How To Charge A Boat Battery While On Water? [Updated On- 2024]

As a result of the tremendous innovations and inventions in the marine sector, today, it is possible to use your battery-powered boat without the fear of running out of charge. Meaning, if you are using the boat for leisure, you will not have to cut it short. Wait, what am I talking about?

In conjunction with settling for a high-quality battery that will retain charge for a more extended period, you can also recharge the battery while on the water. Yes, I mean precisely that.

Are you wondering how that is possible? This article is dedicated to nothing less but getting all your questions regarding boat battery charging while on water answered. So, you are in the right place.

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Charging Boat Battery On the Water

Before I dive right into our primary focus, it would help if I first explain which charger you should use. Because not every marine boat charger can charge your battery.

Boat Battery Chargers

The boat battery charger is the main requirement if you are not willing to cut short your leisure time. Most people are tempted to use car battery charges. While that may help, you will be risking. So which is the right marine battery charger?

First, it is a right-sized charger. Typically, the charger should have a capacity ranging from 10 to 15 percent of the batteries to be charged. For instance, to charge batteries with a capacity of 200Ah, you should use at least a charger with a current rating of 20amps.

Next, check the voltage compatibility. Ideally, the boat batteries have a voltage rating of 120-volt, 240volt, and 120/240 volt. I would recommend a charger that is capable of holding both voltage ratings, that is 12/240volt.

Still, you should be considerate of the type of charger you are using. There is a portable and onboard charger. As the name suggests, an onboard charger is connected to the battery system and has minimal flexibility. For that reason, I would much recommend a portable charger.

Though the onboard charger beats the portable charger when it comes to durability

Above that, you can also consider some of the other common factors such as durability and pricing. Well, you can’t afford to risk paying for an item that will only live for a few days.

Steps On How To Charge The Boat Battery

It is time to get things fixed!

As usual, get the requirements. In this case, it is the boat and the charger.

Step 1; Switch Off The Boat

You will be getting the battery wet. Hence, for risk reasons, you need to power off the switch. Therefore, check if the button is off and, if not, do the thing.

Step 2; Clean Up The Battery

Clean up session is crucial before charging the battery. Thus check the presence of dirt or any debris on the battery.

Similarly, if the battery connectors are corroded, you will have to clean them. Don’t leave any dirt!

Step 3; Connect The Charger

Is your battery sparkling clean? Alright, it is time to start recharging it now.

Take the charger and connect it to the terminals of the battery.

Step 4; Start Charging

Switch on the smart battery charger, and wait for your boat to be recharged. If you are curious about the charger’s progress, you can check on the LED display located on the charger.

Step 5; Disconnect The Charger

Is the battery fully recharged? Then, it is time to disconnect the charger and resume your pleasure comfortably.

How?

First, switch off the charger and then disconnect it from the terminals. Hurray! You are done!

What To Note While Charging The Boat Battery While On Water?

Besides knowing how to recharge the battery, it is vital to avoid mistakes that could shorten your battery system life. That will save you from another unplanned budget of purchasing a boat battery or charger. Observe the below tips to get the charger and battery to live longer.

Have A Compatible Battery And Charger- I can’t emphasize enough the importance of having the right boat battery and charger. I have already talked about choosing a suitable boat battery charger; let’s now look at the battery. There are several types of boat batteries made for different boat designs. Due to budget reasons, most people use dual-purpose batteries, which are commonly known as marine batteries. There are other boat batteries such as absorbent glass mat and spiral-wound battery.
Overcharge And Undercharge If You Will Be Disposing of The Boat Soonest! Yes, it is as simple as that. Overcharging and undercharging a boat battery, which actually is the case with all batteries, will shorten their lifetime. Hence, for longevity reasons, always charge the batteries fully.
Maintain The Battery- battery maintenance goes way behold just recharging them. For instance, installing the battery wrongly exposes it to excessive vibrations, which interferes with the battery system, thus weakening its performance.

Similarly, if you are using a wet battery, regular evaporations risk their performance. In short, depending on your battery, maintain it well if you want to live for ages.

Summary

Nothing aggravates like getting stranded in the middle of nowhere, worse, after anticipating the best leisure activity in the water. That is after the boat battery running out of charge. Worse, if you are not knowledgeable about how to recharge a boat battery while on the water, it might be the worst dilemma for you.

Why not learn how to recharge a boat battery while on the water to avoid such unpleasant predicaments? Even better, it is not a neuroscience type of thing to learn. And the best part, this article simplifies everything.

The first thing to charge the battery is having the right charger. The charger capacity should be at least 10 to 15% of the battery’s capacity to be recharged.

After switching off the switch and then clean up all corrosions, debris, and dirt in the battery system, that you are fully prepared to get things done. How? Answer that by reading the steps highlighted in this piece.

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