Battery Advice

[leadcore troller]

Battery Advice

I just purchased a 1990 18ft Smokercraft. It came with 2 car batteries. One for the electric bow mounted trolling motor that is onlky connected straight to the motor. The second was connected to the 90hp main motor and wired to the rest of the boat. It ran the main motor along with all the electronics and 4 cannon electric downriggers. I want to purchase the correct batteries, what size would or should they be, group 27 or larger or smaller ? 

[HB2]

Biggest you can fit. Get Deepcycle for trolling motor & maybe combo for starting / rest of boat. I found the secret with batteries is to keep them charged. Get a good digital charger . I am anal about getting them back on charge as soon as I get home . I use walmarts best marine and they have never let me down. 

Remember , Buzz words for electrical are clean & tight. Loose motor conections have messed up motor electronics. 

Edited April 3, 2017 by HB2

[phil2]

If you have a sears. I run the platinum 31 series for starting battery. I run 4 graphs, two 4 pump live wells and start a 250hp outboard and have had it in for 5 yrs no problem. Trolling motor you can get a way with a wallmart 29 series. Or interstates a 24 series for starter and 29 for trolling motor.

[JAYRFRED]

Menards has excellent pricing on Exide batteries! Great batteries with super warranties.

And they are approved by NASCAR!

Not sure what that would mean to fisherman?????????

[jaybird904]

Menards? Is there one in N.Y.

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[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Good advice above. For your rig get a deep cycle for the trolling motor and a dual purpose for the starting/accessories. In my experience the regular flooded dual purpose batteries offered by Napa have held up well. I had one last 8 yrs. Interstate also has earned lots of business with no hassle warranty policy. The key, as HB2 stated is keep them charged and check water levels regularly, at least a couple times a year. Always make sure the batteries are fully charged before long periods of storage. 

[LakerTaker]

I've had the most success with running a marine starting battery (NAPA brand) and buying as many cold cranking amps as I could find - for my motor and accessories. I run my electric trolling motor and downriggers off of deep cycle batteries and wire a permanent marine trickle charger to them at night.


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[leadcore troller]

Thanks for all the input, I went to sears and picked up the deep cycle marine batts, got the 31 group for the boat and the 27 group for the trolling motor.

[jimski2]

Automotive batteries do not have plate separators that protect against damaged plates during hard slams as a boat incurs during rough wave conditions. I have seen fellows taking their car battery out and putting it in their boat. When they return they put the battery back in the car and find the car will not start due to damage caused by the boat bouncing around.

[JAYRFRED]

Be careful with Sears products; in their financial position, good chance they will be gone in 6 months!

Edited April 13, 2017 by JAYRFRED

[skipper19]

One thing I've learned over the past with group 31 batteries powering my 18 wheelers, is that you can get misled by cranking amps. I always thought the high cranking amps were best...more is better right?..not so in most cases with batteries. A big truck has similar issues of a boat with extreme vibration and demands. What I have found is many manufacturers increase cranking amps by using up more space in the battery case, with extra thin plates that will vibrate even more, and fail quicker. A lot of lower amp batteries I have used, always last longer, without shorting between plates due to plate thickness. A more robust battery often has lower cranking amps, say 625 vs 1100 amps, due to having thicker plates, and more space to move if necessary. Funny thing is, I almost always have to replace high amp batteries during the hottest weather. Warppage in hot weather is a killer with close battery plates. Hope this helps in the choice. I don't buy the highest amp batteries anymore, and actually get twice the time off them in the same conditions. Just make sure you get a good brand battery as well.

Money doesn't buy happiness,
but it does buy horsepower....
I've never seen a sad person in a boat haulin' A$$...!