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It happens frequently: a boat owner takes his or her boat out for a spin and finds the battery is dead. Even if the battery is relatively new, factors can impact its performance such as self-discharging during storage, too much moisture or clogged lead plates inside the battery. It's possible an alternator will prevent this problem as it will sense the battery charge and deliver the correct amount of charge without the engine needing to run at a high RPM. If the battery is fully charged, the alternator senses this and does not produce voltage. An alternator may also prevent your boat battery from being over-charged. You should check with an authorized dealer before installing any boat part, including batteries and alternators.