Lifetime of 12 volt boat batteries

[Cove]

The core of my question is when to replace my 12 volt "starter" batteries in my Boat.

I am heading out on a 5 day vacation, trolling for salmon on L Michigan.

My Lund Pro V has 2 batteries that share various duties and one of them is charged by my outboard.

I have not been having problems with batteries but stuff seems to happen to me on special trips, away from home.

These two batteries are 8 and 5 years old. I have not noticed problems, though I plug boat's on-board charger in every night at home.

I tested these batteries with my load tester and they seem to be OK. Seems to me their close cousin, 12 volt auto batteries, used to conk out after 3 - 4 miles, though I probably remember the failures.

My wife's logic is "if it ain't broke don't fix it". I am tempted to drive into a battery store and have them both replace "because they are old"

This, I figured, is the forum to post this question on

[Whoaru99]

They're getting up there. My last pair of trolling batteries went roughly 8 years with no problems, used with on-board as you do, then one day they died pretty much like a light switch turned off.

Good news is batteries are pretty common so it's not like your whole vacation would be ruined. Bad news is that any time something fails out on the lake it's a PITA and potentially dangerous.

[jac714]

I think that at that age I would just replace them if that is an option. They are going to need replacement soon and why take a chance?

[SkunkedAgain]

Take a set of jumper cables that can reach to your deep cycle. I got the longest set that I could find and keep it in my boat. I've already jumped two other boats in the past year and a half. Very handy!

[BoxMN]

8 and 5 years old... they are dead. Get new ones. If you get 4 good years out of them that is normal IMO. 5 years get new batts on cars for me, and boats get new ones at 4. Good luck.

[harvey lee]

MIne were 7 years old this year and they finally gave out. They still worked but not like when they were new.

get a new set and then u don't have to worry.

[Hoffer]

I agree that they need to be replaced as well. However, I would err on the side of trying to get this one more trip out of them. Unless your still going to use them a ton later this Summer and Fall - why buy new ones now when they will just sit all Winter. Then just buy a new fresh set in the Spring.