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dscew posted 11-25-2002 04:39 PM ET (US)   Profile for dscew  
After some spectacular Minnesota cold-weather boating in my Katama last week, I winterized the old '74 Johnsonrude 75. Did everything perfect, Stabilled, fogged, changed the lower unit oil, greased, etc. When I went out today to take the battery out, I noticed that I had left the ignition on. Battery was stone dead; not frozen yet, but dead enough so that it wouldn't move a voltmeter. I've heard that a stone dead battery can't be trusted anymore, and also that leaving the ignition on for an extended period can ruin coils or other parts. It looks like the battery is taking a charge. Any comments? Bigshot, I need you to weigh in here.
tuna1 posted 11-25-2002 05:50 PM ET (US)     Profile for tuna1  Send Email to tuna1     
Yes a stone dead battery if left for a long period will freeze,yours did not get cold enough.When a battery freezes the plates can be crack and the battery is junk.Also if a battery is left uncharged for a long period the plates in it become covered with a sulfate and charging will not remove the sulfate off the plates,and the battery will not take a charge and is junk.Overnight like you did should not present any long term problems.
simonmeridew posted 11-25-2002 07:13 PM ET (US)     Profile for simonmeridew  Send Email to simonmeridew     
If it's a starter/cranking type battery(auto type) it may be suspect. If dual purpose or deep cycle probably ok. Put a real slow charge on it, a couple of amps/hr if possible for a couple of days you may be ok.
I store my Buick for the winter, and if I don't take the battery out when I store it, the battery is flat dead by spring. Parasitic loss: computer, clocks, memory. So I said last April when I got it out of storage, time to buy a new battery. By the time I got it jumped and on to the auto parts place it was closed on a Saturday so I said well let's see how the battery takes a charge. It started my Park Avenue all summer without a wimper, I think it's at least a 5 year old battery.

There are a lot of sophisticated tests you can run on a battery which for the most part can be theoretical because you can just go down next spring and buy a new battery for $60. and be done with it for 3-4 years.
This link supplies much more info than you could ever want to know about batteries.
http://uuhome.de/william.darden/
read the articles and you decide.
simonmeridew

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