Can You Charge A Marine Battery With Your Car?Find Out Now

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Before going straight to the answer to the given question of if “you can charge a marine battery with your car?” let me give you a brief explanation about the marine battery. A marine battery is developed precisely for use on a boat with bigger plates and strong construction developed to overcome the vibration that could occur onboard.

Can You Charge A Marine Battery With Your Car? Marine batteries can also be referred to as starting batteries, multi-purpose batteries or deep cycle batteries.

They are normally mixed starting and deep cycle batteries, with a sponge plate made of lead that is thicker and heavier than initiating a battery plate. A marine battery can perform as a cranking battery and more than that.

Through that explanation, I’m sure we already know what a marine battery is and probably what it does. But it might be so confusing so I will answer the question.

To move straight to the answer, yes, you can charge your marine battery with your car. But I doubt if it is advisable to do so because, after my research, there were a lot of negative remarks from charging your marine battery with a car. (Read Also: Can You Start A Car With A Battery Tender Connected? Find Out)

Table Of Contents

Can I Put A Marine Battery In My Car 

A marine battery cannot produce the needed current to ignite a car. Moreover, there are moments when a marine battery can replace a car battery of a car with a small engine. (Read Also: Can I Start A Car With A Battery Charger Connected? Find Out)

So yes, you can put a marine battery in your car If it meets the conditions of voltage, quantity, rates, terminal capacity.

  1. Can be a 12 volts battery that is restored by an alternator.
  2. Matches the huge rate(CCA) conditions of 650 CCA, or probably 800 required for cranking the car engine.
  3. The right quantity- the common car batteries quantities are 24, 25, 35, 34, 51and so on. So the marine battery you should select must be closer to one of these quantities.
  4. Has adequate terminal capacity. Though you may have to alter the battery clasp down and probably switch the end of the terminal because the number of marine batteries does not allow them to suit the car battery tray.

What Is The Best Way To Charge A Marine Battery 

 Charging a battery is important for you to get a benefit from your battery.  Most people say it’s bad to charge a new battery, but that’s not true. A new battery should be well charged after purchasing it cause charging could increase the ability of a battery.  And to prevent startling problems frequently, you should charge your marine battery after every ride. 

 To answer the question, the best way to charge a marine battery is by using a specified marine battery charger that was designed to charge a marine battery.

Different types of marine batteries require different chargers based on the chemical equipment chargers vary from each other. Do not use an economical charger for your marine battery, it has to be the one specially designed for marine batteries.

Common chargers could damage the battery and they do not specify the status of the battery so you won’t be able to know if the battery is not charged or overcharged. A good charger would keep your battery strong.  And by the way, there are 2 types of marine battery chargers.

There’s the portable one and the non-portable one and most people think that the portable one is the good one. The portable chargers have negative issues, they are common and can be easily stolen but the non-portable marine battery charger offers you a good service and also lasts for a long time. So yes, using a non-portable marine charger is best. I’d give you the steps by which you can charge a marine battery well using the charger.

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  1. Examine The Battery Status

normally, marine batteries are fixed in the center of the boat, and dirt and some other water particles shade the battery. So before charging, you should examine the battery and set the battery clean, or else the battery won’t charge well.  

First, pick a suitable place for charging your battery and unwrap the battery to start the charge, then switch off the switch of the battery and do not charge the battery if it is programmed in the active mode because it may result in a serious accident when you are about to put the point in the battery. 

Examine the terminal of the battery and if there’s any form of decomposed particles, clean them immediately because it may also result in a hamper when about to charge. Aside from the charging period, always clean your battery, it would help your battery to remain healthy and beneficial. 

2. Connect The Battery To The Charger

once you are done cleaning your battery, you are allowed to start preparing the charging procedures. The terminal of the marine battery connects to the charger.

Once you have connected the charger and the battery, switch on the battery charger and allow the battery charge.

Right before you set the charger, you should make sure you obey the instructions that are provided in the battery charger manual. You can review the battery status and a quick charger will automatically regulate the charging process.

Since you are using the specified charger for your battery, then there’s no chance of overcharging the battery. You shouldn’t overcharge your battery. It would weaken it.  

Is There A Difference Between A Deep Cycle Battery And A Marine Battery?

Yes, there’s a difference between them both. Though, marine batteries normally fall in between the deep cycle and starting battery.  And most marine batteries are real deep cycle batteries. I’d explain the difference between them.

Deep Cycle Battery

a deep cycle battery has a thick plate and it can discharge down to 80% every minute without resulting in any defect.(Read Also:Can A Bad Alternator Ruin The Battery?)

The difference, a starter battery transmits small and high current explosions to crank a car. This means that they often discharge a little part of their ability.  A deep cycle battery can also be used as an industrial backup and also solar energy.

Marine Battery

a marine battery can be a starting battery, multi-purpose battery, or deep cycle battery. They are normally a mixture of starting and deep cycle batteries with a thick sponge plate and they have a lot of weight than a starter battery plate but it’s not as coarse as a deep cycle plate. It can be impossible to explain what you can get in a marine battery and the only thing known is to open one.   

Can You Jumpstart A Car With A Marine Battery 

Since a marine battery can be in different forms, it can also be used for various things too. So to answer the question, Of course, you can jumpstart a car with a marine battery. Because most marine batteries are starting batteries so they can be used to jumpstart a car. Jump-starting a car with a marine battery shouldn’t be an issue.

How Do You Start A Boat With A Dead Battery

You can start a boat with a dead battery by following the steps listed below;

Step 1 – Examine The Battery

If there’s a problem with starting your boat, you might guess it’s the battery. Examine the battery to know if there’s anything that’s stopping the battery from functioning. Examine the battery cables and make sure they are of good quality. 

Step 2 – Safety Check 

Right before you jump-start the boat you have to be sure that every device in the boat is turned off. Make sure there’s nothing making use of the battery. 

Step 3 – Join The Terminal Of The Jumpstart Battery And The Boat Battery

Be sure to join the positive and positive terminal and the negative and negative terminal. Sit still for a few minutes to make the battery charge. And then turn on the ignition of the boat like you normally do then the boat should start. Make sure you disconnect the terminals. 

Why Is My Marine Battery Not Holding A Charge? 

There are a few reasons why your marine battery is not charging or it’s losing charge and it will be listed below;

  • If the battery has refused to charge while the boat is moving then the rectifier may be faulty and you might need to change it. To change the alternator is very easy and you can do it yourself. 
  • If your battery is on land and you are charging it but it’s losing charge then you should probably examine the battery charger you are utilizing and make sure it is well connected or probably the battery charger is faulty.

   FAQs

What Is The Average Life of A Marine Battery?

A marine battery has an average life of three years though marine batteries attain a 3-year warranty because that’s the expected time for it to stay. A good marine battery should last for 3 years. But since it also has a 3-year warranty, if the marine battery you purchased has an issue that you can’t resolve yourself you can call the vendor for a new one.

Why Does My Boat Battery Develop Heat? 

The reason why most battery is developing heating could be because the battery is drying up and it’s causing it to overheat. You can fill up the battery with purified water. But when you notice your battery developing heat make sure you stop utilizing it and make sure you disconnect every appliance connected to the battery.  And you can also take it out from the boat and allow it to settle down for a few hours. You should remove the battery to prevent it from blowing up in the boat.(Read Also:How Long Do Jeep Cherokee Batteries Last?)

Do I Need To Disconnect My Marine Battery?

Yes, you need to disconnect the battery. You should disconnect your marine battery when it’s on land but if it’s on the water then u can leave it connected. I’d give a brief explanation on why you should. You should know that switching off the boat will not stop the battery from sifting. While your boat is switched off, your marine battery can still attract power from things in the water like the bilge, fishfinder, and so on but you might not notice. These things will sift your battery slowly. If you plan to park your boat for a few weeks you should disconnect the battery and make sure it is well charged. 

How To Disconnect Your Marine Battery

You can disconnect your marine battery, by following the steps that will be listed below: 

  • Remove the black wire.
  • You might need to use a plier to loosen the nuts to do this.
  • Use your hand to carefully twist and pull the wire and carefully slide it out of the terminal.
  • But if the wire doesn’t move, do not use a plier to poke it off because it can cause some little damage. You can use a terminal puller.
  • Immediately you’ve removed the wire, fold it off to the side.
  • Do the same to the other wire and follow the same procedure.

Things To Do Before Storing The Marine Battery

You can store the marine battery by doing the following: 

  • Search for damage – examine the battery to be sure that there’s no sign of breakage or any decomposed particles. If the water in the battery is drying up, fill it up with purified water.
  • Maintain the battery – you can do this by cleaning the battery frequently. Use a clean cloth or an old toothbrush to brush away the dirt. You can also use a mixture of baking soda and water to clean the battery terminals.
  • Keep an eye on the battery – you should keep an eye on the battery while storing the battery. Do this at least every 2 to 4 weeks and also make sure it is still well charged.

Can You Charge A Marine Battery With Your Car –  Conclusion

I hope I’ve been able to give you the answer you want to every question that was asked. And please share your ideas and also ask more questions in the comment sections and I’d be glad to learn and hear from you. Let’s reason together cause we now live in an era where we have to learn new things daily.

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