Re: Winterizing and trickle chargers...
 

I turn the battery switch off and hook a trickle <1amp charger to each one and leave it on for the winter. The batteries are from June of 2000 and still going fine. We only get about 4 months of running time here, the rest of the time the batteries are on the chargers... Just checked chargers for ratings and they are output of 600 millamps. These have little clamps on them to go around the terminal and I tie wrapped them around the regular wiring(never take the chargers out of the boat), connected them to a small extension cord which I secured and ran up through the boat and to the side pocket in the cockpit where I'm easily then able to plug into an extension cord going to my house power outlet. So I've got 4 years on them so far, no problems. Good luck!

Re: Winterizing and trickle chargers...
 

Youu need to check these out.

Call Ron @ Cell Mate: www.batterycellmate.com
He has a patent on his chargers. They are the only ones that don’t “cook” your batteries. All the other advertisements say they shut off but they DON’T.

I had them repackage the circuit board to fit in my Billet Battery Box posts. We are also making a "Billet" stand alone case.

Check out ours at: www.getrealperformance.com

Re: Winterizing and trickle chargers...
 

http://batterytender.com/includes/la...rproof_800.pdf

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-P...&RS=PN/3963976


http://www.batterymart.com/pdf_files/batteryminder.pdf

I use the BatterMinder and have got good results, unlike other chargers it did not boil down the water levels in the cells, the batterytender will give similar results

Re: Winterizing and trickle chargers...
 

Sorry to burst your bubble. All of the chargers you mentioned are “float charge” chargers. They turn off the High Amperage but still keep a slow charge that can harm the battery.

I have researched "EVERY" one the market, I would like to know if you can find one that compares to the CellMate.

Re: Winterizing and trickle chargers...
 

Looks like Cellmate is a good unit too. at least for keeping battery from going dead.

The Batteryminder has a desulfinator/Freqency pulse charge

Batteryminder does not...boil down or damage.. I have used them for all my toys with no boil down
it actually improves slightly sulfinated cells "patented".
I learned the hard way with the el cheapo 12-20.00 trickle chargers and found 1/2 of the water missing from batttery
I have 2 fluke DVM's and put one in series for current and one across to get voltage. I do agree that most put out too much float current and voltage
http://www.batterymart.com/pdf_files/batteryminder.pdf
so far I have used them on Bike, ski, boat and tractor. Battery last longer for me

Re: Winterizing and trickle chargers...
 

I never remove the battery, a group 27 or 29 marine deep cycle Die-Hard best one, I simply make sure it is fully charged after I put the boat away, leave it be for the northern New York winters and got 11 seasons out of my last one, 6 out of current one so far.