Battery tender vs onboard battery charger.

[jamesk]

I have (2) batteries on my SX210.
I use a Battery tender jr on occasion to boast up the batteries if they are low.
During the winter (6 months) I keep the 2 batteries in my house and switch each one every 30 days to the Tender jr.
I was going to buy a second tender so I could just keep them both charging the entire 6 months.
Then I was thinking I should just buy and install an onboard 2 bank charger (NOCO Genius GEN5X2, 2-Bank, 10-Amp (5-Amp Per Bank) Fully-Automatic Smart Marine Charger, 12V Onboard Battery Charger) to use during the summer and when I pull my batteries for the winter, unhook the onboard charger as well and bring that inside my house and hook up the batteries to it for the 6 months of winter.
Am I missing something or should this work ok for what I am trying to do?
Thanks! Jim

 

[YamPat]

I personally unplugged the batteries in the boat during winter and charge them before putting the boat ? in the water

Did that the last 4years and the battery is still working fine

 

[Dave burke]

I have (2) batteries on my SX210.
I use a Battery tender jr on occasion to boast up the batteries if they are low.
During the winter (6 months) I keep the 2 batteries in my house and switch each one every 30 days to the Tender jr.
I was going to buy a second tender so I could just keep them both charging the entire 6 months.
Then I was thinking I should just buy and install an onboard 2 bank charger (NOCO Genius GEN5X2, 2-Bank, 10-Amp (5-Amp Per Bank) Fully-Automatic Smart Marine Charger, 12V Onboard Battery Charger) to use during the summer and when I pull my batteries for the winter, unhook the onboard charger as well and bring that inside my house and hook up the batteries to it for the 6 months of winter.
Am I missing something or should this work ok for what I am trying to do?
Thanks! Jim

that’s exactly what I do. I have the Promariner Prosport 12 amp dual charger

 

[Noko]

I have a Minkota dual bank charger. I leave the boat plugged in all the time, on the lake and when its in storage. Batteries are 7 yrs old but get really low use on them.

 

[Crob83]

I park my boat in my garage and use a 2 bank battery tender mounted on the wall. If I go on a boat vacation I just take it with me, I also have 100 foot cords on them which is very convenient.

 

[2kwik4u]

I only have a single battery on my boat. I have never disconnected it in the 5+ yrs I've owned it, and I use a Battery Tender Jr to keep it topped off.

If what you have works for you, why change?

 

[Dixemon]

I'm running a powermania 4 bank turbo 440m. I have a dedicated outlet in the boat that I keep plugged in always. Running 5 batteries, 2 house, 1 start and 2 trolling. These chargers are smart enough to desulfate and maintain the batteries properly. We dont have hard winters in the south, otherwise I might consider bringing the batteries indoors during winterization and keeping them on a tender indoors.

 

[haknslash]

My boat lives off the onboard Promariner charger if it’s not being used in the water. I don’t pull them for winter or anything. They go through maintenance cycles automatically to keep them fresh.

 

[Evil Sports]

I plug in my onboard Promariner 3 bank when I put my boat away for the winter and unplug it in the spring when I move it to the river. I dont need to be hauling 3 batteries around 2x a year. My OG starting battery lasted 7 years and made it through last winter. It only died because my son left the battery switch on for 3 weeks in 90 Degrees.

 

[Bucky Boater]

I only have a single battery on my boat. I have never disconnected it in the 5+ yrs I've owned it, and I use a Battery Tender Jr to keep it topped off.

If what you have works for you, why change?

I just picked up a used AR195 yesterday in IL. So one battery like you—but most posts here are about complex systems Looking for what to use between now and summer (if I need anything at all), something as back up on the boat, and then will have to store next winter (unheated garage at a cabin in WI, but likely will bring the battery inside). Ideally it’s all the same thing, but I’m totally new to battery chargers. Thanks for any tips!

 

[Thermobrett]

Single battery here on my SX195. I have a battery tender solar charger/maintainer I put it on. It’s pretty much a slow trickle charger.

 

[Bucky Boater]

Thanks. Do you keep a jumper on the boat, just in case? I just got the boat home yesterday late afternoon, so I’m the process of buying stuff for it today. Yikes.

 

[Dixemon]

Never hurts to have backup, I do bring a jump box with me if i am going far from shore. Or a set of jumper cables if im going to be around alot of other boats.

 

[Bucky Boater]

I’m thinking it’s cheap peace of kind to do that. Thanks. The battery, trailer tires, Stoltz roller and Keel Guard are my must dos. Then it’s on the the fun mods. I already gave the Cobra Fins ready to go…

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

How old is the battery in the used boat you just bought? Is it just a start battery? Or is it dual purpose, start / deep cycle? It should be the latter dual purpose.

You will also want to pick up a start jump pack to keep on your boat to get the engine started if you happen to drain down the single battery. Like @Dixemon, my boat has two batteries, a dedicated start battery and a house battery and I still carry a jump pack.

If it was me I would have a permanently mounted on board charger, at least 5 Amps but 10 amps is preferable, with a permanently mounted plug in the boat, you just leave the charger plugged in whenever you are not on the water.

The following is for lead acid batteries.

There are three main phases with modern smart chargers, Bulk, Absorption, Float, and then maintenance. The two most important are Bulk and Absorption. Bulk is as it’s name implies, the bulk of the charge, this where the 10 Amp part of the charger puts back roughly 80% of amp hours / watt hours that were consumed. Absorption is the next phase and is at a lower charge rate to keep from excessive gassing / boiling off of the batteries electrolyte, this phase takes roughly 8 hours to complete after the Bulk charge is finished, and pretty much finishes the charge on the battery. This is why you want the higher charging capacity of a 10 A charger, to get to the absorption phase as quickly as possible so that your battery is fully charged and ready to go for the next day.

Our boats engines don’t have very strong charging systems, so your single battery needs to be fully charged when you head out for the day. And, depending on how much you pull the battery down each day, if you are using the boat daily you will need the 10 amps.

I don’t know how you are intending to use your boat, but If you want the most capacity for the single battery you have, Dakota Lithium makes a 135 Ah group 24 size dual purpose battery that will drop in your stock battery box. That’s more than double the capacity of a 70 Ah group 24 lead acid battery, 35 Ah @50% discharge for the lead acid vs. 108 Ah @80% discharge for the DL battery, they are expensive but worth it, unless you are going to put in some zoot sound system, with the DL battery you would never have to worry about draining that battery down. As I said they are expensive but over their lifetime they are also much cheaper than lead acid batteries. Having said that, if you need a battery, buy the least expensive dual purpose flooded lead acid battery from say Interstate, these are the lowest cost per watt hour. If you want the cleanest set up in a lead acid battery then get an interstate dual purpose AGM battery.

Whichever way you go, just be sure to set the charger for the type of battery you get, easey peasey..

 

[Thermobrett]

I keep this with me as a backup power source in the event I have a cell go bad or drain the battery with the radio on. Better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it and it is very small.

Limited-time deal: Foxpeed G29 Jump Starter 2500A 21000mAh 12V Car Jump Starter for up to 8L Gas, 6.5L Diesel Engine with LED Display USB QC3.0 Portable Car Booster Pack for Various Vehicles https://a.co/d/atIbh52

 

[Bucky Boater]

Awesome. Thanks. I had an amazingly hard time getting a boat at all. Finally was able to get a 2019 AR195 after two guys decided to list, then keep their 2022s. Just wanted to get something. The guy seemed to care for it, but the boat is completely stock from the dealer. It’s for my cabin in WI, so it will live in an unheated garage unless it’s in the water when we’re in town. Use will all be local on the river/boat, never more than a few miles, but would rather spend what it takes for peace of mind not to get stuck somewhere.

 

[Thermobrett]

Awesome. Thanks. I had an amazingly hard time getting a boat at all. Finally was able to get a 2019 AR195 after two guys decided to list, then keep their 2022s. Just wanted to get something. The guy seemed to care for it, but the boat is completely stock from the dealer. It’s for my cabin in WI, so it will live in an unheated garage unless it’s in the water when we’re in town. Use will all be local on the river/boat, never more than a few miles, but would rather spend what it takes for peace of mind not to get stuck somewhere.

You will love it. Follow the maintenance requirements for oil changes and plugs, and make sure to run premium fuel only as it has a super charger. I have read many articles that people complain when lesser octane is used and it causes performance issues.

 

[Bucky Boater]

Thanks. I’ve got a gas station near my place that sells recreational premium, so that’s what she’ll be drinking. And drinking heavily from what I’ve read. ?

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Awesome. Thanks. I had an amazingly hard time getting a boat at all. Finally was able to get a 2019 AR195 after two guys decided to list, then keep their 2022s. Just wanted to get something. The guy seemed to care for it, but the boat is completely stock from the dealer. It’s for my cabin in WI, so it will live in an unheated garage unless it’s in the water when we’re in town. Use will all be local on the river/boat, never more than a few miles, but would rather spend what it takes for peace of mind not to get stuck somewhere.

How many hours on the engine?

So, sounds like a new battery is in order to be on the safe side.

Is there electricity in the un heated garage?

Get yourself an oil evacuator so you can change the oil. I have a 7L mighty vac that works great. And pick up an oil change kit and change the oil..

Also, get yourself a shop manual. Here; YAMAHA MANUAL STORE
These are incredibly useful for doing your own maintenance.