Battery for my trailer

So I have a deep cycle battery for my trailer. It is usually charges by a solar panel. Unfortunately we went through a spell of not a lot of sun and then undecided to store an uncharged/low charged battery in the garage for a few months.

What are peoples opinions. Is the battery toast.

I have read about an equilizing charge. Anybody know how to do that?

yes J, it should be worthless now...they will give you approx $15 (depending on where you live) for a recycle fee if you hand it over when buying a new one...which will cost you $75 on up prob. Buy a $15 battery tender and keep it plugged in when it is in the garage.

jbrown2 wrote:So I have a deep cycle battery for my trailer. It is usually charges by a solar panel. Unfortunately we went through a spell of not a lot of sun and then undecided to store an uncharged/low charged battery in the garage for a few months. What are peoples opinions. Is the battery toast. I have read about an equilizing charge. Anybody know how to do that?

Why dont you just try charging the battery, using it as you normally would, and analyzing its performance for your intended application?

I agree with admin, remember to put it on a board or plywood not on the concrete floor it zaps the battery

ottice webb wrote: the concrete floor it zaps the battery

http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/battery.asp

I would try buying something like a Battery Tender and see how it turns out. I got mine pretty cheap off of Amazon.

Personally, I wouldn't store batteries in the garage if it gets remotely cold. I bring the motorcycle battery inside during the winter and periodically put it on the Battery Tender.

If you have batteries that sit unused for long periods of time you should have a trickle charger anyways. Buy it and see if it saves the battery if not buy a new battery and keep it on the trickle charger.

The one I have only charges at 1.5 amps so it uses very little electricity.

wankel7 wrote:I would try buying something like a Battery Tender and see how it turns out. I got mine pretty cheap off of Amazon. Personally, I wouldn't store batteries in the garage if it gets remotely cold. I bring the motorcycle battery inside during the winter and periodically put it on the Battery Tender. If you have batteries that sit unused for long periods of time you should have a trickle charger anyways. Buy it and see if it saves the battery if not buy a new battery and keep it on the trickle charger. The one I have only charges at 1.5 amps so it uses very little electricity.

Meh, I ran a deep cycle battery in my diesel car and I would leave the vehicle sitting for up to a year at a time in the cold and snow. I would take the battery out, and it would sit outside in -50F temps in the winter covered in four feet of snow. Then, without charging the battery at all, I would throw it back in my car and the car would usually start without charging the battery. The battery lasted me six years before it would no longer start my diesel car (which had a high-torque starter). That said, I was using an Optima Blue Top, which is a bit better battery than your standard lead acid cell Wal-Mart batteries.