when charging batteries, remember how we fill a jerry can and understanding is easy

we just returned from a series of YACHT EXPO SEMINARS and our good friend JEFF COTE with PACIFIC YACHT SYSTEMS shocked the groups with little known facts about batteries and marine electrical

one participant said it was hard to start asking questions because his brain was completely full and the quality and quantity of great information at the event was LIKE DRINKING FROM A FIREHOSE

to take a quick note from JEFF'S ELECTRICAL 101 session, think of topping up the batteries as you would filling a JERRY CAN



when filling one of these, you can initially open the nozzle right up and fill quickly - think of this as BULK CHARGING

as you get past 85%, one needs to slow down or it will spill everywhere - this is ABSORPTION CHARGING and trickier to do when you are out cruising, so some cruisers will bring the batteries up to around 85% and then start using them again

topping off a near full battery - replacing the gas that evaporates so to speak, is called FLOAT CHARGING and newer battery chargers are able to do this without damaging the batteries - what JEFF called not killing the batteries with "DEATH BY 1000 PAPER CUTS"

for more helpful tips - check back or check out the PACIFIC YACHT SYSTEMS BLOG