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waterproofing battery question...
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Author:  uno mas [ Thu Dec 27, 2012 7:36 am ]
Post subject:  waterproofing battery question...

hey guys,
i've got what may be an elementary question, but for the life of me i cant seem to get it.
i understand the AA or AAA battery packs being waterproof for obvious corrosion issues, but why does everyone go to extremes to make waterproof boxes, bags and storage for their 12v kayak batteries? i've been around salt water and boats since i could walk, and i have never given consideration to waterproofing a battery. battery placement has always been in a location where submersion, and subsequent shorting of circuits would not be an issue, but i just cant wrap my head around the the whole waterproofing thing. help me understand. what am i missing?

cheers.
drew

Author:  islandspeed2001 [ Thu Dec 27, 2012 9:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: waterproofing battery question...

No matter how hard you try, water will always get on the inside of your kayak. Efforts to keep your electrical dry and secure are important. There are not many places you can secure your battery without having some exposure to water. I don't worry so much about the battery getting wet but do have concerns about the connections that saltwater loves to seek out.

To me the storage of a battery is important also. I have had far too many times, a battery banging around the inside of a kayak . Yes, you could mount the battery on a perm basis but in most cases, it is difficult to remove the battery for recharging.

The best solution to securing your battery and keeping it dry is to mount it in the rear hatch of your Hobie. In my 15+ years of rigging kayaks, this is the best all round solution.

Image

Author:  Herbaldew [ Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: waterproofing battery question...

Here is my method. That is a Powersonic PS PS1250 F1 battery. Even has room for some extra stuff, just have to make sure that there is nothing that could short out between the little bit of terminal left exposed.

The cable came with a Battery Tender, is fused and is a direct connect to the Battery Tender lead for easy charging.

I use it to run a Garmin 440S and have put around 10 hours on it and still have a voltage in the high 11 range.

It fits in the standard Twist and Seal hatch. It has 4 "feet" on the bottom not shown in the photo that I put a dab of silicon in that keeps it from sliding around.

Image

Image

Author:  Tom Kirkman [ Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: waterproofing battery question...

My boats don't leak. although you can expect a cupful of water here and there from opening hatches, condensation, etc. I use a Power Buddy and mount it so that the battery is an inch or two above the bottom of the inside hull. If water reaches it, I've got bigger problems to worry about.

But I won't discount those that have had problems with corrosion or similar. You do what you need to do. If you're not having corrosion or problems with shorts, then you don't need to do anything beyond what you're already doing.

Author:  uno mas [ Sat Dec 29, 2012 8:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: waterproofing battery question...

yea, that's kind of the thing i am not understanding. a $50 pelican box to keep a battery dry is a big investment--for what? the connections are outside the box in the harsh conditions, not inside and protected. same with waterproof bags and even the rear storage box. yes, i know the battery has to go someplace, it cant just bounce around in the hull, but waterproofing the battery itself is not necessary.
in our 70mph flats boat, i have 5 AGM batteries. none of them are in boxes, none are waterproof. but, none are submerged either. i spray them with water after each use. they get wet all the time. in the little flats boat, we have two batteries that are mounted basically in the bilge.
im not disrespecting what everyone is doing, and keeping an expensive part of the electrical system protected is a good investment, i am just not understanding why people go to such extremes.
keeping wiring connections above the bilge is paramount, of course. and i use a liberal amount of dielectric grease on all electrical connections to reduce the risk of corrosion.
the reason i asked this in the first place--aside from just opening up conversation, is that i am re-thinking the battery placement for the PA12 and PA14 and and want to insure i can use as many opinions as possible.
again, not disrespecting others ideas and rigging, just wondering about the logic behind it.

cheers.
drew

Author:  Jcanracer [ Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: waterproofing battery question...

islandspeed2001 wrote:
No matter how hard you try, water will always get on the inside of your kayak. Efforts to keep your electrical dry and secure are important. There are not many places you can secure your battery without having some exposure to water. I don't worry so much about the battery getting wet but do have concerns about the connections that saltwater loves to seek out.
The best solution to securing your battery and keeping it dry is to mount it in the rear hatch of your Hobie. In my 15+ years of rigging kayaks, this is the best all round solution.

Image


So true!!! and thats the exact same battery size and storage solution that I did 8)

Author:  uno mas [ Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: waterproofing battery question...

I agree this is the best I've seen--both for battery and for use if this odd little space. The battery is not only easy to reach, but at this high level in the boat the connectors should stay dry too.
For me equally as important is ease of removal of the battery. When fishing and prefishing out of a hotel for a couple of days, I need to be able to remove and recharge batteries easily. Jcanracer's technique is nearly perfect.

Cheers
Drew

Author:  FishIt [ Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: waterproofing battery question...

Like a lot of other things in life, it's a risk/benefit problem: If you're not willing to take the chance that the battery leads will short, then waterproof 'em; if you are willing to take that chance, then don't.

The easiest fix for the problem is to get a Lock-n-Lock storage container (they're leak-proof) of appropriate size, make a hole in the lid to accommodate the battery leads and seal them with Marine Goop. Then, put the battery in the box, attach the leads, close and lock the lid and, PRESTO! the battery is waterproof, all for about ten bucks and in about ten minutes.

Author:  islandspeed2001 [ Mon Dec 31, 2012 3:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: waterproofing battery question...

(censored) wrote:
Like a lot of other things in life, it's a risk/benefit problem: If you're not willing to take the chance that the battery leads will short, then waterproof 'em; if you are willing to take that chance, then don't.

The easiest fix for the problem is to get a Lock-n-Lock storage container (they're leak-proof) of appropriate size, make a hole in the lid to accommodate the battery leads and seal them with Marine Goop. Then, put the battery in the box, attach the leads, close and lock the lid and, PRESTO! the battery is waterproof, all for about ten bucks and in about ten minutes.


Then how do you secure it inside the kayak without it banging around? I had earlier tried various "containers" to house the battery but never really found a secure easily accessible way to mount the "container" inside. Might suggest that the rear hatch storage trays are pretty much waterproof when the lid is snapped on properly.

Author:  FishIt [ Tue Jan 01, 2013 11:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: waterproofing battery question...

Velcro works, or, attach the box to a scupper with a cable tie.

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