Trolling Motor Batteries

[jak1717]

Over the winter my on board charger gave it up. I always top off the batteries with distilled water before winter and leave the charger on all winter (had a Promariner charger that had, would condition , maintain ect...)

After finding that the onboard charger quit, I tried charging the batteries with a portable charger for deep cycle batteries and the full charge light wont come on (I have charged each battery for 3 days on 10 amp charge)

Are the batteries shot?

How do I check to see if they are shot? (they are 3 years old and have been taken care of, always kept topped off and kept on charge)

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

  Scott

[Ketchup]

if you dont have a meter to test, take them to any Walmart, autozone, etc. and they will test for free. 

[MickinMO]

I am just now getting back into boating after a 10 year hiatius, but recently my buddy has had his deep cycles go bad about every 2 or 3 seasons. Far as I know he wasn't doing anything different from when we were growing up and he knows how to take care of stuff. We believed the culprit was lack of battery quality in the first place. Not sure on brand, but he had bought some from Walmart.  So, after the second time it happened he bought Interstates and hasn't had a problem since. I know my car guy has told me that these modern batteries are more fickle and once a cell goes bad the battery is toast or at least unreliable. My truck battery last year tested ok after getting stranded. Still tried to jump it and charge it with the tow guy. Still nothing. Towed it to the shop. My mechanic swapped out for a new battery and it started right up. 

[Dutch]

Buy a cheap hydrometer from an auto store or wally world.  They should be 12.7 volts if fully charged.

[jak1717]

Thanks for the input