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Thread: How to keep battery strong over the winter

  1. #1
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    Default How to keep battery strong over the winter

    Every year about this time I get my four wheeler out from the garage.. and it doesn't start. Every year I get mad and think its a starter or a wire loose, so I start looking around and playing with wires. And every year it is a dead battery. So in high hopes, I charge the battery overnight. Then the next day, it doesn't hold a charge. So I go buy a new battery and I am back in business.
    This is a hunting atv, I use it only in deer season to corn up and haul game in. I understand that I don't use it much but after season I put the atv in my garage outside of the rain and weather.
    Does it dye because it is not being used or because it is left outside ? Should I just take out the battery each Winter and bring it inside? I suppose I could fire it up every month and run it around the neighborhood and watch my neighbors head turn.

  2. #2
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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by reeltight View Post
    This right here.

  4. #4
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    interesting! I was actually considering one of these for the boat battery too. I have a few other accessories hooked up to the atv battery, so because it says it has alligator clips, can I just clip right to the terminal without disconnecting the other wires ? The ignition would obviously be off.

    If I can find a two bank that will be golden, then I can hook both the boat and atv up at once
    Last edited by duckz; 06-22-2019 at 11:24 AM.

  5. #5
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    My fishing boat usually sits for 6+ months in the outdoors but fires right up...maybe try a different battery manufacturer, remove it or put an off switch to keep it disconnected.
    Ephesians 2 : 8-9



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  6. #6
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    @ $25 buy two. Or just one and move it from battery to battery from time to time.

    What else is hooked up to the atv battery? Whatever it is is probably your problem.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by reeltight View Post
    @ $25 buy two. Or just one and move it from battery to battery from time to time.

    What else is hooked up to the atv battery? Whatever it is is probably your problem.
    Good point, I could swap it every month.
    It could be the wiring, but the thing is, during season I leave it out in the woods at camp for 4-6months and never have an issue. Its when it sits from Feb-July that the battery ends up dying since I am not constantly using it re-charging it. Could be the brand I suppose. I don't know, its annoying but I think ill start with the charger idea.

  8. #8
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    Why not just walk out to the shed and crank it up once or twice a week?
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  9. #9
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    If I recall a car battery can not maintain itself with more than a 40 milliamp continuous draw. You need to find out if you have something that’s always drawing some power. Or keep a trickle charger on it

  10. #10
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    Charge them a couple times over the winter, works for my mowers

  11. #11
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    Go to Harbor Freight and buy a $10 battery tender. They work great
    and wont overcharge it.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by ecu1984 View Post
    Go to Harbor Freight and buy a $10 battery tender. They work great
    and wont overcharge it.
    This. You can catch them on sale as I got all mine for 5.99. Plug um up and forget it.
    Gettin old is for pussies! AND MY NEW TRUE people say like Capt. Tom >>>>>>>>>/
    "Wow, often imitated but never duplicated. No one can do it like the master. My hat is off to you DRDUCK!"

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by DRDUCK View Post
    This. You can catch them on sale as I got all mine for 5.99. Plug um up and forget it.
    Been using them for years and never a problem either. I probably have 10 in a tool box drawer in the garage.
    I think they charge as well, cause I put one on a stone cold dead ass car battery and a few weeks later it was at 12.5V

  14. #14
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    What’s been said on here about the tender. Same battery in my mower for 4 years. Lives plugged in to a tender. Only 2nd maybe 3rd I forget which starting battery on Jon boat since I bought it new in 2008. 3rd or 4th trolling motor battery same boat. They all live in a charger. It’s a no brainer. And start the damn thing once a month or so off season.
    \"We say grace and we say maam, if you ain\'t into that, we don\'t give a damn.\" HW Jr.

  15. #15
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    My boat, sadly, gets used about 4-6 times a year.

    Those Interstates, however, have yet to let me down, and o have not done a thing to them.

    My yard toys all have quick connects installed so I can put them on those small tender/chargers though.

    Sent from my S9+ using Tapatalk

  16. #16
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    Battery Tender brand is the real deal. I have the pigtails on every vehicle/boat/powersports etc. and can plug it in anytime. I have permanently mounted a BT in the rafters of my pole shed and it just becomes routine. Be sure you get the 4amp style that auto recognizes lead/gel/agm etc. completely worth it. It even cycles lead batteries to burn off gases. MG
    Dum Spiro Spero

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