How to charge deep cycle battery?

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jymbee

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 20, 2018
Posts
3,445
Location
Upstate NY
Not a RV related question directly, but...

A relative stores a deep cycle battery here that's used to power an electric boat motor. As it's been sitting unused since last summer they asked me to charge it and leave it to trickle charge for use later this month. When I hooked up the auto charger it read 80% charged. Should I:

A. Just set the charger to trickle charger and leave it
B. Fully charge at higher rate then dial down to trickle
C. Makes no difference

(I did "A")

Also, once it's up to fully charged with either method, is it ok just to leave it connected at trickle setting or should it only occasionally need to be brought up to full charge via that route?
 
A is fine. It is better to charge slowly.  Leave it hooked up to the charger IF it  stays below 13.8 volts. A higher voltage could boil the electrolyte.
 
The big question is the quality of the charger. But I would go with "A". He should look at one of the good battery maintainer type trickle chargers that way it will be charged whenever he wants to use it. But wait he has you. ;)
Bill
 
A small multi stage charger is best..  80% is about the floor for MARINE/deep cycle batteries (50 For Trolling batteries, but it's how it is labeled that matters)

A Battery Tender/Minder would be my choice though I might bring it up a bit more first.
 
Appreciate all the responses-- thanks!
The battery was new last summer having replaced a much older one. I'm going to recommend they go the battery tender route going forward.
 
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