Maintaining toy batteries

[Jester1]

I consider my blazer to be a project/leisure toy as some do, but I have the other toys too. RV, boat, bikes, lawnmower, etc. Well spring is here and was getting boat ready to take out and realized I have about nine batteries that I try to maintain through the winter and that doesn't include the DD's, or the old man's planes and toys. Needless to say they take up valuable room in the garage not to mention the fact that between steel fab and woodworking they look like crap from dust come spring.

So my thoughts turned to reducing the amount of batteries I tend and combining a few for uses, i.e. I have 4 total for boat and RV. Get rid of 2 and swap back and forth for each. This is just a thought and probably not a good one, but.....

What do you guys with multiple toys do? I am now starting to think of a charging station setup on a cart or rack that I can parallel the battery's together on with some kind of tender or individual trickle's. Also considering a solar type set up so I don't need to have it plugged into the wall for three months. I will probably build a shed this summer and have been looking at solar heat and power anyway to help keep the stuff somewhat warm through the cold and to have it stand alone from the house power. This will at least give me a place to store them away from the garage.

Just trying to scratch for some ideas and figured this is a great place to start. Pics and descriptions would be helpful, as I am sure a few of us here have this problem and even better, a few have solutions.

 

[89yimmiJ]

While i do have multiple toys, none of them interchange batteries so a rack is of no use to me. I do use the solar chargers from Wal-mart, pep, northern, harbor, etc. that run $15 to $25. I have never experienced a dead battery when connected to these. The optima in my k5 is ten years old and starts right up whether i drive it once a week or once every six months.

 

[Jester1]

Thanks for the reply.

I guess the only thing I have that's interchangeable is the boat and camper, so eliminating only gets me down 2 but should I go camping at the lake, duh on me.

I guess I am kinda polling the northern guys as we have those times when batteries freeze at -30 so we gotta keep them warm.

I do like the idea of your solar charger and will have to look into wattage on them. I am thinking in the 1-2000 watt range in order to charge batteries and some LED lighting in the shed. Wife and I are also talking small 12 volt pump for her gardening needs.

At least the hippies are good for something on you tube.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Why do you even remove the batteries in the first place? All that's needed is to start whatever vehicle/equipment at least once a month and let it run for a little bit to allow the charger to give them the surface charge they need. Hell, I go for 3-4 months without driving my blazer AND without even starting it and when I do jump in it to drive it fires right up. Having a GOOD battery goes a long ways to having it start when needed.

Don't know how many times i've said this before but, I will NEVER run anything other than an Interstate battery again. I've had these same Interstate batteries in my blazer since 11-20-2001 and they've NEVER let me down yet.

 

[Jester1]

-30 degrees. They freeze and explode (crack) or pop the top and push the acid out. Nasty mess. Once was enough.

DD's don't suffer the same problem they get cycled regularly, but camp trailer and boat and lawn mower don't get used for 3-4 months of the year. And no room to park inside.

Oh and three of them are interstate mega tron marine and rv batteries. Used to be 4.

 

[2BLAZERS]

Slide in truck Camper - I keep plugged in all the time. Keeps the batteries fresh and the fridge on 24/7 going on 2 years now.

K5 - I drive it every weekend. At minimum I just take my daughter to Starbucks or some other arrand.

Little Honda 2000 Generator, I just start it up every other weekend and let it run for 15 minutes. Do the same with the propane generator on the truck camper.

Quads and RZR, their garage is my enclosed trailer so I start them up almost every weekend by opening up the trailer and letting them run for 15 minutes or so.

Dump trailer battery, every month or so i run an extension cord out to and put the battery charger on it. (If its not being used much)

 

[Jester1]

Thanks for the reply 2blazers. My problem is that not everything is on site.(at home) Plus my job requires travel so sometimes I am not on site for a long time. (Just now home after 3 months) Between the cold and travel I want to make it as easy for the bride as possible when I am away. Just like the firewood I spend 1-2 weekends getting it put up so all she has to do is snow removal.

I have also learned I can not trust tenants to take care of stuff either so this is just part of the routine.

A couple of years ago I could go start stuff or plug it in but now it's eaiser to bring it all back to one place.