Second Marine Battery Installation for a Power Boat

Marine battery installation on this boat for power back-up

A second battery was installed via a 4-way battery master switch on a boat. It's always a good idea to have back-up power when in the water.

A marine purpose battery was used as this type of battery can handle vibration and have strong starting and deep cycle features. When driving a car, the road is usually smooth and sealed. Marine batteries need the ability to withstand wave pounding or trailer transport. The repeat impact on non-marine batteries can cause damage in the internal components or outer case of the battery. The result can be the acceleration of corrosion, spilling of active materials and ultimately, battery failure.

Marine batteries are designed specifically for the water environment, they have the starting power to crank over high compression engines but also provide the power needed to run on board accessories.

When you choose a marine battery, make sure you invest in one that is suitable for your purpose - whether leisure boating or commercial marine application. For commercial boating, you'd usuallyl need a thicker plate design to reduce self-discharge and water loss. The internal components of the battery must also be more robust for heavy duty applications

Tips to take care of your marine battery:

Clean terminals regularly, making sure they are corrosion free.
Keep an eye on the charge indicator to estimate if battery needs charging (when the voltage is below 12.5V) or replacing.
If you need to store the battery, perform a full charge of the battery before storing it.
Check the state of charge or voltage regularly.
Use a good quality automatic charger appropriate to the battery.
Before connecting or re-connecting to electrical devices, performing a battery maintenance check.