Watch for Hints Your Cranking Battery is Dying

In most cases, we all know when something is out of whack with our bodies. And, if we pay close attention to the starting battery in our boat, we often will get a hint or two that something also is wrong there. Here are some things to watch for:

     * If you're one of those who keeps your onboard charger plugged in 24/7, take a minute each time you walk by your boat to check the charger's indicator lights. If you start noticing the battery charging more often than normal, make a mental note of it. For instance, if the battery charges up OK after a trip but then kicks on again every three or four days for a top-off, that may signal trouble ahead.

     * Also be mindful if the trim motor seems to start running slower than usual.

     * If the outboard starts cranking slower that normal, that can be another sign of trouble in the making. In a lot of cases, though, you won't notice this particular change because it happens so gradually.

     * If running the electronics while fishing starts dropping the battery voltage more than usual, that, too, can be a signal your battery is getting ready to die.

A messy but, by far, the best way to check a flooded battery is to check the electrolyte's specific gravity with a hydrometer. Your battery still might be showing all green lights after a charge but not be fully charged. The hydrometer test will tell you for sure.

The smart angler is the one who pays attention to his cranking battery--all batteries, for that matter. And some will tell you it's a good idea to have an equalization charge done on a flooded battery (you can't do them on sealed batteries) once a season, along with a set of health tests. An equalization charge is a carefully controlled overcharge that brings weak cells back up to a normal level without damaging healthy cells that are already there.

Paying attention to your batteries won't keep them from sending you death notices sooner or later, but it should keep them from coming as a surprise.