What's everyone opinion on how to store deep cycle batteries. These are off my boat that is put away for the winter. I have heard that they should be fully charged, and also that it doesn't matter as long they aren't dead. I've always charged them before storing away, is this the best way to do it?

 

Dont store them directly on concrete. My Dad made wood box for storing his.

How about a trickle charger once a month to keep them charged?

 

Check out this site...

Battery Storage FAQ

Also the bit about concrete draining batteries or causing harm to them is a myth.

 

What is with this ? I have heard that before , I'm not too sure how a concrete floor could effect a bunch of lead plates submerged in electrolyte , cased inside a big plastic box...?

I googled it out of curiosity:

Storing Batteries on Concrete

JKMdidn'tunderstandbeforebutnowhedoes

 

keep them out of the cold its not the concrete its the cold ground period the cold is what drains the batteries and yes they should be charged and maintained through the winter usually all you need to do is put them on a couple of 4x6 blocks and that works or on a pallet

 

Looks like its a rumor of old....this has been circulating for a lot of years - looks like its not true. News to me.

 

I have heard that rumor from a lot of people in my days, I never did understand what the big deal was, I guess now we both know.

---AutoMerged DoublePost---

Try reading my link, The warmer the battery , the faster the rate of dis-charge, and putting it on concrete... makes no difference.

 

Concrete bad or not, I set the five batteries on the wooden work bench and move the trickle charger from one to the other through the winter. I've been doing this for years and get 5 - 7 years out of the battery. Good or bad, IDK. I'm happy with the results. I'm out in the shop off and on through the winter anyway. So it's convenient too.

I'd love to find a way to hook them all together and have them charge as needed. But that's another project. For now I have two Battery Tenders that I move down the line.

 

I just use to charge them and set them away until spring but maybe it would be a good idea to keep a charge in them all winter. Wouldn't be that big of a deal to trickle charge them every couple weeks or so Thanks Guy's