trolling motor batteries

[zman]

Anyone recommend a certain company or brand of battery

I will be heading to Bass Pro on Saturday

[irishfield]

Stop by a local jobber/garage/supplier and pick up a series 27 Interstate Deep Cycle. You won't regret it..it'll last thru the next decade.

Edited April 27, 2007 by irishfield

[Blake]

Look at the Optima Batteries. The best I have ever run.

[Guest lundboy]

For a trolling motor make sure you get a true deep cycle, not a dual or starting battery. If you are going to be hauling it in and out of a smaller boat, you should look at AGM or Orbital, they don't leak acid (save some clothes) and they are lighter and charge faster. They do cost about 1/3 more though.

 

Good brands:

Interstate

Exide Nautilus or Orbital

Trojan

 

Stay away from:

Canadian Tire

Eveready

Sears/Zellers/Walmart brands etc.

 

Also read this for some good things to look for:

 

http://www.bwbmag.com/output.cfm?id=942715

Edited April 27, 2007 by lundboy

[zman]

Well it looks like I will be going Interstate

[PERCHER]

zman you have a p.m

[PERCHER]

What about the Ford Motorcraft deep cyclers?

[Pigeontroller]

Grimsby Tackle usually has fresh Interstate's, some batteries sit on the shelf for way too long...

[misfish]

Im going with Nautilus for my cranking and deepcell this year.

 

CT has them on sale.

I believe BPS has thier own brand.I maybe mistaken.

Edited April 27, 2007 by misfish

[Nanook]

 

Hey ! dont knock the Can. Tire Nautilus too hard!! I've had one 3 years and its still good.I've used Nautilus before and never had a problem.

 

ANY battery has to be looked after and maintained.

 

No, I dont work for CT. I work at home for a tougher boss

[tonyb]

I second Optima, high quality batteries but pricey.

 

Interstate should satisfy your wallet more than the Optimas.

 

Tony

[Bernie]

I have sold batteries for many years in automotive applications. I can get any type of battery from any one of my several suppliers. I like selling Interstate best because I dont like my customers having problems with my repairs. By far and away Interstate has been the best one over the years for little or no problems.

[jediangler]

I buy mine at the medical supply store. Deep cycle gel cell 12 volt. They go in scooters and electric wheelchairs. No fancy carrying handles so I put mine in heavy duty canvas bags. Best part...no tax on goods for the handicapped.

[express168]

I have had one of the Wal-Mart Energizer Deep Cells since I got my boat, this is the fourth season now and so far no problems. I can troll all day with it. I bought a second one last year so that I have 2 fully charged deep cells when I am camping for a weekend without electricity. The 2 last a 3 day weekend.

[hawg_hauler]

I am partial to the Krown Walleye series of Batteries.

[taper]

My new boat came with the Walleye batteries for the trolling motor and I have no complaints so far. They are from the TO area which is an extra bonus. In my car I won't install anything except Interstate and AC Delco, simply the best there is.

[Guest lundboy]

Im going with Nautilus for my cranking and deepcell this year.

 

CT has them on sale.

I believe BPS has thier own brand.I maybe mistaken.

 

 

Just keep in mind that CT buys Dual Purpose (Starting/Deepcycle) from Exide, they then relabel them as deepcycle Nautilus. Think of it this way... True Deep cycle Nautilus from Exide are $139, CT sells what they call Deep Cycle Nautilus for $89 reg price. I used to think that was because they bought them in such quantity they could sell them for less. But I talked to the Exide rep one day and he told me what they were buying. So I compared the MCA and Reserve with the specs on both batteries, sure enough CT matched the Dual purpose Exide version exactly, and the Exide Nautilus deepcycle Reserves were much higher. Also the weight was heavier on the Exide Nautilus, due to having thicker plates than the CT.

 

I know that the CTs I had lost almost half of their reserve time in 2 seasons. Where as my original Exide Nautilus DCs lasted me 4 seasons before I noticed a decline.

 

Plus, try and get CT to replace a failing battery within it's "warranty period". They will basically hook it up to a machine, the machine gives them a report saying there is nothing wrong, and they tell you to hit the road. Their machine DOES NOT measure reserve, and that is the most critical part of a Marine DC battery! I experienced this myself. And I once saw a customer in the store so POed over this sort of thing that he told them to stuff the battery. they told him they would have to charge him a disposal fee if he did not take it with him. So he picked it up and dropped it through their glass counter and walked out!!

 

Exide will replace pretty well no questions asked, through your marine dealer.

 

I have now replaced the CTs with Exide Orbitals (not the CT version), and they are going into their 2nd season. We'll see how they do.

Edited April 29, 2007 by lundboy

[lew]

My cranking battery is a Walleye1....(should be pickeral 1 though )..... and the 2 deep cycles are OMC and are all still working well after 7 years.

 

I'd buy them again