I learned the hard way about how much water to add to a battery cell. I over did it! Found corrosive sludge/buildup all over my trays and batteries. Did the baking soda and water trick to neutralize. Im using the Noco charger, and leaving it plugged in full time in my boat storage. Tommy and the guys at Rockwall recommended a timer to prevent cooking the batteries too long. I found a decent one at Home Depot for under $20. Did my research on Optima vs traditional batteries, and decided to replace my old Interstate batteries with new ones, but upgrade to the Pro series 29 at $160 a pop-ouch. The dude at the store told me they were the same size, so I thought cool, easy swap without adjusting the height of the battery tray supports. Wrestled them into position, started to tighten the top of the tray,and it wasnt doing well. I felt the bottom of batteries and noticed a gap underneath each one. They would not seat completely. I turned to the forum and learned about the adjustment blocks that can be removed for larger batteries. I removed and everything fit well. Turns out the new batteries are .5 inch longer than old after all.Summary:-If you keep boat in storage, and leave charger plugged in full time, be aware this may cause issues. Signs of issues may be seen as a sludge/crust on terminals and battery trays. Buying an inexpensive timer resolves the issue. The charger plugs into the timer, and timer into the wall. I set the timer to twelve hours after fishing. This allows the charger to work for 12 hours, then it kills the circuit. When leaving for long periods, I turn off the main circuit next to the battery (different and upstream from the master power switch at the helm). Its similar to a Perko switch so gauges/electronics dont pull anything. I also unplug my trolling motor plug. The timer can be programmed to turn on at different times during the week if desired. Be aware of the length of the cord on the timer. None of the timers I found are recommend to work with an extension cord, so try to get a timer that has enough cord to reach the plug of the charger. -Do not overfill water cells of batteries. Only use distilled water, and place approximately 1/8th inch from top of vent slit.-If you do overfill, it will overflow when you charge and make a corrosive mess. This sludge can irritate if not burn the skin. Sprinkle baking soda and rinse with water. Wear gloves and eye protection!-Based on my reading, it makes good financial since to stick with the traditional type of battery. Buying a good battery will cost you, but it provides longer lasting performance, and a much better warranty.-If you upgrade the size from a 27 series to 29 or larger, check the length of the battery bottom. If you go beyond 12 inched in length, remove the adjustment blocks for an easy fit. Otherwise, batteries will sit at an angle and overload the corners that actually make contact.
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