Should I or not.

[BOG RAT]

Hi All
I left the nav lights on by accident for about a week or so, - Hence flat battery. (I know, I know, wot a plonker, it,s been said!!!!)

Q- Can I charge up the battery whilst still connected to the boat & engine? will it cause any probs to the charging system within my Suziuki 115 - 2 stroke engine, if I did? - or should I play safe & disconnect it, for charging?

THANKS ALL

[yoyo]

Two mins to disconnect batt....play save, I would.

[ADS]

If you have a battery isolator swtich and you isolate the battery first I would think it would be fine, well thats what I ve been doing for the last couple of years!

Alex

[Alex Brown]

How long has the battery been discharged for?

If it fully discharges, you should really charge it back up asap or the battery will eventually kill itself, certainly reducing the amount of charge it holds. We replaced 4 x 6v batteries on the tug at work last year after they'd written themselves off.

If you can get to the battery terminals to put the charger leads on then you should really d/c the boat first.

-Alex

[BOG RAT]

AAhhh!!
I'm worried now, it's been flat for about a week,

I will go down to my boat shed, right now with few tools & dig out that battery, & wack it on charge.

It,s quite a new one, so I'm hoping it'll be OK.

Thanks guys..

[DJL]

You need to charge it at a really slow rate otherwise you will damage it - something around 1/30 of the batteries capacity (eg 3.3amps for a 100Ah battery). Make sure that it doesn't get hot.

Charging it while connected to the boat is fine as long as all the electronics are off and engine ignition is switched off. Just make sure that the battery area is well ventilated.

[BOG RAT]

Brilliant, I'm on it now.
Thanks very much. phew!! that was a close one, you all saved me a fair bit of dosh there.

Beers on me!! when we meet.. Cheers chaps.

[Rodan]

I am just in midst of similar...

1) Anyone recommend good slow charger and where to buy?

2) Also, does anyone here use those little solar panels to top up - is this a reliable idea (saw some in Maplins the other day and they seemed cheap enough)...

Thanks

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Rodan

1) Anyone recommend good slow charger and where to buy?

anything from Halfords, a charging needle is nice if you like to see what its doing, if not the cheap ones just have lights. Have a standard one charing a battery at the mo after it went, well flat.

2) Also, does anyone here use those little solar panels to top up - is this a reliable idea (saw some in Maplins the other day and they seemed cheap enough)Thanks

Nah, keep it simple (KIS) regular use during the summer will keep it charged up and mean less junk on board and fewer electrics to worry about.

Pete

[Hugh Jardon]

if the battery is really flat then charge it really gently to start with otherwise it is possible to buckle the plates and damage the battery, i use an optimate and it is great for charging and keeping charged, i just have it connected to the battery at all times and just plug it in when i get back.....works a treat

[Rodan]

Thanks - just added battery charger shopping to this afternoon's activities...

[Rodan]

Was thinking of this as it seems a good deal....

Charger

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by Rodan

Was thinking of this as it seems a good deal....

Charger

It will help a bit, but it isn’t water proof so would need to be used inside a box or something Des

[jwalker]

Machinemart do an automatic charger which adjusts to give maximum charge and then shuts off. It pops back on if the battery looses charge a bit so keeping it topped up. About 30ish kwid. It's not waterproof.

[Hugh Jardon]

a friend has the solar panels for his caravan to keep the battery topped up as he does a lot of club runs with no hookup, he reckons they are superb but i think his was around 80-100 quid so probably quite a good one

[Rodan]

Oh well - I bought one and will give verdict....