Sea Ray 260 Sundancer Owner's Manual page 40

260 s
a. T
o reMove The baTTerY cables
1. Turn off all items drawing power from the
battery.
2. Turn off the "converter" breaker at the main
distribution panel.
3. Turn the battery switch to the OFF position
(Battery switch is optional equipment on some
models).
4. Remove the negative cable first, then the
positive cable.
5. With a clean rag, remove grease and dirt from
the top surface of the battery.
6. To replace the cables, first replace the positive
cable, then the negative.
b. b M
aTTerY ainTenance
• Check the fluid levels in the cells approximately
every 4 weeks, and weekly in summer and hot
zones.
• The fluid level must be between the lower and
upper markings.
• Replenish only with distilled water. Do not use
metal funnel.
• Coat battery terminal clamps with silicone
grease. Keep battery clean and dry.
Battery life is shortened if it is drained to 20 percent
(11.6v) charge before recharging, or if left in a
discharged state (less than 12.4v) for days. It is
recommended that a battery not be discharged
more than 50 percent (approx. 12.2v). If the battery
does become run down, recharge it as soon as
possible.
Running the engine to recharge the battery may not
be effective. The alternator only creates charging
power at higher engine speeds, so simply idling or
trolling will not generate enough power to recharge
the battery.
If you need to charge a battery, use only a
battery charger designed to charge automotive/
marine batteries. Use charger only when battery
is disconnected from the boat's electrical circuit.
Follow the charger instructions.
30
e
®
undancer
:
s
lecTrIcal
If the boat is equipped with dockside power and an
AC/DC converter/battery charger, keep it on when
shore power is available. This will keep the batteries
properly charged and allow use of the DC powered
equipment on board without draining the battery.
c. l T b
ong erM aTTerY
M r
ainTenance ecoMMenDaTions
When a boat is not going to be used for a long
period of time (more than 3 weeks) then steps
should be taken to ensure that the batteries are
properly maintained to mitigate low voltage issues
in the future.
A battery "maintainer" (smart charger) should be in
use anytime the boat is not operational. Primarily
this is done through shore power, but a dedicated
battery maintainer can be used directly to a battery if
warranted (i.e., boat not equipped with shore power,
shore power unavailable, etc.). Be sure the battery
maintainer is matched to the battery technology in
use (sealed lead acid, absorbed glass mat, etc.)
and is only used on the appropriate number of
batteries.
Adequate ventilation is always a consideration when
batteries are being charged due to the production of
O and H (oxygen and hydrogen), even with sealed
2 2
batteries. Regardless of where the batteries are
located, ensure there is sufficient ventilation where
a battery is being charged.
If the boat is on a trailer, or is being hauled out and
placed in dry storage, (i.e., boat rack or blocks)
one should consider physically disconnecting the
batteries from the boat and placing them on a
maintainer. The batteries could be left in the boat
but electrically disconnected from the boat if the
batteries are easily accessible for maintenance,
the ventilation is sufficient, and temperatures do
not drop below freezing (0°C/32°F).
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
ysTem
s &
Torage
260 Sundancer
®