Boat starting battery recommendations.

Hey everyone,

Just looking for everyone’s 2 cents. I have a multispecies boat (suzuki 90 tiller) with 2 helix 9 units, a talon and radio, livewell, pumps, lights, etc hooked up to my starting battery. It’s an interstate group 24 that the marina installed for me. Needless to say, that thing can’t hold power for the life of it. We’re talking, 45 minutes with the main engine off I have to start it up again just so I don’t have to jump it. I know this isn’t normal. I do a ton of night trolling for walleye so I have my main engine off the majority of the night with just the trolling motor going and all my lights/ electronics running. Any recommendations on what starting battery I should buy to give me the power I need? Group 31? Brands people have had the best luck with?

Thanks guys.

Do you have room to add another battery? If so I would add a deep cycle and have all the electronics, etc run off that instead.

Hey Captain Musky. unfortunately no. I only have room for one starting battery.

I would definitely bump it up to the biggest size, which you already stated you are going to, at a 31. Bear in mind they are physically bigger than your current size 24, so it will take up more space.

Might be worth looking at an AGM or even a lithium battery. They are more expensive, but they also generally hold power longer than a standard lead acid battery, and they last longer too. Lithium also has the advantage of being much lighter in weight.

Running out of power after 45 minutes for a new battery, even being a size 24, tells me there’s something wrong. I would check that battery with a load tester. You can take it to any auto parts store too and they will load test it for free.

OK that is a bummer but as Gim said, go up in size as big as will fit. Some people recommend using deep cycle battery for the cranking battery too. A traditional battery is not designed to hold up to extended drain intervals like a deep cycle.

Minimum group 27.. 29 if you have the room.

I run similar electronics but bigger actually and way bigger motor and never a problem draining battery with interstate group 29. Biggest they make it used to be called a 31 but in cranking it’s now a 29.

I used to deal with this all the time bought a 31m-agm interstate battery and the problems have disappered. I have many electronics and a 250hp motor that starts off this battery and have no problem fishing a full day without problems. You will pay a litlle more for these batteries but an agm has double the charge cycles as lead acid.

Like everyone else said if there is room go bigger. However I would really have someone look at it if not capable yourself, there is either a problem with your battery or way to much draw going on there. I run the same minus the talon off my starting battery same size as yours by the way and go for several hours at times without running the motor and it starts the 115hp Optimax just fine. I plan on upgrading my size battery also but have been considering going lithium for the weight advantages also.

I switched to a NAPA AGM 31 two years ago and it’s run my graphs and started my 125HP without a problem so far. Plenty of power to spare with it as well and doesn’t break the bank. It’s very well thought of over at Bass Boats Central forums by a ton of people.

Just got the BPS marine catalogue. It has Deep cycle AGM battery on sale. I am going to call and see if they have AGM starting battery.

Thanks guys! I ante upped and bought an Odessey ODX-AGM31. Thing supposedly has some serious juice to it. I’ll let everyone know how it holds up in a few weeks when I hit the water.

Chris wrote:

I ante upped and bought an Odessey ODX-AGM31.

That’s quite the upgrade and should be up to the task!

John Rasmussen wrote:

However I would really have someone look at it if not capable yourself, there is either a problem with your battery or way to much draw going on there.

I agree with this. Those items should not kill a group 24 battery in 45 minutes.

Chris, do not use that Odessey battery for a starting battery, Here is why, it is a deep cycle battery that can only take ten amps when being charged and that motor is NOT designed to charge it period.
That motor will put out more amps than the battery can take and you WILL burn up the charging system in short order.
I will also add if that rig is new I wish you getting any warranty on it.

The reality of what you have to do is dedicate a battery to the trolling motor and install a charger for it.

If you have any questions about what I am saying shoot me a pm and I will give you my shop number and I will be more than happy to help you out.
Sheldon

Good call Iowaboy, nice catch on the battery.

I had a somewhat similar issue last year with mine. I have a group 24 marine cranking, with helix and livewell also on it. What I noticed is after a few hours of use whenever I tried to start the motor (75hp 4 stroke Mercury) it would cause the Helix to turn off. Annoying. Local boat shop suggested that this year I replace the 24 with a 27 and that would probably cure it. I didn’t realize they made larger marine crank batteries than a 27. Hmmmmmm.

I appreciate everyone’s generous advice.

I actually spoke to a few engineers over at Odyssey. They called me last night after hours (great guys.) I told them my whole situation and they let me know the battery would work great. The battery is a dual purpose and not just a deep cycle. Being 12v this battery will not cause any issues and many folks use this battery to handle their starting as well as other accessories that quite frankly us fisherman are obsessed with nowadays. I’m not even one of those guys with 4 or 5 graphs so I could only imagine what they need to use to stay on the water all day!

Ripjiggen wrote:

I run similar electronics but bigger actually and way bigger motor and never a problem draining battery with interstate group 29. Biggest they make it used to be called a 31 but in cranking it’s now a 29.

Do you have the numbers for the group 29 cranking battery? The biggest I see on their website is a 27.
DT

Chris, I wish you all of the luck in the world, I truly do.
But I want you to understand this fully, you will be overtaxing your charging system set up the way you are.

Sure, when that battery is just barely able to turn your motor over and get it started you are asking the charging system to replace how many hundreds of amps of lost charge at lets say, 20 amps per hour??
And the motor has to be running at near full throttle to produce maximum amps output.
Simple formula for ya, you deplete 200 amps of your batteries capacity, at 20 amps of charging system output it will take 10 hours of run time to FULLY recharge the battery.
That is not only voltage capacity but amperage capacity.

I called my Suzuki rep yesterday to verify what I already knew before I replied to you, I have to stick with what he says as he has been working on the Suzuki motors for over twenty five years now.

I am not trying to argue with anyone, I am trying to tell you I have your best interest in mind and want you to be happy with your rig, its no fun when stuff is burnt up and not only costing big bucks but lost time on the water.

Again, I hope things work out for you !!
Best fishes!
Sheldon

Sheldon,
Thank you for reaching out again. Would I be able to call you to discuss?

Thanks!

Chris, I am sending you a PM.

Your a good man Sheldon and we are lucky to have you here!

John Rasmussen wrote:

Your a good man Sheldon and we are lucky to have you here!

Amen! He reached out to me through DM about my wife’s vehicle not reaching engine temp and what damage that could cause. Im thankful for that. Got it back yesterday and its fixed! They replaced the thermostat with an OEM one and voila!

Probably not an issue with a 90hp motor. But on bigger motors you want to check the manual for the minimum required CCA. Some motors like Merc Opti’s need 1,000 CCA. Seems harder to find these starting batteries these days.

-J.

Thanks guys !!

I just got done talking to Chris, I think we have a plan of attack that will resolve his problem and he is going to report back what was found out.
I would have done it myself but upstate New York is a long ways from Kellogg Iowa!!!!!!

WTG This forum is just full of great people! Well done Iowaboy!