How To Prolong The Battery Life Of Marine Vessels

No marine vessel is complete without a battery. However, like any other type of battery, marine vessel batteries must be taken care of to prolong their life. Here are some ways to prolong battery life and ensure your vessel stays powered up for as long as possible.

Maintaining The Right Temperatures

One of the most important things to do to prolong the life of your marine battery is to keep it at the right temperature. When batteries are too hot, the internal chemical reaction that generates electricity produces extra heat and loses electrolytes faster, accelerating the degradation of the battery’s positive plate, leading to shorter battery life. Conversely, batteries have to work harder than normal when cold, and still, they will not deliver enough power when needed.

Keep The Battery Clean

One of the best ways to prolong the battery life of marine vessels is by keeping the battery clean. A build-up of dirt, salt and other contaminants can shorten the battery’s lifespan and decrease its power output. To clean the battery, disconnect it from the vessel and brush away any dirt or debris with a soft brush. You can also clean the terminal corrosion with a paste from a mixture of baking soda and water. Similarly, you can rub a wire brush against corrosion on the battery terminals and cable clamps. To prevent further corrosion, apply petroleum jelly to the battery terminals before reconnecting them.

Immediately Recharge Your Battery

One of the most important things you can do to prolong the life of your marine battery is to recharge it immediately after use. When the battery is not fully charged and not in use at the same time, there is usually a build-up of sulfate deposits. The battery has to work harder to generate electricity since the deposits reduce its performance. On the other hand, quickly recharging the battery at high voltage for a short time is discouraged since it increases the accumulation of sulfate deposits, thus decreasing the battery’s lifespan.

Filling The Battery With Distilled Water

One way to prolong the life of a lithium ion battery is to fill them with distilled water regularly. This helps prevent the build-up of harmful deposits on the electrodes, reducing the battery’s capacity and lifespan over time. The water should also be maintained at particular levels to avoid minimizing the battery’s performance. Therefore, you need to periodically check the water level and ensure that it is filled according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Have Back-Up Battery And Back-Up Parts

Having back-up lithium-ion batteries for marine vessels is essential to prolonging the life of your batteries. Batteries are expensive, and if they fail, it can be difficult and costly to replace them. By having a back-up battery and backup parts, you can avoid this problem. When one battery fails, you can simply switch to the other battery and continue using your vessel. This will help to prolong the life of your batteries and keep your vessel running smoothly.

Don’t Carry Too Much Weight

Carrying too much weight is one of the quickest ways to shorten the battery life of your marine vessel. The heavier the vessel, the harder it is for the batteries to propel it. This puts a strain on the batteries and causes them to work harder, which in turn uses up more energy and causes them to die quicker. If you’re looking to prolong the life of your batteries, make sure to keep your vessel light by avoiding carrying unnecessary weight.

Marine vessels need to have reliable and long-lasting batteries to conduct their operations. By following the tips in this article, you can help prolong the battery life of your marine vessel and keep it running smoothly for years to come.