Battery Charger

[rogerschwake]

  Have a Optima Model 34 Marine Dual Purpose battery for power on board my Sun Cat. Have a depth finder, handheld GPS and auto pilot that draw power from this battery. Have used this battery for two years and only charged it three times.  What is a good battery charger for this battery?

ROGER

[MacGyver]

Roger, I too only have to charge my battery a time or 2 through the year. I use a marine style charger made by Schumacher from Walmart. It has a digital readout to tell me the battery condition from 0 to 100 percent, and I just hit buttons to select LED lights to the proper things and then it handles the rest.
Super simple. But I am always around when it is happening. Not a permanent setup.
I just keep it at home during off months and on the boat during the season along with a extension cord.


Are you looking for a more permanent setup??

Mac

[rogerschwake]

  Thanks Mac. Optima will sell us battery chargers starting at $100 on up, just a little steep for me. The neighbor has a charger with a deep cycle setting so I think I'll keep borrowing that, the price is just wright. Just wondering what the difference is charging a deep cycle battery?

[crazycarl]

wet cell deep cycle batteries should be recharged after each use.

typically they lose 3% of their charge every 30 days.

the average deep cycle battery only lasts a couple of years, unless you take proper care.

i have a deep cycle fully automatic charger (turns OFF when fully charged) mounted in our 19 and keep it plugged in all season.

during the off season i keep the batteries in the basement and hooked up to an automatic charger.


there is also a "pulse" charger that dissolves the build up on the plates and "renews" the batteries.

i've used it with some success on motorcycle and lawn tractor batteries.


a good charger is worth every dollar if it keeps your expensive batteries like new.


CC

[rogerschwake]

  HEY Carl, thanks for the info. Sounds like you take great care of your battery on board that boat of yours. Maybe you should think about a electric motor then you won't need a tow next year at the CLR, they start a lot easier than that gas motor of yours.

ROGER

[crazycarl]

roger,

ya, motor problems.  i can't remember a year that i hadn't had problems.

CC