Battery set up for electronics

[Rocco]

Hello fishing mentors :

I apologized if this topic has been discussed and I couldn't find it.

 

I have a 17.5 foot princecraft that I run 2 electric Scotty down riggers , a fishhawk , and a fish finder.

 

Of course a electric start outboard.

 

I'm not sure if I'll be able to troll with main motor or if I'll have to employ a kicker. It's a brand new motor I've only idled it 15 mins at dock for first start break in.

 

When I go out it's usually only 4-5 hrs in morning or evening , almost never a full day.

 

I guessing that I should just keep motor  starting  battery for just that , so it never gets run down and leaves me stranded.

I'm getting too old for being stranded... lol.

 

So the question is do I want 2 batteries for electronics and when they die go home ?...or ....

How many hours of use would 2 deep cycle batteries give under general normal use ? 

my kicker ( if I end up using it )

does not charge.

 

Anyway I guess you can see where I'm going with this.

Any set up advice would be appreciated.

 

THanks for looking at my post.

 

RE

 

 

 

[LandenMoreno]

I totally get the "too old for being stranded" bit; safety should always be your number one priority. I'd say, yes, keep your motor starting battery separate so that you're never stranded.

[BrooklynnCasey]

Since you mentioned that your kicker doesn't charge, you might want to consider a dual-battery setup with an isolator. This way, you can keep one battery as a backup, and the other can be used for active electronics. You can also install a battery monitor to keep an eye on the charge levels.Have you checked out http://ecozonepower.com/? They have some fantastic options for marine batteries and other electronics that could really simplify your setup. Their products are high-quality and can give you peace of mind when you're out on the water.I hope this helps, and feel free to shoot more questions if you have any.

Edited November 7, 2023 by BrooklynnCasey

[Bozeman Bob]

One deep cycle battery should run electronics and riggers all day long , if not a few days , without having to be charged.  Electronics are all state of the art,  low draw . Riggers are basically windshield wiper motors that you might run up and down 5- 10 times a day IMHO . They don't draw a ton of juice either . If your worried a solar charger might help , as we do get sunshine that time of the year , spring and summer . 

[sherman brown]

a lot would depend on how many amps your electronics use. but for a normal fish finder and downriggers, a group 31 deep cycle batter should run both all day. normally the downriggers aren't used enough to be a big factor. so your electronics are going to be the thing that uses most of your power.

 

if it was me with the prices of lithium batteries being very reasonable anymore i would go with a 100 AH lithium deep cycle battery. you can find off-brands on Amazon that are as cheap as AGM deep-cycle batteries.

 

the main factors to consider is a lead/acid battery can only be discharged to about 50% before it starts damaging the battery. plus as they discharge they also lose power.

 

a lithium battery is less than half the weight and they can be discharged almost dead and still not cause damage. the biggest factor if they don't lose any power throughout it's power cycle. under the same use, the lithium will give you at least twice the run time of the lead/acid battery. and they give you the same power at 20% as they do at full charge.

 

in my opinion, a lithium battery would be your best option for confidence in being able to stay out a little longer and have the peace of mind you don't have to worry about your battery going dead. and if you get the 20 AMP charger they really charge up in a short time.