#DUAL BATTERY BOX FOR BOAT HOW TO#

2) Overcharge and underchargeīatteries need to be properly maintained in order to last. Sometimes referred to as just marine batteries, they provide a balance between starting and deep cycle use.Ī cranking battery repeatedly used for deep cycling can degrade in a matter of weeks, and vice versa, so choose the right one. Instead, they have an ideal operating range (typically around 60 per cent) and shouldn’t be discharged below this level.ĭual-purpose batteries are also very common. ‘Pure’ deep cycle batteries aren’t designed to be fully discharged. They run the various electronics components on a boat and are meant to recharge more slowly. As the names implies, they are typically used to start a marine engine and are built to recharge quickly.ĭeep cycle batteries are designed to provide fewer amperes but are intended to operate for longer. Starting batteries, also known as cranking batteries, provide a large jolt of amperes. Marine batteries are made to meet two applications. There are also gel batteries, Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries and spiral-wound battery derivatives and lithium-ion marine batteries, although they tend to be more expensive. Marine batteries are manufactured in a variety of types and for different applications, so choosing the right one is vital.ĭue to their lower cost, the most common type of marine batteries are the flooded lead acid type (e.g. The surest way to quickly kill a marine battery is to use the wrong kind.

#DUAL BATTERY BOX FOR BOAT HOW TO#

Here are five of the most common ways that marine batteries meet their end - and how to avoid them. The key to preventing battery failure is to look after them.

You’re stuck, hopefully not in the middle of the bay. Suddenly the lighting, bilge pump, electronics and engine starting system won’t work. Batteries are a vital element on a boat, yet they’re often neglected - right up until the moment they stop working.

Dual battery box for boat