What battery to buy?

[njg0621]

So in my previous post I was talking about installing a new Terrova 80LB 24V w\ Ipilot in my boat.  My question is what battery do you guys recommend? I have been looking at AGM group 31 batteries and they will cost as much as the motor! Should I bite the bullet and spend $600 on two batteries or can you get away with something less expensive.  Obviously I don't want to spend less and sacrifice power\battery life.  Any advice appreciated!

 

Sorry if this has been covered before but I did a search and didn't find anything

[justtracytrolling]

The walmart batteries will work fine....amp hours is the key to having them last all day. The more expensive batteries should be able to be recharged more times with out replacement. There is a lot of info on this if you google it. The bass fishing forums are the best for this info. I look for the article i read that explained it well.

[dawg]

I run a pair of Interstates with mine get 7-8 hours trolling 1.2mph first set lasted 5 years

[scobar]

Interstate as well, 3 in my boat, 2 trolling, one starting

[Traveling Circus]

I ran a pair of "walmart" batteries on that motor last year and had performance about like dawgs. That was their 1st year in service...... pulling around an 18' aluminum boat.

Edited February 24, 2016 by Traveling Circus

[njg0621]

Interstate as well, 3 in my boat, 2 trolling, one starting

 

 

So what are the specs on the intersate?

[rolmops]

I use Interstate on my boat and my cars.

[lineman49]

I was told by a "real battery" store salesman the difference buying from battery store is that theirs are maintained while on the shelf & Walmart's are put on the shelf & forgotten about until you buy them(not maintained)& who knows how long they sit on the shelf?? After 2 bad Atv batteries from Walmart I buy from the real battery store. jmo.

[L&M]

So what are the specs on the intersate?

 

http://www.interstatebatteries.com/m/category/marine

[Chas0218]

I was told by a "real battery" store salesman the difference buying from battery store is that theirs are maintained while on the shelf & Walmart's are put on the shelf & forgotten about until you buy them(not maintained)& who knows how long they sit on the shelf?? After 2 bad Atv batteries from Walmart I buy from the real battery store. jmo.

This is true this is also why you look at the date on the side of the battery. I normally have them grab one off the back of the shelf to compare dates then if they are both old (3 months or older) I go elsewhere. 

[jimski2]

A key to battery life is your charging system. It is best to install a three stage charger in the boat. It consists of a high rate charger, a finishing rate to top it off and a maintenance rate of pulses every few seconds that will not boil the water out. My boat is hooked up all year when it is parked, even winter and the batteries are ready to go after seven years now. There are chargers at your marine store that will maintain three batteries at once.

[Gill-T]

I am on year 5 with Sears Marine batteries.  They are really heavy but fairly compact for tight places.

[justtracytrolling]

Even if you have the proper charging system the battery life is dependant on the number of times it is cycled. AGM batteries can be cycled far more times than flooded cells.

Regardless of brand amp hour or reserve capacity dictate how long your trolling motor batteries will last per charge. The entire FLW tour uses the walmart batteries and ill bet they use their trolling motors pretty hard and they manage...hard to beat the price.

I run my batteries all the way down every time i leave the dock and have to charge them twice a day regularly and ive seen drop off in every flooded cell ive tried in a little over a season.

[justtracytrolling]

We have 3 blue tops in 1 boat...3 bass pro in another...and 4 walmarts in the last boat.

[shawn393]

I am on year 5 with Sears Marine batteries.  They are really heavy but fairly compact for tight places.

i agree with the sears die hard marine batteries.they have a 2 year warranty on their better ones  while most only have a one year warranty. all batteries have a sticker with the delivery date so you know how long they have been sitting

[smallboat]

Everyone here has stated excellent points but I thought I would through my two cents in.  No one has mentioned the fact that what ever battery type you choose for the Terrova, it should be a deep cycle and not a starting battery (obvious I know). I run two series 29 deep cycle on my Terrova pulling a 22' boat and they last 5 to 6 hours on a charge when trolling.

 

As far as AGM batteries go, they are excellent and will take a lot of abuse but they are expensive.  They will survive deeper discharges and frequent charging. They also require a different charge rate so if you have an older charger you need to check it for compatibility.  I had a bank of them on my previous boat as house batteries.  They ran a 2000 watt inverter in addition to everything else and you could not kill them even after 9 years. 

 

Did you also know that Mercury states in their owners manual that they will void the warrantee on a Verado for electrical issues if you use a wet cell battery as a starting battery?  They require an AGM starting battery.

[Todd in NY]

I use Walmart batteries now but I am 95% sure that I will switch to Intersates next time I buy batteries. They cost more than the Walmart batteries but their storage capacity is much higher.

 

The intersate size 27 cranking battery has 1000 cranking amps and reserve capacity of 182, cost is $130 at Gander.

The Interstate size 29 deep cycle has 845 cranking amps and reserve capacity of 210, cost is $150 at Gander.

The Walmart size 29 deep cycle has 845 cranking amps and 122 reserve capacity, cost is around $100.

[muskiedreams]

You might want to see if you have an Interstate distribution center in your area. In the Rochester area it is in Henrietta. You might get it a little cheaper. Plus fresher. Call ahead because they might have to put in the electrolyte. they also have more than one size/capacity choice.

Edited February 24, 2016 by muskiedreams

[Chas0218]

Also guys the lower you run the battery the lower the life expectancy will be. You shouldn't discharge the battery more than half way or you will cut the life expectancy down faster.

[muskiedreams]

Also guys the lower you run the battery the lower the life expectancy will be. You shouldn't discharge the battery more than half way or you will cut the life expectancy down faster.

Also recharge ASAP and don't let water level go low.

[TyeeTanic]

Interstate. They have a good guarantee as well.

[Rippin'Line]

Batteries are only meant to have a shelf life of 1 year. The date code on them is usually a black sticker with white lettering. The first should be a letter and runs from A to L. January to December. A for January, B for February, etc. The last number is for the year, 4 for 2014, 5 for 2015. Etc. Once a batter hits 1 year from the date on the battery it is too be pulled and returned to the manufacturer. However in many circumstances this does not happen. Batteries are also supposed to be rotated, closest to the front of the shelf, closest to expiration. If its followed the fresher batteries are in the back.

[justtracytrolling]

Also guys the lower you run the battery the lower the life expectancy will be. You shouldn't discharge the battery more than half way or you will cut the life expectancy down faster.

Which is why im using everstart batteries at 75 bucks because if you really fish with your trolling motor you will run it down every time and no normal sized wet cell battery will last 2 seasons AND still last all day. The walmart warranty is 2 yrs...

[jimski2]

Tap water destroys your battery as it contains caustic that neutralizes your acid. Use only distilled water to replace water boiled off from high charging rates and long term charging.

[brucehookedup]

West marine and they stand behind them.[emoji2][emoji2][emoji2][emoji1]