Battery Maintenance

[Bender]

My batteries are only a year old but felt weak last year. The Group 31s don't fit my trays, but the Optima one is real close so I might try that. In the meantime I decided to check my current batteries to see if I can liven them up. The question I have is how high should the water level be? Looking around I can only find "it should just cover the plates", well I can't see the plates! Anybody have batteries like this or suggestions? That is water at the bottom of the holes in the picture.
Thanks!

[Waterfoul]

When you do fill them distilled water only!!

I'd say fill them till the empty space is about half what it is now.

[stackenem]

Chris, Is that your starting battery or the one for your TM? If it is your starting battery you might want to get a bigger battery. I had to upgrade last year as the one in my boat was to small to run my graphs and livewells. It killed it after about 6 hours of TX time. There was a couple of time I had to TM in to weigh in.

Bill

[Bender]

They are my TM batteries. My cranking battery is fine, never had a problem. Funny how that works, you have great TM batteries and mine is the opposite.

[Revtro]

The water expands, so don't overfill them.  I'd leave about an inch from the top.  Any more than that and the water will fizz out and make a mess.  Happened to me this past year.  Distilled water only as waterfowl said. 

[SethV]

Thats why I LOVE Delco Voyagers.  Totally sealed.  You don't do anything to them.  Just charge them and run the snot out of them.  Zero maintenace.

In my new boat I have the goofy normal batteries that require maintenace.  So far, they are working fine, but I am tempted to get rid of them and replace with the Voyagers.  Hard to justify throwing out 4 new batteries, but I hate having acid leaking all over the place in rough water.

Seth

[cwinsiii]

Only fill the battery's when they are fully charged also. Like Revtro said the water expands as the battery's charge.

[Bender]

Topped them up tonight, we will see how they do on Kent tomorrow. Where do you get the Voyagers? Also which ones, the DC31?

[SethV]

Any GM dealer will sell Delco Voyagers.  Dick Morris Chevy has given me a good deal on them.

I think it was about $115 for a group 31.

Seth

[Dan]

Hey Seth,
I assume the group 31 is a reference to size. Right? I am going to need batteries this year and I use to use Delco and loved them. I want to get back to using them this year. I use to get mine at KMart.

[Skulley]

You can get Delco batteries at Murray's Auto also.  I had Delco Voyagers but when I bought new batteries last year, I went back to the maintenance batteries.  I bought mine from Complete Battery Source on 8 mile road in Redford/Detroit.  They gave me a complete guide on how to maintain them and keep them through the winter.  They run better than the Delcos did.  Even though I have to maintain them, they are much more powerful and run strong.  Even after storing them all this last winter, they run strong.  They ran my trolling motor with power and authority yesterday in those rough seas on St. Clair and today during the calmer weather.

BD             

[motocross269]

Murrays quit selling Delco Marine Batteries this year...They are selling another brand....I shopped all over and I think about the only place you can get Delcos anymore is a GM dealer.
I have heard alot of good things about the Cabelas AGMs, but I can't get myself to spend that much money...