Trolling motor battery

[sledhead03]

What deep cycle battery are you guys using with good success as far as longevity on the water ?

[Larry3215]

If you mean run time, then its all a matter of capacity. Get the one with the largest AH (amp hour) rating you can find and it will last the longest. Ignore the CCA. Cold Cranking Amps has nothing to do with run time.

[hewesfisher]

Don't make your purchase selection based on "group size". That's a battery industry standard for physical case dimension and battery terminal layout and has nothing to do with actual performance. Choose the biggest battery you can physically use with the highest reserve capacity (RC) number. Though CCA has no meaning for a trolling motor, it does give a general indication of battery capacity, for example, a battery with 550CCA will have a much smaller RC than a battery with 1150CCA.

The bigger the case, the greater the potential for increased capacity, but not all batteries in the same group size have similar performance, so check and compare before laying out your cash. IMO, best bang for buck will be an AGM in whatever size fits your application.

[G-Man]

I'v had very good luck with AGM batteries. They are typically a bit more compact than the standard lead acid batteries and handle the vibrations and beatings a boat dishes out much better. Also, you can abuse/drain them a bit more and can be recharged much quicker without ill effects. They do cost more, but will last at least twice as long.

[hewesfisher]

I'v had very good luck with AGM batteries. They are typically a bit more compact than the standard lead acid batteries and handle the vibrations and beatings a boat dishes out much better. Also, you can abuse/drain them a bit more and can be recharged much quicker without ill effects. They do cost more, but will last at least twice as long.

Yep, that's why good AGMs have 48mo full replacement warranties.

[Sideburns]

Yup, best technology is agm. There are certainly alot of confusing battery ratings though. Reserve capacity in minutes and amp hours can be measured in many different ways. Hard to sort through and compare when there is no standard measurement. I recommend looking for east penn or Deka batteries. Still US made. Northstar and odyssey are the cream of the crop, but at least 2x $$$. Never been a big fan of optima (6 pack) batteries. Exide of all companies, seems to be making some quality deep cycles for the hybrid/electric car market that might be available in auto parts stores

The lithium stuff is still out of my price range, but I'm sure they'll be in boats more and more.

6v golf cart batteries are about the most durable deep cycles readily available on the market, and "2 in series" will probably be in my RV and boat next. Down side is they're heavy.

[sledhead03]

Its going in my drift boat and will only be used acassionly. Since I get a discount through Napa I'll probably go with the exid .

[hewesfisher]

Have a relabeled Odyssey in my boat, already 4yrs old and still good as the day it was new. Guess which group 31 battery below is "spiral cell" construction.

Group 31 AGM battery "A":
CCA - 900
MCA/CA - 1125
AMP HR - 76
RC - 155minutes
Weight - 59.8lbs
Warranty - 24mos free replacement
Best online price with shipping - $260.81

Group 31 AGM battery "B":
CCA - 1150
MCA/CA - 1370
AMP HR - 103
RC - 220minutes
Weight - 75lbs
Warranty - 48mos free replacement
Online price with 10% discount, $30 mail in rebate, and free in store pickup - $284.99

Group 24M AGM battery "C":
CCA - 840
MCA/CA - 1010
AMP HR - 76
RC - 160minutes
Weight - 57lbs
Warranty - 48mos free replacement
Online price with 10% discount, $30 mail in rebate and free in store pickup - $218.39

If you needed a group 31 battery which would you choose? Note the specs of battery C compared to battery A, almost identical. Ask yourself how can a group 24 battery essentially equal the performance of a group 31 and have 2 more years warranty?

The Batteriesplus X2 batteries are relabeled Northstar, whereas the Sears Platinum PM-1 (now discontinued) in my boat is a relabeled Odyssey 31M-PC2150. No round cell batteries in anything I own except flashlights.

[Sideburns]

I have 10 year old northstars in my diesel truck that are still going strong, and a pc1700 odyssey in my little aluminum boat. Best batteries on the market.

[Sideburns]

curious how long you can troll for in your hewes with that pc2150? I can run 8 hours in my little 15 footer with an older powerdrive minn kota and a 68ah pc1700. Pretty dead by the end of the day though.

[hewesfisher]

curious how long you can troll for in your hewes with that pc2150? I can run 8 hours in my little 15 footer with an older powerdrive minn kota and a 68ah pc1700. Pretty dead by the end of the day though.

My bow mount is not powered by the PM-1 (pc2150 clone). I troll with an 8hp kicker. Can use my 24v bow mount for a weekend of fishing without recharging, obviously not running all weekend long.

I can, and do, troll for hours with big motor off, electronics and VHF on (powered by PM-1), never have an issue on restart.