Why Using The Right Battery For Your Fishing Boat Is Important
There are many types of twelve-volt automotive batteries on the market that are suitable for automotive use, and you may be tempted to put one in your fishing boat to save some money. While these batteries are similar in many ways, automotive batteries are not well suited for boats, and marine batteries are a better option.
Vibrations and Impacts
The batteries you put in your boat are often subjected to significantly higher vibrations than car batteries can endure. The marine batteries designed for boats often look like car batteries, but they have additional support inside the battery's case to protect it from vibrations and impacts.
Every time your boat goes over a wave and comes down hard against the water, the impact and energy are transferred through the hull. A battery not designed for this type of abuse will eventually suffer damage inside the case. The lead plates inside the battery connect through a plastic partition wall, and if the plates move or break loose from the mount, the bond to the other plates will be lost and the battery can fail.
Marine batteries have heavier mounts than automotive batteries so that the plates stay in place. The marine batteries are also completely sealed to keep water out and to keep the acid inside the battery where it belongs. This extra durability is the more important reason to use the correct battery for your boat when you need to replace the old one.
Powering Accessories
When you visit your marine battery supplier, you may notice several types of batteries available, and how you use the battery can dictate which battery you buy. The marine battery supply will have starting batteries for your main engine, and they will carry deep-cycle marine batteries that you can use to power accessories on your boat.
The main difference is that the deep-cycle battery is designed so that you can charge the battery and then use it to power things like your trolling motor, live well, or electric cooler. It will discharge slowly and can be recharged to use again for the next trip out on the water. These deep-cycle marine batteries are made to run down and then be recharged without damage to the battery, so having several onboard can be helpful.
You can use these batteries all day long, take them home and charge them overnight and then head back out the next day, ready to do it all over again. Deep-cycle batteries are a little more expensive than standard batteries, but they will last longer and provide far better service than a standard 12-volt starting battery in this application.
To learn more, contact a boat battery supplier.