Winterizing boat batteries safely

by John Bell on 26 Sep 2015 Cold weather can be hazardous to the health of lead acid batteries, especially boats and recreational vehicles stored in hibernation until the spring thaw.

Cold weather actually increases the speed of sulfation buildup on the battery plates – the main reason for battery failure—as well as the rate of discharge within a battery. The battery’s electrolyte can actually freeze if the battery is in an advanced state of discharge, and this could physically damage the lead plates resulting in having to replace the existing battery with a new one. Electrolytes in a completely discharged battery will freeze at only 8°F.

While many owners of boats and an assortment of recreational vehicles, including RVs, motorcycles, golf carts, lawn equipment, and ATVs typically consider fuel conditioners, antifreeze additives, oil additives and body finish products to preserve and maintain stored equipment, batteries typically don’t get the same amount of attention, which can be an expensive oversight.

“Employment of a simple, maintenance system over the winter months is key to having batteries that are pristine, healthy and cranking in the spring,” said Rick Miller with PulseTech® Products Corp., a Texas-based firm specializing in battery related maintenance products.

As an example, for consumers looking to manage boats and several stored vehicles at the same time Miller recommends the four-Station QuadLink Kit, MSRP $199) that maintains as many as four lead-acid 12V batteries automatically in a cycle rotation. The QuadLink Kit, which also comes in an eight-Station format, improves battery condition with a patented Pulse Technology that literally cleans the battery plates of sulfation buildup.

“This allows the battery to accept, store and release maximum power all the time,” he said. “This cycle rotation will continue indefinitely without overcharging—maintaining the charge of all four batteries automatically. It’s like giving your batteries vitamins.”

While some chargers, if left unattended, might result in overcharging causing the battery to literally boil the electrolyte and possibly explode, PulseTech’s unique smart maintenance chargers take the human element out of the function allowing batteries to remain safely hooked up indefinitely without the worry of overheating or overcharging.

Miller said PulseTech’s QuadLink™ Kit is a plug-and-play system that requires little to no supervision and works with ANY 12V battery, regardless of CCA rating, including AGM, gel-cell, VRLA inducing or deep cycle for marine, standard automobile and truck and even small motorcycle and golf cart and riding mower batteries.

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