pabst
04-09-2000, 07:15 PM
When you buy new trolling batteries is it best to immediately use them until they are run down, or is it best to fully charge them, then use them. I got conflicting answers from two different sources. Thanks
EAGLE EYES
04-10-2000, 06:26 AM
It shouldn't make any difference what you do. If it is a good battery, it should already have nearly a full charge. When I buy a new marine
battery I put the charger on it to see what kind of an amp draw it takes. If the amp draw is less than 3 I use the battery first. If I bought the battery and it took a 10 amp draw, right away I would be scepticle that the battery might not hold a very good charge. But at that point I would charge it up and see how long it holds a charge. If It seemed to drain to fast under the trolling motor I would exchange it for a new one.
I guess what i'm saying is if the battery takes more than a 3 amp charge put it on the charger. if it doesn't don't charge it. Good luck!!
Double-Haul
04-10-2000, 07:23 AM
Charge it first!!! Never let a discharged
(or self-discharged as one might be after
sitting on a store shelf for awhile) battery
sit, charge it up asap, within reason.
You can kill a wet cell battery by discharging it too far. These aren't like the old nicad
batteries and have no memory. Ergo, don't
discharge 'em all the way down before recharging
them.
For some great info on the care, feeding, and
workings of your wet cell batteries, look at:
http://nyquist.ee.ualberta.ca/~schmaus/dcbat.html
Also, there is more info on the link at the
bottom of that page.
Don't forget safety glasses when checking
the "water" level in the batts.
Bill
> When you buy new trolling
>batteries is it best to
>immediately use them until they
>are run down, or is
>it best to fully charge
>them, then use them. I
>got conflicting answers from two
>different sources. Thanks