2013 Summer Newsletter
Summer is finally here! Boats are getting waxed, motorcycles are firing up, and RV's are getting loaded. Seems like just yesterday we were battling snow, and that pesky frost on our windshields. Now we are maxing out our Air conditioning systems. For this upcoming season, make sure to take care of your battery systems. It's a great time to check the water level in your batteries, clean the terminals, and make sure your batteries are fully charged and ready for adventure when you are. We've got some nice little tools and great advice on battery care in this issue, so be sure to read to the end. For those of you that make it that far, we have put together a nice special for your battery care.
What to Expect
Acid or Water
This is a pretty common question we get during the hot summer months. As the temperature warms up, and the charge/discharge cycles begin in earnest, flooded (or conventional/traditional) type batteries loose water thru evaporation. This is a natural part of the process of any non sealed battery and is to be expected. You can check your battery cells pH levels with our EZ Red Professional Hydrometer. The question we get is, 'should I add water or sulfuric acid?'.
The answer is pretty simple. Only add pure, distilled water. Let me explain. When a battery begins to dry out, it is the water that evaporates, leaving behind the magic chemicals. When it comes time to replenish, we need to make sure to maintain the precise balance that allows your battery to do what it does. For those weaker batteries try out our Battery Equalizer to reduce, and help dissolve existing sulfation.
Since all the chemicals are still in there, adding more chemicals(acid) will upset the delicate balance inside your battery. Simply add water, and the chemicals will be released back into that water during the charge/discharge cycles. Please see the following article to find out when it's appropiate to add acid.
That Guy
No one wants to be 'that guy', especially when it comes to boating. You know exactly what I am talking about. You go to the lake or river to launch your boat. You expect to be launched and on your merry way in a matter of minutes, but your well laid plan is quickly put to waste by 'that guy.' You know, the one that can't get his boat or jet ski to start and is blocking up the ramp. Soon, his buddies truck is blocking water entry, hood first in 2ft of water with a set of jumper cables trying to access a not so accessible battery. What could go wrong?
Make sure this is not you! Do a little battery pre-check before you leave home. A simple load test, or in the absence of that, a volt test will tell you a lot about your battery condition and possibly save you from embarrassment. Stear clear of being 'that guy,' and have an Jump Pack on hand! Even better, make sure that you are doing proper battery maintenance during the weeks leading up to the summer with a good trickle charger and maintainer. Just to help, we have a great maintainer on early summer special just to make the choice easy for you.
RV solar power
With the sun high in the sky, now is a great time to harness some of that free solar energy. We just received a large shipment of solar panels and related accessories, and have put together some great deals on mountable RV kits. These include everything you need to get off the grid power to your RV batteries. Panels, mounts, wires, connectors, controllers. Its all in there. You can dry camp longer, and run your generator less using our solar kits. We even have a simple to follow video for mounting our kits on your RV.
Scorpion Stinger
We are just a few weeks away from launching a new line of Lithium powersports batteries called the Scorpion Stinger. About 1 year ago, Scorpion Battery sent a batch of LiFePo4 Lithium powersports batteries to BatteryStuff.com for testing and evaluation.
These batteries are lighter than other lithium powersports batteries, and up to 70% lighter than their lead acid equivalents. They have proven to hold a higher voltage for more starting power, and have a built in control board (BMS) so there is no need for special chargers or charge plugs.
Best of all- the pricing will make the choice easy for you! That is all I can tell you before the official launch, you'll just have to wait for the rest of the details. Be sure to check back in the coming week for this great new product!
Thanks for Reading,
BatteryStuff.com
We've plenty more valuable information in our online tutorials, as well as good stuff in our knowledge base. Please have a look around and email us with any questions you have
