Deep cycle battery preferences?

[Rattletrap2]

My two group 31 deep cycles are at the end of their life cycle. These were Nitrocell batteries and lasted a good 6 years. Seems I can't find them anymore, so what do you folks like out there?

[bow slayer]

well if you can find them Delco Voyager. Mine died last year after 10 years. I could not find them so I bought one from BPS and it seems to be okay. If you do find a Delco Voyager let me nkow who carries them,best deep cycle I have had.

[Victor]

Do up a search here on OFC, i was deciding which one to buy not too long ago neither ... lots of great responses. I don't remember who started the thread though

[Billy Bob]

I'll second the Delco Voyager battery. I have one now for about 8 years as my starting / powering everything else but the trolling motor. Every year I think I will have to replace it but it still lives on without any sign of failing. These batteries are maintenance free and I think that really makes a difference with a on-board charger that is ALWAYS on.

 

Bob

[Victor]

Found the thread ... here ya go

http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.p...ing+motor+mount

[Rattletrap2]

Thanks Victor! I never have much success searching the threads!

 

The two I have lasted very well, and I think I just found them again, but the price is up to $180.00 each which hurts a bit. These Nitrocell batteries are made by East Penn battery.

 

I don't think CTC and Walmart carry a group 31 size in their batteries? The group 31's also weigh a ton!

 

Any more info, please keep it coming!

[doubleheader]

Interstate group 27 for me.

[jjcanoe]

Crown Battery makes decent ones. I have a 6 year old one and it still holds it's charge like the day I got it. Crown Battery is in Woodbridge ( the one I go to ). It faces Hwy 7 west of the 400 but the entrance is off of Trowers Rd.

 

jjcanoe

[Roy]

Brian, I saw grp 31 Energizer deep cycle batteries in Walmart last week. I don't know what they're like. My grp 31 batt is a Trans Canada battery. I just upgraded to a 24 volt bowmount and couldn't fit 2 group 31's in the hatch so I bought two GRP 27's.

[wgk36]

I just got a Kirkland (COSCO) for my 55 lbs trolling motor. I was price contious, and also heard good things about it. Time will tell if I made the right choice......

[workwear]

i too bought two batteries from kirkland......they had a manufacturer rebate and i also had a store gift certificate...paid 45 dollars each for their bigger batteries...i have tested them out so far and 9 hours on my trolling motor...now too see if they last or not.........but for crankin battery im not gonna full around...im goin to get a gel battery......

[Billy Bob]

ibut for crankin battery im not gonna full around...im goin to get a gel battery......

 

The crankin battery is the one you will have the least amount of problems with. Save you money on a gel battery for EXPENSIVE gasoline, you don't need a gel for starting battery (they are overrated and overpriced).

[Gerritt]

please forgive my ignorance... But what does all this Group stuff mean? I look at a battery I see a battery... I am not sure what this grouping means....

 

once again.. to all those reading... I do not know EVERYTHING.... LOL

 

G

[glen]

I wish they made lighter batteries.

[Billy Bob]

Group 24 is the standard size battery and the smallest. The larger the group number the longer the battery is with I believe Group 31 being the largest in length and weight. The larger the battery the larger the plates meaning more cranking amps and more reserve power. Only thing is your battery compartment might not allow a lager group battery to fit.

[Muskieman]

EH!

 

 

I sell batteries every day...there are 3 types of marine batteries. [ excluding gel celled]

 

#1.. Marine Cranking..available in sizes 24 / 27 / 31

intended to start a larger inboard or outboard ... not designed for running electronics for extended

periods of time.. these batteries have a fast discharge.. these batteries are essentially car batteries

 

#2 Marine Deep Cycle ...Designed for a sustained amperage draw ie: electronics, bilge pumps,

aerators , trolling motors, navigation lights and such ... these batteries barely have cranking amps

and not intended for starting purposes. 24 / 27 / 31

 

 

#3 Marine Dual Purpose ... in this case the best of both worlds for the average consumer..

These batteries will run your electronics all day and will start your outboard at the end of the day.

the battery is designed with a reserve discharge and has cranking amps unlike the Deep Cycle...

24/27/31

these are the cheaper of all 3... I sell a Stowaway # ST27DP625 for 79.95 Everyday..made by

Exide..

 

I also sell the Voyageur for 109.99..Made by Interstate..

 

I have as much warranty replacement batteries from Delco than I do Exide...

alot [most] of these replacements are due to poor battery maintenance...poor winter storage is the #1 cause.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Randy

[Gerritt]

ok ... Size and the mount of plates...

 

But what do the numbers actually mean? Pounds? Count of Plates? unknown?

 

G

[Muskieman]

the numbers on the battery are the indicator of group size..warranty amps and so on.. here goes

 

 

Pick-Up Truck battery...part # 65-72.... fits most ford trucks ...#65 is group size.. # 72 is months of pro-rated warranty.

same for gm 78-72 / 78dt72 / 78-60 and so on...[dt= dual terminal]

a 72 month battery always has more cranking amps than the 60 or 50

usually starts at 850 cca [cold cranking amps @ 32 degrees] and 1000 ca [cranking amps peak] and works it's way down from there.

 

Motorcycle or Snowmachine...9bs...12 Bull..20lbs are getting bigger in size as the # goes up...the letters on these batteries mean the style of terminals and being sealed or not.

 

Same with the marine line up with one difference.. the last #'s are the amps..or reserve capacity .

 

ST31DP850

st= Stowaway

31= Group size

dp= Dual purpose

850=Cranking amps.

 

 

 

Randy

Edited June 14, 2008 by Randy from Sturgeon

[Rattletrap2]

Thanks for all the info Randy!

The first deep cycle I ever purchased was 20 years ago, and it was the GNB Stowaway that was advertised on all the US fishing shows. It was totally sealed and would not leak, even if it was tipped over. It was a good battery, but very pricey. I know, "you get what you pay for", but I'm not convinced that the other batteries won't last as well.

 

Do you think these Exide Stowaway batteries are the same as the old GNB ones?

 

I have the room in the back of the boat for the Group 31's, but the added weight is a real killer. They are 62 pounds each. All this weight at the very rear of the boat, plus the motor, starting battery, some safety gear, and so on makes it difficult to counter out this weight and keep sufficient weight on the tongue. When trailering, I just load up my tackle in the front. That usually does it!

 

I'll do a search to see where I can get Exide Stowaway batteries nearer to me.

[Muskieman]

Any Auto Parts Extra or Benson Auto Parts usually have 'em in stock,

 

where's Mono Ontario ?

 

I'd try to find a supplier in your area.

 

 

 

Randy

[Rattletrap2]

Mono is between Orangeville and Shelburne.

 

I just called Exide Canada, and they told me to go to Canadian Tire and get the Nautilus as it is the same battery. <_<

[Thomas13]

Hey everyone,

 

Here's some info on batteries to help you with your decisions.

 

Delco (Delphi) no longer makes batteries as Delphi was sold several years ago. Delco now uses several different manufactures including KSB (Korean Storage Battery) so it's not the same battery that you bought 10 years ago.

 

Walmart and Costco both sell JCI (Johnson Controls) batteries and a lot of their product is made in Mexico.

 

Iterstate also sells JCI.

 

Exide bought GNB several years ago so GNB marine batteries are no longer available.

 

Crown Battery is a small manufacture in Fremont and to my knowledge they don't make a full line of batteries to cover all applications, the last I heard they were bringing in batteries from Brazil.

 

For a cranking battery (starting application) you wouldn't need a gel unless you were concerned about leaking but there are better alternatives than gel batteries for those applications.

 

Battery group size is simply an easy way to identify a battery in terms of its physical size. ie. group 27 batteries are the same size regardless if they are a starting or deep cycle battery.

 

Dual purpose batteries would not be my choice for a deep cycle application;Sure they a less expensive but they also have less reserve capacity and tend to not last as long over their life time.

 

Hope this helps!

[cranks bait]

EH!

I sell batteries every day...there are 3 types of marine batteries. [ excluding gel celled]

 

#1.. Marine Cranking..available in sizes 24 / 27 / 31

intended to start a larger inboard or outboard ... not designed for running electronics for extended

periods of time.. these batteries have a fast discharge.. these batteries are essentially car batteries

 

#2 Marine Deep Cycle ...Designed for a sustained amperage draw ie: electronics, bilge pumps,

aerators , trolling motors, navigation lights and such ... these batteries barely have cranking amps

and not intended for starting purposes. 24 / 27 / 31

#3 Marine Dual Purpose ... in this case the best of both worlds for the average consumer..

These batteries will run your electronics all day and will start your outboard at the end of the day.

the battery is designed with a reserve discharge and has cranking amps unlike the Deep Cycle...

24/27/31

these are the cheaper of all 3... I sell a Stowaway # ST27DP625 for 79.95 Everyday..made by

Exide..

 

I also sell the Voyageur for 109.99..Made by Interstate..

 

I have as much warranty replacement batteries from Delco than I do Exide...

alot [most] of these replacements are due to poor battery maintenance...poor winter storage is the #1 cause.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Randy

 

 

Thank you for that info. I was going to start another thread today about this. I have my sump pump, lights, wells and fish finder on the cranking battery. I notice that it is way down in it's capacity, even though my motor should be charging it. I never run the finder and lights without the engine running because I do not want to drain the batery.

 

As for a deep cell battery, I have a Deka (I think that's what it is) with a 200 reserve. I got it last spring. Have noticed that it is not holding it's charge very well anymore. I have added some distilled water and it seems to be better. But now it bubbles over and makes odd noises.

[Seaweed]

I can't say enough good things about Deka deep cycle batteries.

 

Take that one you are having trouble with back and they will swap it for new. Best battery bar none out there for life cycle. I run a 24 volt system with a Motorguide 67 Brute with two Deka 31 batteries in my Nitro. I take it to Nippissing every year. It runs all week without charge. Now I'm not tournament fishing by any means during that week but I was floored the first time I got the whole week out of the batteries.... I couldn't believe it but it happened and has year after year.

 

When I fish tournaments I charge every day but I bet I could get two days out of them easily. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Thomas13]

Thank you for that info. I was going to start another thread today about this. I have my sump pump, lights, wells and fish finder on the cranking battery. I notice that it is way down in it's capacity, even though my motor should be charging it. I never run the finder and lights without the engine running because I do not want to drain the batery.

 

As for a deep cell battery, I have a Deka (I think that's what it is) with a 200 reserve. I got it last spring. Have noticed that it is not holding it's charge very well anymore. I have added some distilled water and it seems to be better. But now it bubbles over and makes odd noises.

 

What do you mean by "it's way down in it's capacity"? There are several factors that impact a starting batteries performance including it's age and it's state of charge (voltage). If you are discharging your starting battery more tahn 10% on a regular basis your batteries life is going to be greatly shortened.

If all the cells are bubbling it's a sign of possible overcharging. If only 1 cell is bubbling than the battery likely has a dead cell or is on it's way to developing a dead cell and should be covered under warranty. You may want to pick yourself up a hydrometer at Crappy Tire and measure the specific gravity of the electrolyte in each cell. If the variation between the highest and lowest cell reading is 50 gravity points or more you probably have a failing cell. (The battery should be at least 12.45 volts before testing with a hydrometer.)

Hope that helps.