If you are one of those people who are often stumped by the idea of buying boat batteries, do not be too overwhelmed with all the choices that you have. The key here is to know your boat’s requirements before you go out and buy some batteries.
Note that some boat batteries may carry heavy accessory loads while others do not necessary have to carry the same amount of load, so it is important to know the requirements of your boat to make sure that you have the right type of boat batteries. Do not buy just about any type of boat batteries that are on sale because you might end up in real trouble at sea.
Getting to Know Your Boat Batteries
Batteries come in two types, namely the primary batteries and the secondary or storage batteries. Primary batteries, also known as dry cell batteries are usually used to power up small, portable electronic gadgets, flashlights and others. These types of batteries are non-rechargeable and should be discarded after use. A lot of environmentalists are against the use of these types of batteries because the empty shells of these batteries are difficult to recycle and often have to be dumped in the landfill.
On the other hand, secondary or storage batteries can be recharged thus they are suitable for use in boats and other motorized equipments. Storage boat batteries give out energy to the boat until they are fully discharged. Unlike the dry cell batteries, the storage boat batteries can be recharged with the use of an alternator.
Storage boat batteries have at least three sub-classifications namely, the starting batteries, the deep-cycle batteries and the maintenance free or gel cell. The Starting boat batteries are very important because they provide high starting current to initially power-up your boat. Once the engine of your boat starts, the power in the starting batteries is immediately recharged by the alternator in your boat’s engine.
The deep-cycle boat batteries on the other hand can tolerate repeated heavy discharges that most sailors prefer to use this type of boat batteries especially when their boats are already in motion. As for the maintenance free battery, just as it name said, you need not check the electrolyte of this type of battery.
However, the catch here is that these boat batteries are more expensive than the others and since you are not required to check the condition of the battery often, there is always a tendency that you will not notice if there are some impending problems concerning your boat batteries. Given the odds, many sailors still prefer the combination of the starting batteries and the deep-cycle batteries.
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