Is my battery toast?

[irv]

Recently removed my Interstate deep cycle battery from my boat and noticed the water level low so I added the proper amount and put the battery on charge with a Battery Tender JR.
After a approx 10 hr charge, I checked the battery and it barely ready 5 volts. I then put my regular car/auto battery charger on it and switched it to 10 amps and also left it for approx 10 hrs but ended up with the same result.

I assume this battery is toast? This battery is likely 4-5 yrs old and was supposedly maintained by my marina where I purchased the boat. Judging by the low water level, I'd say they didn't even look at it before storage?

I never fished at all this year and for a few years prior to that so the only draw on it would have been my radio occasionally as I have a separate cranking battery.

Assuming I will have to purchase another battery, should I stick with an Interstate deep cycle or are there now better batteries on the market? I know this isn't any fault of Interstate batteries so I am not blaming the obvious neglect on them.

 

[Bluestream]

Keep it on a good charger, and it may come back. 24 hrs, and not on an electronic charger. I prefer East Penn batteries to the Mexican made interstate any day.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by irv
Recently removed my Interstate deep cycle battery from my boat and noticed the water level low so I added the proper amount and put the battery on charge with a Battery Tender JR.
After a approx 10 hr charge, I checked the battery and it barely ready 5 volts. I then put my regular car/auto battery charger on it and switched it to 10 amps and also left it for approx 10 hrs but ended up with the same result.


Yep ... toast. Time for a new battery.

 

[Chris142]

If you could see the top of the plates it's done.

 

[irv]

Originally Posted by Bluestream
Keep it on a good charger, and it may come back. 24 hrs, and not on an electronic charger. I prefer East Penn batteries to the Mexican made interstate any day.


Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Originally Posted by irv
Recently removed my Interstate deep cycle battery from my boat and noticed the water level low so I added the proper amount and put the battery on charge with a Battery Tender JR.
After a approx 10 hr charge, I checked the battery and it barely ready 5 volts. I then put my regular car/auto battery charger on it and switched it to 10 amps and also left it for approx 10 hrs but ended up with the same result.


Yep ... toast. Time for a new battery.


Originally Posted by Chris142
If you could see the top of the plates it's done.


I could see the top of the plates on I believe 2 holes? When I seen that I also assumed it was toast but thought I'd try just the same.

I have never heard of East Penn batteries, Bluestream, but I'll look into them and see if I can get them up here?

Thanks guys.

 

[rubberchicken]

East Penn makes Deka, West Marine flooded and AGM batteries, Duracell and many more private brands that I cannot count. They are one of the largest battery manufacturers in the US, alongside Johnson Controls and GS Yuasa. I have had very good experience with Deka batteries.

 

[bbhero]

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Originally Posted by irv
Recently removed my Interstate deep cycle battery from my boat and noticed the water level low so I added the proper amount and put the battery on charge with a Battery Tender JR.
After a approx 10 hr charge, I checked the battery and it barely ready 5 volts. I then put my regular car/auto battery charger on it and switched it to 10 amps and also left it for approx 10 hrs but ended up with the same result.


Yep ... toast. Time for a new battery.



Burnt toast at that

 

[wrcsixeight]

Same pathetic voltage after attempting to charge is more an indication the chargers did not even recognize being attached to a 12v battery.

Parallel bad battery with a known 12.v+ good battery. Put 10 amp charger on good battery overnight or longer.
Highy
Doubt its voltage will read the same as before

But dragging a battery to such a low voltage slowly is batterycide. It.is likely toast.

A marine battery can be cycled..so can a starting battery. A true deep cycle.battery has very different constructed internals than either and would likely struggle to start the engine compared to marine or starting. A flooded marine battery is a starting battery with slightly thicker plates and threaded studs in addition to the posts, and a lot less warranty

Batteries do not go low on water from chronic undercharging. But from Too much time at too high a voltage for the battery temperature.
They always perform worseretaining voltage under load) after being watered as the acid is weaker.

A maintainer wil not be able to fully charge a depleted battery, it does not have enough amperage to ever get battery termianl voltage high enough.

 

[wrcsixeight]

Same pathetic voltage after attempting to charge is more an indication the chargers did not even recognize being attached to a 12v battery.

Parallel bad battery with a known 12.v+ good battery. Put 10 amp charger on good battery overnight or longer.
Highy
Doubt its voltage will read the same as before

But dragging a battery to such a low voltage slowly is batterycide. It.is likely toast.

A marine battery can be cycled..so can a starting battery. A true deep cycle.battery has very different constructed internals than either and would likely struggle to start the engine compared to marine or starting. A flooded marine battery is a starting battery with slightly thicker plates and threaded studs in addition to the posts, and a lot less warranty

Batteries do not go low on water from chronic undercharging. But from Too much time at too high a voltage for the battery temperature.
They always perform worseretaining voltage under load) after being watered as the acid is weaker.

A maintainer wil not be able to fully charge a depleted battery, it does not have enough amperage to ever get battery termianl voltage high enough.

 

[neil57]

Costco batteries seem to be ok, ours are not interstate. Can't beat the price. East Penn makes the Energizer line for Costco.

 

[JMJNet]

Did you do a load test on the battery? It is easy to do with the right tool or bring it to a part store including WM with auto center.

 

[irv]

I'll likely purchase a Costco battery this coming spring. I tried re-charging my battery a couple times now but the voltage stays the same so it is toast.

I pulled the other cranking battery today when I finally stored my boat and noticed the water level was down in it as well. It was above the plates on all 6 holes so I added enough dehumidifier water to bring it back up to the proper height.

After I added the water, I checked the voltage and it was reading 12.56. Will this charge go down because I added the water or will it maintain that?

I know very little, obviously, about batteries but I would assume, since I added water, it will need a bit of a charge?

If so, is a Battery Tender JR OK to use in this situation? I have both, like I mentioned, but I was thinking about using the BT JR just to top up the charge before winter storage?

While I'm at it, will a BT JR or the like do any harm if the/a battery is already fully charged?

Thanks for the replies/info/tips so far.