Need a battery and charger. Recommendations Please.

[rhymobot]

Hi.

 

I use an 11 foot inflatable with a 32lb thrust trolling motor. I fish from it probably 35 times a year. Out of that, I troll the river about a dozen of those times after work. Meaning, I will throw a lure out and go up and down the local river at 4 or 5 speed for 1.5 to 2 hours of actual trolling time.

 

So my four year old battery has been discharged several times the past couple summers. It's time for a new one.

 

CT doesn't carry the same battery I had anymore, but I think this is the closest one. I think I spent like $220 the last time:

 

MotoMaster Nautilus Group 4D Deep Cycle Battery

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-nautilus-group-4d-deep-cycle-battery-0103028p.html#srp

 

So I need one that will last a long time, but doesn't weigh over a hundred pounds.

 

 

As for my charger, I had that blue Nautilus one from CT that retails at $100. I bought it half price. First one died just after two years. Got it replaced under warranty and that one died after three years. It won't turn on at all now. Need a new one unless you think it's just some little blown fuse inside or something I could fix myself?

 

I'd rather have a reliable charger. The one I had has many negative reviews on CT.

 

Any recommendations? What about West Marine? I work very close to one. I'm in Oakville.

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

[DanD]

Battery I would go with the highest amp-hour, in the group size you want; that you can afford.

The charger that I have and use here in the shop is the Solar Pro-Logix PL2310.

 

 

You can get one of these on-line or at some of the auto parts stores. They range in price from around $60-$100.00.

The nice thing with these chargers is that you connect it, plug it in, tell it what you want it to do and forget about it. It will not hurt your battery and it'll keep it at its optimum charge.

 

Dan.

[DanD]

Found a different vid, that explains the charger's operations.

 

 

Dan.

[John Bacon]

So I need one that will last a long time, but doesn't weigh over a hundred pounds.

 

Unless you're willing to pay for a lithium ion battery, the weight is probably a pretty good indicator of how long you will be able to run your motor on a charge.

 

 

[aplumma]

AGM batteries are lighter than wet cell batteries but will not spill, are able to charge and discharge more cycles and will cost about 1.5 times more than wet cell batteries.

 

 

Art

[Old Ironmaker]

I don't know if it's worth the drive from Brampton to Hamilton for you but ACME Battery has the best prices in Ontario for a good quality battery. It is just off the QEW on Parkdale Ave, North. My $230.00 OEM truck battery was $99.99 at ACME, same exact battery. The guy in their warehouse showed me right down to the smallest detail on my old battery. In batteries like most everything out there is you get what you pay for, except for ACME. Not the same company Willey Coyote gets his stuff from.

 

I have had my CTC Nautilus smart charger for 7 years now, never a problem. I'm not a big CTC/Motomaster fan. I needed 1 that day and bought it. The feature I like is it will tell you when the battery is pooched. I paid 75 bucks on sale that day.

Edited February 10, 2017 by Old Ironmaker

[DRIFTER_016]

I don't know if it's worth the drive from Brampton to Hamilton for you but ACME Battery has the best prices in Ontario for a good quality battery. It is just off the QEW on Parkdale Ave, North. My $230.00 OME truck battery was $99.99 at ACME, same exact battery. The guy in their warehouse showed me right down to the smallest detail on my old battery. In batteries like most everything out there is you get what you pay for, except for ACME. Not the same company Willey Coyote gets his stuff from.

 

I have had my CTC Nautilus smart charger for 7 years now, never a problem. I'm not a big CTC/Motomaster fan. I needed 1 that day and bought it. The feature I like is it will tell you when the battery is pooched. I paid 75 bucks on sale hat day.

 

The Nautilus chargers are excellent quality.

They are built by Schumacher Electric and just rebranded.

 

http://www.batterychargers.com/battery-chargers/

[BillM]

I'd run two cheaper batteries in parallel vs one AGM. Same voltage, twice the amp hours.

[grimsbylander]

I'd run two cheaper batteries in parallel vs one AGM. Same voltage, twice the amp hours.

That's a great system, I'm just not sure an 11' inflatable can take the weight. Smallest deep cycle under 50lbs? No idea.

[ecmilley]

generally the heaviest battery in a and group size of wet cell batterys is the better battery (more lead) that being said there are several different brands that have done well over the years- interstate- east penn(deka power surge die hard, carquest names sold under) the costco batterys seem pretty good and know several guys that have got 300 discharge cycles befor failure on the walmart everstarts.

i have a nautilus charger its been great for 10 years now (yikes time flys)but as dand says the solar products are built very well, ran one over and it still worked after screwing case back together

[wormdunker]

I would suggest you take a look at batterystuff.com Lottsa info on batteries & chargers. I have 2 Nautilus batteries that I charge with the battery minder from batterystuff. My batteries are 4 years old & still working very well. The bonus with the battery minder charger is after a full charge is achieved leave the charger running & it will automatically go into a desulpphation mode is now clearing the electrolytes off the lead plates which ensures your batteries will last longer. Cost for the charger was $150.00 3 years ago. Check there site - it's very informative!

[wallyboss]

Your battery charger that you say is defective, some of them if your battery doesn't have a minimum amount of voltage( not sure what it is or if it's different for diff. chargers) it will not charge it.

[G.mech]

I don't know if it's worth the drive from Brampton to Hamilton for you but ACME Battery has the best prices in Ontario for a good quality battery. It is just off the QEW on Parkdale Ave, North. My $230.00 OEM truck battery was $99.99 at ACME, same exact battery. The guy in their warehouse showed me right down to the smallest detail on my old battery. In batteries like most everything out there is you get what you pay for, except for ACME. Not the same company Willey Coyote gets his stuff from.

 

I have had my CTC Nautilus smart charger for 7 years now, never a problem. I'm not a big CTC/Motomaster fan. I needed 1 that day and bought it. The feature I like is it will tell you when the battery is pooched. I paid 75 bucks on sale that day.

 

I second OI's recommendation for this place but it's call Great Northern Battery Systems now (actually it hasn't been ACME since 1996 but who's counting). I replaced all the batteries in my old boat last year and just got all new ones for my new to me boat from them as well.

 

Size 24 Marine Cranking $95.98

 

Size 24 Deep Cycle $98.95

 

Size 27 Deep Cycle $109.95

 

 

Website: http://www.gnbsystems.com/index.php

[John Bacon]

Your battery charger that you say is defective, some of them if your battery doesn't have a minimum amount of voltage( not sure what it is or if it's different for diff. chargers) it will not charge it.

This can often be resolved by connecting the dead battery in parallel to another batter and charging them at the same time.

[Fisherpete]

Another vote for Great Northern - bought mine there last fall