Maintaining boat batteries over the winter

[Onabargeinfrance]

I have a KIDD controller, six ePVL-68 panels (68 watts, 12v, 4.1 amps each) and four 220Ah lead/acid batteries on an old barge in France, where I live summers. I'll be home in the States six months for the winter. I want to maintain the batteries over the winter. Will the KIDD go into a maintenance mode or should I adjust something so the batteries don't overcharge? Should I cover most of the panels and leave just a small section exposed for the winter? Any other suggestions for maintaining the batteries unattended for six months?

[ClassicCrazy]

I would think that the regular settings should do it - it will go into float soon each day after it tops off anything lost by self discharge . Make sure the water in each cell is topped off to correct levels. If the Kid had auto equalize I would say maybe setting equalize to the absorb voltage for an extended time would help stir up the electrolyte but I think at present time equalize is only manually triggered.  And make sure the temperature compensation probe is sensing battery temp . But for six months you will probably be okay with settings you already have as long as they are what the manufacturer of batteries call for.  The worst thing would be if your float voltage was too high and somehow boiled out the electrolyte .

What voltage settings and times do you have for it now ?   

[TomW]

I was thinking the same as Classic Crazy.

Fill electrolyte before you leave and use proper settings for your batteries and it should be fine. I would disconnect everything not absolutely necessary in the system. Just batteries and The Kid.

With no equalization it should just keep them at float by replacing the power used by The Kid plus self discharge.  It should not use much water either.

I have a largish 850 AH 24 volt sealed Lead Acid bank I use a Kid and 300 watts of solar to keep it topped off with no loads on it as a backup and The Kid does this perfectly. It is at float volts early each day

[Westbranch]

You could also set the Absorb down a few tenrths of a volt too if you are worried , but no lower than the Float value..  just make sure you are fully charged , maybe an short EQ a week before you leave.

ps measure and record your SGs too

[vtmaps]

If there are absolutely no loads, my preference would be to do a weekly bulk/absorb cycle.  I wouldn't even bother with a daily float.  I know the Classic can be set to skip charging days, but I'm not sure about the Kid.

One other thing really helps a lot:  Keep them as cold as possible.  Freezing temps will not harm the battery (as long as it is reasonably well charged).

--vtMaps