed onto a boat rack
where accessibility is not possible, or the battery
compartment temperatures are expected to drop
well below freezing (i.e., less than -10°F), the
batteries should be removed from the boat and
placed in suitable dry storage with maintainers
connected and adequate ventilation. While fully
charged batteries can withstand hard freezing
temperatures, the idea is to increase the life of the
batteries by minimizing unnecessary stresses.
In all cases, the battery voltage, specific gravity and
the water level should be monitored periodically
during storage.
r
ecoMMissioning
Sometimes a battery may get left off a maintainer.
It is paramount to give it a full charge before
attempting to embark on a voyage. Most batteries
will take 48-96 hours to fully charge depending on
chemistry, technology, depth of discharge, capacity
of maintainer and general health of the battery.
When preparing to restore batteries back to
operation within the boat, it is paramount to test
the batteries to ensure they are fully functional.
There are two primary aspects to consider - State
of Charge (SOC) and State of Health (SOH). A good
test device will determine if a "surface charge" is
giving a false indication of a good charge state.
SOH is not as common as SOC but does indicate
remaining useful life of the battery. A test device
measures the internal resistance over a frequency
range to give you a SOH reading. While it would be
prudent to replace a battery if SOH is less than 50
percent, do not put a battery into service that has
less than 30 percent SOH. A battery load tester is
a general indicator of a battery's ability to provide a
cranking current, but it is not as accurate as actual
SOC and SOH readings.
270 Sundeck
270SD_Book 1.indb 27
270 S
undeck
e
S
lectrical
Another item of consideration is the quality of the
connections being made to the batteries. Inspect
for corrosion and poor terminal connections
(crimp, corrosion, strand breakage, etc.) prior to
restoring batteries to full operation. As required,
ensure battery cells have adequate electrolyte
fluid levels (use only distilled water and no
metal funnels) and use a silicone grease on the
battery post terminals.
3. i
p
gniTion
roTecTion
All electrical components in the engine compartment
must be ignition-protected to avoid the possibility of
creating sparks in a gasoline environment.
Protective terminal covers, such as rubber boots
on electrical connections, must be in place when
engine is operating or when working in the engine
compartment.
GASOLINE VAPORS CAN EXPLODE
Use ONLY Marine-rated parts to replace such items
as starters, distributors, alternators, generators, etc.
Do not use automotive parts for these components
or any jumper cables because they are not ignition-
protected and could cause a fire or explosion.
Jumper cables are not ignition-protected. DO NOT
USE jumper cables in the engine compartment.
The engine compartment may accumulate
dangerous explosive gasoline fumes/vapors and
hydrogen gas from batteries being charged. A
spark produced when connecting a jumper cable
can cause an explosion.
yStem
!
DANGER
27
11/5/2014 9:02:31 AM
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