Charging your boat batteries while back country camping

[icefisherman]

I'm getting ready for 21 days trip starting next week.

I'll have both my deep cycle batteries fully charged when I leave home.

Will do 6-7 days Temagami followed by 2 weeks Algonquin.

Issue is how to charge my batteries in between.

I am sure they'll last me for the first week in Temagami.

Can I connect one by one both batteries to my SUV for charging while traveling between Temagami and Algonquin?

I guess the other alternative is to stop by and charge them at Wayne's place on the way out of Temagami

 

Or will they last the whole 3 weeks and I shouldn't worry too mych?

Each battery is connected to its own motor and should be getting charged while using the main motor or while trolling with the kicker.

 

Appreciate any and all opinions from the experts.

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[Raf]

i don't know how much of a drain you put on your batteries but we typically drain a batt in two-three days.. running a graph and electric trolling motor. we mostly cast. and if it's windy, the trolling motor gets cranked.

[Bernie]

Many "depends on" questions here. How much use will they get? how many amp hours are the battery's? How old are they, do they still have good reserve? And if you do charge them off your vehicle a completely dead battery can overheat alternators. Alternators on cars are designed to maintain charge-not recharge a dead battery.

[icefisherman]

Well,

I'll be using my two electric downriggers and maybe the electric trolling motor (rarely and not for long).

Downriggers and electric trolling motor are all connected to one battery that gets charged while trolling.

 

Most everything else is connected to the main motor battery that gets charged when running the main motor.

 

I've been using downriggers all the time (never used the electric trolling motor yet) and all the instruments, live wells etc. and have never had much discharge on either battery so far...normally fully charge my batteries once a month or so if that.

 

Just don't know how much the trolling motor will change the situation but again I will not be using it too often if at all.

 

Batteries are few years old, Sears Die Hard deep cycle. They seem to be in great shape. Not sure how m,any amp hours are they...have to check on that one.

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

Edited August 1, 2008 by icefisherman

[Terry]

you should have bought that 99 buck generator from Canadian tire..that and a battery charger would do wonders

[Raf]

would running a power inverter off the truck connected to a charger be an option as well?

[Tybo]

Stop off at a garage. They will charge your batteries for a couple of bucks.

[workwear]

might want to look at those solar panels for recharging.............

 

friend of mine has a medium size one that he keeps on the boat whenever he goes campin.....and he swears by it......

 

just a thought

[icefisherman]

would running a power inverter off the truck connected to a charger be an option as well?

 

Few great ideas...thank you all.

I have just bought a small inverter (75W)...not sure if it can handle connecting my Canadian Tire battery charger to it??? It is an automatic charger with separate button for deep cycle/regular batteries and it has 2/12/75A positions.

 

Stopping somewhere to charge them is not a bad idea but will eat 3-4 hours from my "transfer between locations" day.

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[Tybo]

Actually no. A shop charger will have you on you way in a half hour.

[dannyboy]

75 watts might run a charger on a trickle setting (2-3 amps).

Perfectly converted 75 watts is 5.4 amps at 14 volts but the 115 volt inverter is probably only rated for 75 watts intermittent use and the charger only 80% efficient.

$100 will buy you a 15 watt solar panel but this would only produce about 8 - 10 amp hours a day, it would take a long time to fully re-charge a 80 amp hour battery.

 

Dan

[icefisherman]

Just checked the batteries....it says on them (they are identical):

 

Group 27M

575 CCA

180 RC

27524

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[sturgman]

might want to look at those solar panels for recharging.............

 

friend of mine has a medium size one that he keeps on the boat whenever he goes campin.....and he swears by it......

 

just a thought

 

 

 

DITTO

[Wild]

Roll up solar panels are coming out with enough amps to provide a significant charge. CDN tire has certain inverters on sale today, I just picked up a 400 amp digital 65% off

[Gerry]

This is the product that you need: http://www.stayncharge.com/

 

I have a similar problem in that I have prolonged stays at my cottage which does not have electric power. I bought one of these this year. Still early to say how well it works but in the first 10 days I didn't run out of power and I'm on my trolling motor all the time. I didn't get the optional hookup for the vehicle which is what you'll need. Check it out.

Edited August 1, 2008 by Gerry

[camillj]

Solar power is NOT likely to work much unless you got sme BIG-arss panels ... I found out the hard way

 

I like the gas/propane/diesel generator idea ... then charge away (at night when you arent using it)

[wallyboss]

Actually no. A shop charger will have you on you way in a half hour.

 

I don't think that a 1/2 hour charge on a Deep Cycle batt will do much for it. I think a inverter hooked to your vehicle powering a deepcycle battery charger is your best option.

[Cookslav]

or....buy 2 more batteries!