2 Signs The Marine Battery On Your Boat Needs Replacing

If you frequently take your boat out to enjoy time spent on the ocean, you may have noticed that your vessel no longer has the power it once did. You may have also noticed that the lights and other peripherals have started to dim or seem to glitch whenever you attempt to accelerate.

When these problems occur, there is a good chance that the battery is to blame. While charging up a good battery can eliminate these issues, there comes a time when doing so will no longer work because the battery is failing. Below are a couple of signs that the battery is bad and needs to be replaced.

1. Battery Needs To Be Recharged More Frequently than in the Past

One sign that your boat's battery is going bad is the need to recharge it more frequently. You may find that you have to recharge it in the middle of a boating excursion to bring the power back up to where you need it.

You may also notice that the battery only has a partial charge after it sits overnight. If this is the case, the storage cells have gone bad, and the store power is discharging too rapidly. If this is the case, you will need to replace it, especially if you see further signs upon visual inspection.

2. Battery Posts Are Caked with a Scaly Substance That Smells Like Rotten Eggs 

Once you have determined that your battery is losing its charge, look at the posts. If the battery has gone bad, you may see a scaly substance caking the metal surfaces of the posts.

You may also detect an odor that resembles rotten eggs when you find the scaly corrosion. If the corrosion is severe, you will smell the foul odor from several feet away. This corrosion is caused by constant exposure to saltwater.

Once it becomes bad enough to be visible, you will need to replace the battery. After replacing it with a new one, make sure you disconnect the battery and clean the posts with baking soda and water to keep this problem from happening again.

If the battery on your boat is losing power and needs to be recharged frequently, look at the battery itself. If the posts are corroded with a rotten-smelling substance, the battery is too far gone and should be replaced before you take your boat out again. Either write down the numbers on the battery or take it with you to a parts store that sells marine boat batteries to have a sales representative assist you in purchasing a replacement.

For more information on boat batteries, contact a professional near you.