Winter Battery Charging

N

Natale

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Age
63
Model
Freedom 335
I have a 2014 Freedom 335. This year I installed 4 new batteries. I live in NY and just taken boat out for winter. Boat has a Pro Tournament 240 Elite Two Bank Charger. Should I leave this plugged in over the winter?
Thank youBattery Charger.jpg
 
What are the specs of that charger? It is also a "maintainer" with float/maintenance profiles? Check the owner's manual or look on PM's website/call them. I suspect it will be fine - but do your due diligence and double check.

Are your 4 batteries in 2 banks with 2 batteries in parallel for each bank?

IF it's a true smart charger, then yes, the best thing you can do for the batteries is leave them on charge all Winter. Second best would be to fully charge and remove them from the boat or at least remove the negative cables.
 
Yes, 4 batteries in 2 banks with 2 batteries in parallel for each bank. It is a maintainer also. I will leave plugged in.

Thank you guys
 
My boat is plugged in all year. Important to have a good charger (which you do).
 
My battery/charger system is similar. I leave it plugged in all winter.
 
I had no boat ever plugged in all year or over winter and i never had shore power and all my boats i had were slipped or moored.
In winter i disconnect the battery posts and if necessary give them a charge every few months, but in very cold NY it's probably necessary more frequent.
I had the farm equipment wet cell batteries on NOCO Genius 5 battery chargers and they where on a timer who powered the Noco's every day for a hour and that worked perfectly.
AGM batteries have a much lower self discharge than wet-cell's and they can stay easily 6 months without any recharge if full when storing.

Chris
 
If the two batteries in parallel are not the same type and age, I would be careful.

That said, if the batteries are in good shape and are fully charged, they should be OK without a need for the charger. That assumes that the batteries are disconnected from all possible loads, like auto pumps, stereo memory leads etc.
 
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I generally charge the batteries in the fall, disconnect/remove the negative on each and leave them in the boat. In the spring, charge up, connect and go. I've been changing them 3 years on the hook this way and 5 years at the dock when I had a slip.
 
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I have always disconnected the negative on the 3 batteries in November and just reconnect in April. Never had and issue with batteries not holding their charge unless the battery was at the end of its life cycle. If I'm working on anything electrical on the boat in the spring. I will use shore power at the boat yard powered by a portable Honda generator. Goos Luck
 
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