trolling motor batteries

[mike rousseau]

i have a 55lb bow mount trolling motor...12 volt

 

right now its set up on two deep cycle batteries... they are both toast

 

my question...

 

what im wondering is... am i better off getting one huge high quality/price battery or should i get two more batteries similar to what i have now... walmart special

 

i was thinkin stick with the current set up... but my dad says go with one high quality deep cycle...

the cost will be similar either way...

 

please give me some advice here fellas

[GbayGiant]

One other thing to consider is weight, if you have a small boat the extra weight can really slow you down and burn more gas lugging two around. It's good to have a spare battery at home though incase you forget to charge your battery and need a back up quickly on the other hand having 2 in the boat is good for safety as well if your starter dies you can always use the spare. Maybe grab 2 Natulis from crappy tire they are very good for the price also the Energizers at wall mart are really good and the cheapest around probably the best bang for buck and compete with the higher priced ones you could grab 2 of those for the price of one expensive battery and there just as good.

[mike rousseau]

One other thing to consider is weight, if you have a small boat the extra weight can really slow you down and burn more gas lugging two around. It's good to have a spare battery at home though incase you forget to charge your battery and need a back up quickly on the other hand having 2 in the boat is good for safety as well if your starter dies you can always use the spare. Maybe grab 2 Natulis from crappy tire they are very good for the price also the Energizers at wall mart are really good and the cheapest around probably the best bang for buck and compete with the higher priced ones you could grab 2 of those for the price of one expensive battery and there just as good.

 

 

i actually need weight... i took the 2 batteries out one day for fun... i couldnt keep the front end down... it just bounced like crazy

[batoathome]

was down that road before. save yorself time and headache and get a good quality battery it will work out the same in the long run. Had those walmart special lasted 1yr and a half. purchased an interstate lasted me 3yrs and had more running time.

[GbayGiant]

Just because there from walmart has nothing to do with it , those big Energizers will out last most batteries that cost twice as much as well as the nautilus, check the net for reviews on that energizer . I have one with a full charge still on it this will be its 4th year as well as the nautilus I have tow hooked up to a 24 volt and it's goes full speed for the whole day. So if the weight is helping I would get two of the energizers or natalus then. Usually cheep batteries are garbage but in certain circumstances some cheap batteries like the ones I mentioned out last the more expensive, I've had the $350 ones and they did no better.

[DRIFTER_016]

The worst thing you can do is put the batteries in the front of the boat. Regular Lead/Acid batteries are killed by vibration. If you seriously want to keep your batteries up front pick up a spiral wound AGM battery (Optima or similar) as they have been designed to be used in severe vibration conditions.

My batteries are as far back in my boat as they can go in order to reduce the vibration transferred to them. I end up getting about 7 or 8 years out of a battery because of this and properly maintaing them.

[mike rousseau]

The worst thing you can do is put the batteries in the front of the boat. Regular Lead/Acid batteries are killed by vibration. If you seriously want to keep your batteries up front pick up a spiral wound AGM battery (Optima or similar) as they have been designed to be used in severe vibration conditions.

My batteries are as far back in my boat as they can go in order to reduce the vibration transferred to them. I end up getting about 7 or 8 years out of a battery because of this and properly maintaing them.

 

thanks drifter... since i require the nose weight... i better go that way...

[GbayGiant]

That's a good point Drifter never thought of that, however I'm not sure on the science or proof behind it because I always have mine up front bouncing around (only place I have room) and it hasn't effected them one bit judging how there on their fourth year and the last set went 5 years as well I've had optima that did no better. Marketing is nuts, they can toss graphs, statistics and paper work all around but it doesn't mean anything usually, the old selling ice to an eskimo theory. Not saying your wrong but I don't belive the hype.

[DRIFTER_016]

That's a good point Drifter never thought of that, however I'm not sure on the science or proof behind it because I always have mine up front bouncing around (only place I have room) and it hasn't effected them one bit judging how there on their fourth year and the last set went 5 years as well I've had optima that did no better. Marketing is nuts, they can toss graphs, statistics and paper work all around but it doesn't mean anything usually, the old selling ice to an eskimo theory. Not saying your wrong but I don't belive the hype.

 

Spiral wound AGM batteries were developed for the military to deal with vibration failures they were seeing in severe duty. They were designed for the likes of tanks and other extreme vibration enviroments.

Whether the available civilian models are as robust is any one's guess, but they have been touted as more vibration resistant than regular lead/acid batteries.

 

It would suck to have your battery cack out in the middle of a tank battle.

[express168]

I had 2 of the WalMart specials and they lasted 4 years and was great having a second battery to switch to if necessary. Was on a weekend trip once up north at a camp with no electric, 2 batteries lasted the 3 days it was great.

[GbayGiant]

I hear that, but I doubt the military is interested in marketing their batteries and I have a little suspicion there not the same as over the counter batteries where the share holders continue to make cheaper products with more gimmick marketing every year to squeeze another penny of profit while products continue to get worse. The only true way is to try both in the same environment which is what I've done and found no difference thus the reason I don't waste my money on the optimas, then again my boat has no tracks. I do agree some batteries are better than others you just have to try them yourself I guess is the only way.

[Tybo]

Edited April 26, 2011 by Tybo

[Fisherman]

i have a 55lb bow mount trolling motor...12 volt

 

right now its set up on two deep cycle batteries... they are both toast

 

Two batteries toast? My first question is, how old are they, and did you treat them right or just put them away

"dirty and wet" like an old rag? Answer please:_________

With a 55# motor I would go with 2, they take a fair bit of power to make that kind of push. The reason, any type of battery(deep cycle) in this case should never be run down more than 50% of its capacity before a full recharge. The further you discharge, the harder it becomes on the battery(s) internal workings. I would go with either group 27 or 31. Brands, if take care of your stuff and can afford it, then spend some dollars and get either Trojan, Deka, Odyssey, top of the line batteries.

If you're a working stiff like most of us, Interstate, WallyMart Batteries do just fine. My boat battery is 8 years old, runs everything. My last RV trailer battery was 11 before it died. As for Optima, over priced for the amount of usable power(capacity) compared to regular lead acid batteries. It's your schekel

[DRIFTER_016]

I hear that, but I doubt the military is interested in marketing their batteries and I have a little suspicion there not the same as over the counter batteries where the share holders continue to make cheaper products with more gimmick marketing every year to squeeze another penny of profit while products continue to get worse. The only true way is to try both in the same environment which is what I've done and found no difference thus the reason I don't waste my money on the optimas, then again my boat has no tracks. I do agree some batteries are better than others you just have to try them yourself I guess is the only way.

 

Personally I run Nautilus lead acid batteries (group 27's for the TM and a group 24 for the starting battery) and they perform fine as I said.

Nautilus also has a spiral wound battery (which is quite a bit less $$$ than the Optimas)

 

Nautilus Spiral Grid Battery

 

 

Personally if I were the OP I would move his batteries to the back and move the fuel forward if I could (to get weight forward). The I would just use regular Nautilus batteries.

[mike rousseau]

not gunna lie to you guys... i treated em like crap!

 

i knew i would be replacing them... they were old and were not performing very well...

 

they worked fine in march ... then i went to go crappie fishing the other day and the charger i left on 2amp for a couple days was flashing BAD---BAT

 

tried to charge em a couple more times at 2amp-10amp-15amp... no good

 

so new batteries...

 

im on lake st.francis so my boat takes a real pounding...

 

keep the experiences coming guys... i need more opinions before i decide...

[canuckjack]

im on lake st.francis so my boat takes a real pounding...

 

Well there's your problem, you're on the wrong side of the dam.

[mike rousseau]

Well there's your problem, you're on the wrong side of the dam.

 

 

only sometimes... depends where the bite is...

 

i do very well above the dam as well...

 

its nice up there on the more windy days..

[landry]

• Definitely two!!!!!!

• You only need one for a 55 lb 12 v trolling motor UNLESS you hook them up in a parallel circuit. Hooking up 2 in this manner will give you more power than you will need for a long day of fishing. You can NOT hook two batteries up in a series circuit as this will fry your 12v motor!One good battery will resist vibration better but it will still not last for a hard 10 hour day on the trolling motor - at least not compared to the 2 battery set-up.

 

• And yes, drifter is correct - batteries should be not be up front. I put mine there to balance my rig but I put a thick layer of foam to soften the bouncing a bit.

 

• I have tried both routes - go with 2!!!!

 

Landry

[GbayGiant]

I'm on Georgian bay, rough water, fish at least 60 days a year, two in the front never noticed a difference between the optima or nautalis and the energizers are just as good as the nautilus. I belive your paying for markiting and good looks with optima from experiance, nothing new, I got suckered into buying two of them myself.

 

Conclusion: Optima - good battery

energizer - good battery

nautilus - good battery

 

Does a spiral battery last longer or outperform a regular battery from getting damaged on rough water ? not that I've seen.

 

Is two Energizers or two Nautalus better than one Optima for the same price almost ? no brainer.

Is optima overpriced ? by a land slide.

 

The only thing I can say is that the Optima had around a 5% longer charge amp to amp, is that worth twice the money ? let you decide.

 

Refill your batteries, charge them over the winter a few times, keep them from freezing and hope you don't get a dud.

Edited April 27, 2011 by GbayGiant

[mike rousseau]

thanks everyone...

 

 

looks like im heading to walmart for the cheepies...lol

[Fisherman]

One added point, when you buy, check the battery manufacture date, there will either be a tag or date stamp in the plastic case. It will be as follows: a letter with a number, ie, D-08 or D-8, letter is the month A-Jan, B-Feb, C-Mar, etc, number is the year, 08 or 8 is 2008, 09 or 9 is 2009. Get the most up to date, look for the dusty top.

[aplumma]

I am going to back up the batteries in the back. As you crack the plates they flake to the bottom ans short out the capacity of the battery. They can still read 12.6 on full charge but the CCA go down as the level goes up. This is tied into physics any battery will be damaged the higher priced battery you get the thicker the plates are or in the case of the AGM batteries the better supported the plates are.

 

 

 

Art

[Sinker]

I have been having a good run with my two 27 series Walleye 1 deep cycles. First time I've owned them, but they are great so far. This is the 4th season on them.

 

I also have a 55lb minn kota and run mine off two batteries hooked up in parralell. You will notice a huge difference with two batteries running 12V, over one. My two hooked together will run all day long trolling 1.5-3mph on my 16ft aluminum. With one battery, I get about 4 hours going steady like that, depending on winds. For working a shorline, or just using it for boat positioning you can go a whole weekend no problem.

 

I have an 27 series energizer that I use for a transom mount TM for back lakes, and its been ok, but not even close to the walleye-1 deep cycles. I run a 36lb minnkota off it and get about 5 hours of steady trolling at 2mph on a 12ft aluminum. Thats not bad, but the walleye 1 batts last a lot longer per charge.

 

My batteries are also stored at the back of the boat, and strapped down tight to stop bouncing. That really makes a difference IMO.

 

S.

Edited April 27, 2011 by Sinker

[oldphart]

~~~Took the 40 FPP off my 16.5 Tracker ran 2 12s, in parallel, now mounting a 101 FPP and it needs 36 volts, Question is do I need to change the main cable, or can the old cable take the load???

[landry]

~~~Took the 40 FPP off my 16.5 Tracker ran 2 12s, in parallel, now mounting a 101 FPP and it needs 36 volts, Question is do I need to change the main cable, or can the old cable take the load???

 

you need 6 gauge for 24v - 36v I'm not sure

 

Landry