Which Battery configuration for me……

I just picked up a 24 Volt Vantage 76 thrust Trolling motor so I need 2 new Batteries, I can get Interstate’s for around cost so that’s the plan.

I have a 16′ Sea Nymph SC with 40 HP Mariner so I don’t want to add any more weight then I have too. I currently have a dual purpose Interstate battery that is my only Battery and runs everything, starter, finder, lights, live well, bilge.

Being a dual purpose and being a bit older it often doesn’t have enough juice left to crank the motor over at the end of the day, I do have a pull start for back up on my motor so it’s not that big of a deal.

I’m hoping I don’t need 3 battery’s but that’s what it’s looking like.

Option 1. Two New group 24 or 27 deep cycles along with my current dual purpose battery or possibly a new Starting or new Dual purpose battery.

Option 2 Two New group 27 or 31 Dual Purpose or Deep Cells that run everything.

If I go with option 1 can run anything other then Trolling Motor off the Deep Cells? I do plan on going to a Color sonar eventually and adding some more lighting along with a stereo I know my current Dual purpose can not meet this demand.

Thanks Pier.

I really think three is going to be the (only) way to go, which is option 1 I think, buy the biggest deep cycle you can, For me personnaly that’s how I’d do it, because I still spend 95% of my time running the trolling motors, so I want all I can get. Sure weight sucks, you could always space the batteries out like 2 in back 1 up front, distribute the weight a little better, you’ll just have to run more wiring.

The way I’d probably set it up with all the other stuff would be sonar, and maybe the radio on the dual purpose battery, just in case of interference, and everything else off the other batteries.

I run 29’s up frong for my 24 volt and a single dual in the back for motor and electronics. Mines in a 175 Alumacraft I run a Vexilar flasher and H20 Expedition C on the bow and a Eagle 1000 C Finder/GPS on the bow plus running livewell and bilage on almost every outing and have never ran the single battry down. I sometimes run 24-36 hours at a time on the lake during opener and early summer.

My partner has a 16′ Monark with basicly the same set up only he runs Optimas up front. Hes a musky guy mainly but still puts before daylight till after dark hours on his without running down his starting battry.

Wish I could get Interstates for cost I need a new pair up front.

Thanks I think I’ll go with two 27 Deep Cells and a new Dual for Electronics.
Can I have one of the deep Cells upfront and the other in the rear any problems running 1 Long wire/s in the 24 volt system?

Pier, you wont have any problems running heavy wire from the front battery. Be sure the trolling motor is fused.

Another note.. most of the time you dont get the massive interferance from 24v motors as you do the 12v systems. I dont have any problems with interferance on my depth finder when I run my motor, or trolling motor which are all hooked to the same batteries.

Its hard to say if you will get interferance to a sterio.

It can be done with 2 batteries if you are worried about weight. The largest concern is ging to be how much run time you are going to need with your trolling motor. You live in town here, if you plan to fish the city lakes.. bigger the better. If you only need to putt around and cast at low speeds, you wouldnt have a problem running group 24(2).

On a side note.. you have that giant gel cell sitting over there that shoudnt have a problem cranking that 40 mariner.

Make sure that if you have the batteries a ways apart and you’re running a long wire between the two (the batteries will be wired in series, not parallel), that you have a wire that has enough ampacity to carry the amps that far. I wouldn’t recommend anything smaller than 6 gauge wire.