Steve, I guess it is possible that the battery is defective, but I
can't look it over good yet, at least not until it's empty. I didn't
have the battery in a battery box, I just set it in the bottom of the
aluminum boat, along with dirt and maybe a piece of gravel or two. I
drove a mile down a very bumpy dirt road to access the lake, then of
course I had to drive back out. I'm afraid that I caused the battery to
bounce up and come down on a sharp piece of gravel.
On the upside, the boat bottom in the transom area is really shiny!