In this article we will look at steps to install a marine battery.

Before we start, we will need following tools/equipment:

1. Battery
2. Battery box or a thick rubber mat to place the battery.
3. Battery terminals
4. Lugs
5. Battery cables (Red and Black coloured)
6. Heat shrink
7. Cable ties
8. Fuse
9. Crimping tool
10. Heat gun

Steps to install a battery

 

Step 1.  Select a location for your battery. It must be cool, high and dry. (NOTE: Elevated storage temperatures increase the self-discharge rate of the batteries and reduces the storage time between required freshening charges.)

Step 2.  Select a place for installing your battery switch. It must be dry and easy to access.

Step 3.  Measure the distance from +ve terminal of your battery to the battery switch.

Step 4.  Measure the distance from battery switch to the bus bar or till the +ve terminal of your equipment

Step 5.  Measure the distance from –ve terminal of battery to the bus bar.

Step 6.  Prepare your cable by following the below 6 steps

1. Strip the outer sheath of the cable to expose approx. 10mm of bare wire.
2. Cut 30mm of heat shrink.
3. Attach lugs to the exposed part of the cable.
4. Crimp the lugs.
5. Slide the heat shrink over the cable lug.
6. Use the heat gun to melt the heat shrink into place.

Step 7.  Install the battery switch.

Step 8.  Connect the cables to the battery.

Step 9.  Tighten the terminals.

Step 10. Give finishing touches to the installation process by:

1. Secure the cables tidily using cable ties.
2. Protect the terminals by spraying Boeshield on it to prevent corrosion.

Battery Installation Tips:

1. When mounting multiple batteries there must be ½” of space between the batteries to allow for convection cooling. If contained, assure the container or cabinet and room have adequate ventilation to prevent an accumulation of potentially vented gas.
2. When the batteries are being placed side to side, all the batteries should be placed with the terminals of the same polarity +ve or –ve to the front of the shelf.