Battery Advice?

[Rabbits]

I usually use my car battery, but since it is a Honda it has a wee little battery. Anyways... I am going to buy a new one for my electric trolling motor, only has 30# thrust. Was wondering if I could just go down to pull apart and get a used one or should I invest the money into a marine battery.

Also, what is the difference between a car battery and marine battery?

And... what type of performance/time should I expect out of a marine battery compared to a car battery?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I usually use my car battery, but since it is a Honda it has a wee little battery. Anyways... I am going to buy a new one for my electric trolling motor, only has 30# thrust. Was wondering if I could just go down to pull apart and get a used one or should I invest the money into a marine battery.

Also, what is the difference between a car battery and marine battery?

And... what type of performance/time should I expect out of a marine battery compared to a car battery?

Thanks.

This one is simple. Go to Costco and buy their Marine Battery...it lasts for a good 2-3 years depending on use, and they recylce it for you when you are done using it...i.e. when it runs out of umph. Costco sells this marine battery for around $45 and I have not gone wrong in doing so over the 10 years I've been trolling with an electric motor that has 60# thrust...good luck! Just don't get a car battery...doesn't last long enough for the money.

[Rabbits]

Thanks! Will do... and I just signed up for Costco, perfect.

That is really cheap, I am surprised. I work at Joe's Sporting Goods and they are around $80 - 90. Ridiculous.

And FYI... if your car battery goes to crap, a junk yard or Pull - A - Part type place usually has a selection of used batteries for about $10 - 15.

Thanks again.

[A9]

Deep cycle battery is what you need. These batteries are meant to be re charged over and over again...Keep em full when your not using them and they should last for a few years..

[2000subaru]

This one is simple. Go to Costco and buy their Marine Battery...it lasts for a good 2-3 years depending on use, and they recylce it for you when you are done using it...i.e. when it runs out of umph. Costco sells this marine battery for around $45 and I have not gone wrong in doing so over the 10 years I've been trolling with an electric motor that has 60# thrust...good luck! Just don't get a car battery...doesn't last long enough for the money.

Ditto on the Costco trip. My new deep cycle from Costco works great and holds a great charge. Go ahead and treat yourself to a tasty Churro or a Polish Dog and a Coke while you are there.

[A9]

This one is simple. Go to Costco and buy their Marine Battery...it lasts for a good 2-3 years depending on use, and they recylce it for you when you are done using it...i.e. when it runs out of umph. Costco sells this marine battery for around $45 and I have not gone wrong in doing so over the 10 years I've been trolling with an electric motor that has 60# thrust...good luck! Just don't get a car battery...doesn't last long enough for the money.

Ditto on the Costco trip. My new deep cycle from Costco works great and holds a great charge. Go ahead and treat yourself to a tasty Churro or a Polish Dog and a Coke while you are there.

The $1.50 or whatever it is, soft drink and hot dog is quite the deal!

[VooDuuChild]

For $45, that doesn't sound like an actual deep cycle battery, probably just a "marine" battery which is like a heavy duty car battery and totally different than deep cycle. I am not sayin it's not a good battery, I'm runnin a $59 marine battery from Autozone (not deep cycle either) and it works awesome. It is a monster, 1000 cranking amps, 180 reserve capacity and 115 amp hours rated and is in the size catagory 27. It's beastly big too, so for sixty bones, I'm good all day if'n it's not windy that is. I've yet to see true deep cycles for much less than a hundred bucks. The autozone if you want something to compair the Costco one to is Duralast Marine Battery 27DP-DL

[Firetiger]

Regardless of what deep-cycle you buy proper recharging is the key to a long battery life.

Visit http://www.trojan-battery.com/Tech-Supp ... nance.aspx for battery maintenance information.

[cavdad45]

Just use a group 27 deep cycle. Car batteries will not last and they will drain faster than a deep cycle. Also the deep cycle is made to be charged and drained and recharged over and over again. Starting batteries cannot keep up with that kind of use.

[AdsBot [Google]]

Just use a group 27 deep cycle. Car batteries will not last and they will drain faster than a deep cycle. Also the deep cycle is made to be charged and drained and recharged over and over again. Starting batteries cannot keep up with that kind of use.

Yep. Deep cycle it is. The one I mentioned at Costco might even be cheaper than $45.00 and IT IS a DEEP CYCLE. Don't get a car battery like everyone else has said...they don't last. The Deep Cycle Marine from Costco has a blue decal over the front of it...can't miss it...and it will last for 3-4 years if you keep good care of it...one member gave link to a great site on how to care for your new battery. This is imperative...as a new battery is only so good as to the person taking care of it! Have fun!!

[Rabbits]

Thanks everyone for the advice and links. It has helped alot and I don't have to dig to deep to get one now.

Thanks again.

[VooDuuChild]

Just use a group 27 deep cycle. Car batteries will not last and they will drain faster than a deep cycle. Also the deep cycle is made to be charged and drained and recharged over and over again. Starting batteries cannot keep up with that kind of use.

Yep. Deep cycle it is. The one I mentioned at Costco might even be cheaper than $45.00 and IT IS a DEEP CYCLE. Don't get a car battery like everyone else has said...they don't last. The Deep Cycle Marine from Costco has a blue decal over the front of it...can't miss it...and it will last for 3-4 years if you keep good care of it...one member gave link to a great site on how to care for your new battery. This is imperative...as a new battery is only so good as to the person taking care of it! Have fun!!

Could you post up the model number and cca's etc for that battery? If there's an actual deep cycle battery for that low of a price, I'm getting one within a week and I'll know which one to get. The marine battery I'm using is a group 27 but it's not deep cycle and have been using it for around two years now, no problems, but I'd like a back-up battery for when I'm out all day and it's windy. That's the only time mine slows down by the end of the day. I've been really impressed with this battery so far, considering it gets used and drained down a good bit on average anywhere's from four to eight times a month fishing. When I decided on this one instead of a $150 dollar deep cycle, I'd been researching for quite a while trying to figure out what to get and found out that most batteries that are labeled "marine" aren't deep cycle, but are dual purpose batteries so that boat owners could use them for both electric motors etc and starting their motor. So I just said screw it, if I can get three years outta my sixty dollar marine battery, I don't mind buyin one every few years. But I want in on this $45 dollar deep cycle too!!



* Starting (sometimes called SLI, for starting, lighting, ignition) batteries are commonly used to start and run engines. Engine starters need a very large starting current for a very short time. Starting batteries have a large number of thin plates for maximum surface area. The plates are composed of a Lead "sponge", similar in appearance to a very fine foam sponge. This gives a very large surface area, but if deep cycled, this sponge will quickly be consumed and fall to the bottom of the cells. Automotive batteries will generally fail after 30-150 deep cycles if deep cycled, while they may last for thousands of cycles in normal starting use (2-5% discharge).

* Deep cycle batteries are designed to be discharged down as much as 80% time after time, and have much thicker plates. The major difference between a true deep cycle battery and others is that the plates are SOLID Lead plates - not sponge. Unfortunately, it is often impossible to tell what you are really buying in some of the discount stores or places that specialize in automotive batteries. The popular golf cart battery is generally a "semi" deep cycle - better than any starting battery, better than most marine, but not as good as a true deep cycle solid Lead plate, such the L-16 or industrial type. However, because the golf cart (T-105, US-2200, GC-4 etc) batteries are so common, they are usually quite economical for small to medium systems.
*
* Marine batteries are usually actually a "hybrid", and fall between the starting and deep-cycle batteries,though a few (Rolls-Surrette and Concorde, for example) are true deep cycle. In the hybrid, the plates may be composed of Lead sponge, but it is coarser and heavier than that used in starting batteries. It is often hard to tell what you are getting in a "marine" battery, but most are a hybrid. "Hybrid" types should not be discharged more than 50%. Starting batteries are usually rated at "CCA", or cold cranking amps, or "MCA", Marine cranking amps - the same as "CA". Any battery with the capacity shown in CA or MCA may not be a true deep-cycle battery. It is sometimes hard to tell, as the term deep cycle is sometimes overused. CA and MCA ratings are at 32 degrees F, while CCA is at zero degree F. Unfortunately, the only positive way to tell with some batteries is to buy one and cut it open - not much of an option.

[fishunt83]

Just use a group 27 deep cycle. Car batteries will not last and they will drain faster than a deep cycle. Also the deep cycle is made to be charged and drained and recharged over and over again. Starting batteries cannot keep up with that kind of use.

Yep. Deep cycle it is. The one I mentioned at Costco might even be cheaper than $45.00 and IT IS a DEEP CYCLE. Don't get a car battery like everyone else has said...they don't last. The Deep Cycle Marine from Costco has a blue decal over the front of it...can't miss it...and it will last for 3-4 years if you keep good care of it...one member gave link to a great site on how to care for your new battery. This is imperative...as a new battery is only so good as to the person taking care of it! Have fun!!

I purchased the deep cycle from costco last year and I got it for $39.99. Works like a charm and I dont have to charge it that often. I always bring my oars though juuuuuust in case!

[Anonymous]

I purchased the deep cycle from costco last year and I got it for $39.99. Works like a charm and I dont have to charge it that often. I always bring my oars though juuuuuust in case!

Costco has great deep cycle marine batteries and you can't beat their return and warranty policy.

[fishunt83]

I purchased the deep cycle from costco last year and I got it for $39.99. Works like a charm and I dont have to charge it that often. I always bring my oars though juuuuuust in case!

Costco has great deep cycle marine batteries and you can't beat their return and warranty policy.

Amen!

[beerbohm]

I have heard that Golf Cart Batteries are some of the best batteries to use for your troller.

[gpc]

If you can tyr to get 2. I bring 4 with me everywhere I go. My 40lb thrust really drains the battery and my 13lb takes its toll after a while. Plus I have my underwater light that I run all night as well. But the main thing that gets me is camping, most places I camp is out in the sticks, so there wont be any charging going on. I trickle charge all 4 before the trip and am set, too many "row ins" from the other side of the lake.

[Rabbits]

I bought the Deep-Cycle from costco. Seems to work great.

I asked my uncle, who works as an electrical design engineer for Bayliner boats, and he said that it was a true deep cycle. He also said that it may be that cheep because it draws customers in to buy more stuff. Like a trolling motor, or other accessories which are much more expensive. Like at Joe's Sporting Goods we sell guns at basically cost, to drive customers in. because we make most our money off ammunition.

thanks again guys

...I'm interested to hear about the golf cart thing, makes sense since they are charged every night.

[Eddie L]

I'm still using my Deep-Cycle battery that I bought from Costco years ago running a 40lb Minn. Bow mount and a 50 lb trust Minn. transon mount on my boat with no problems,and also to start my main motor too.

[kuttkilla]

I'm still using my Deep-Cycle battery that I bought from Costco years ago running a 40lb Minn. Bow mount and a 50 lb trust Minn. transon mount on my boat with no problems,and also to start my main motor too.

Sounds like nice set-up Eddie! I'm all about Costco batteries!