I was wondering what everyone was using for their starting/electronics battery. My boys left the radio on and now the battery won’t stay above 11 volts 
Do you use a regular vehicle battery or a starting/marine battery? thanks for the advice 
I use a regular 12 v 900 cca for starting and 12v group 27 deep cycle for all electronics. All 3 batteries are Interstate
you want to use a marine starting battery or a starting-deep cycle combo. Never had a problem with Fleet Farms Marine products. get the best you can afford- no you dont really need a gel battery either unless you can afford the extra BUCKS>
FF
I should have added that I have a 24 volt system for the trolling motor and a single battery for the start and electronics. Maybe I should switch the electronics, but I don’t think that is right.
I fell in love with these, best I have run in my boat 
Width 171 mm
Height 251 mm
Specifications
Voltage: 12V
Capacity(20Hr): 130Ah
Reserve Capacity:
25A: 225 mins
75A: 57 mins
Cranking Performance:
0 Degrees F: 665 CCA
32 Degrees F: 820 CCA
You do not want to switch your electronics to a trolling motor battery. I run a size 24 marine starting battery, and 3 size 29’s for my trolling motors. When I need to replace my starting battery I think I will go to a 27 because there have been a few times where it just barely started my engine after a long day of trolling, and I had all of the electronics on all day.
Quote:
I should have added that I have a 24 volt system for the trolling motor and a single battery for the start and electronics. Maybe I should switch the electronics, but I don’t think that is right.
Important to check your motor specs too.
There are Cold Crank Amps = CCA and Marine Crank Amps = MCA. Most big motors these days need 1000 mca.
For instance this is the spec off the Merc wesite for a 150 opti.
Quote:
What is the correct battery for my OptiMax?
1000 Marine Cranking Amps (MCA) or 750 Cold Cranking AMPS (CCA)
-J.
I use a large AGM costs about 170 but worth the extra. running 1197 and 112 and all the pump for a day still starts just fine even in the winter.
I have 2 marine deep cycles and 2 starting batteries. Trolling motor only on the 2 deep cycles. One of the starters is connected to my motor for starting. That is the only thing i will allow to touch that battery. All electronics run on the second starting battery. I have a 3 bank charger hooked up to the trolling batteries and the motor starting battery and a 1 bank charger on the electronics starting battery.
I like this set up because I never have to worry about my motor not having the juice to turn over. That is the most important thing for me. I don’t want to get stranded.
I like that idea, but I don’t have a spot to put a 5th battery.
Trojan!
Quote:
I have 2 marine deep cycles and 2 starting batteries. Trolling motor only on the 2 deep cycles. One of the starters is connected to my motor for starting. That is the only thing i will allow to touch that battery. All electronics run on the second starting battery. I have a 3 bank charger hooked up to the trolling batteries and the motor starting battery and a 1 bank charger on the electronics starting battery.
I like this set up because I never have to worry about my motor not having the juice to turn over. That is the most important thing for me. I don’t want to get stranded.
While that’s a good idea. Another idea is to have a set of heavy gauge wires running between all the batteries. They aren’t connected, unitl I need them to be. If my main battery needs a jump, I can simply hook it up to either or both of the trolling batteries and away I go.
Quote:
Quote:
I have 2 marine deep cycles and 2 starting batteries. Trolling motor only on the 2 deep cycles. One of the starters is connected to my motor for starting. That is the only thing i will allow to touch that battery. All electronics run on the second starting battery. I have a 3 bank charger hooked up to the trolling batteries and the motor starting battery and a 1 bank charger on the electronics starting battery.
I like this set up because I never have to worry about my motor not having the juice to turn over. That is the most important thing for me. I don’t want to get stranded.
While that’s a good idea. Another idea is to have a set of heavy gauge wires running between all the batteries. They aren’t connected, unitl I need them to be. If my main battery needs a jump, I can simply hook it up to either or both of the trolling batteries and away I go.
That’s a good call Ruger. It would be a good thing to have a fail safe just in case. When I bought the boat all things were on 2 batteries so I would have to pull the troller battery and take it back and hook it up to start the motor if we were out at night because electronics + light + tunes killed my main battery quick. That was a problem of an old battery and to much running on it I think though.
Can you explain how you have the wires run? They are not hooked up unless you need them right? How do you store them until you need them?
Thanks,
Basically I just snaked two 6 gauge wires from the trolling battery storage to the primary starting battery storage. I crimped terminal rings on each end. There is about 12″ of slack wire in each storage area so I can maneuver wires to hook up to battery terminals. I used red tape to designate one wire for positive on both ends (note, do this BEFORE snaking through boat). Then I just roll them up and tuck them away.
If I ever need to jump the main battery. It will be as simple as connecting the wires to the batteries and away I go. I can’t take full credit for this. I was fishing in Florida and the main battery went dead. The guide had his boat rigged like this. It was really cool to see a potential problem averted and the rest of our trip saved.
I’m hijacking this post…
I have a 40 horse evinrude,One fish finder, bilge pump, livewell pump, and lights running off my back battery. How big of a battery do I really need. I was planning on just getting a 27 deep cycle/starting battery at fleet farm. Anybody know when any marine batteries will be going on sale? I was hoping they would be since its spring almost. Also, I don’t think I have any fuses in my wiring, but its been like this for years… should i add any?
The 27 will be fine.
I’d go to Walmart over Fleet Farm for batteries. I’ve had super luck running their batts. Great no hassle warrantee too.
Here’s a tip on the Walmart batts. The is a date code sticker on the side of the battery. The first letter represents the month. For instance “H” is 8th month or August. Second is year “09”: is 2009, “10” is 2010 and so on. The battery I just bought had the code “L 09”, so I know that battery was made in Dec of 09 and has not been sitting on the shelf that long.
Good Luck,
-J.
I noticed that Cabelas is running their annual spring fishing sale starting tomorrow. The Cabelas AGM battery was the top seller when I worked in the marine dept….Just a heads up..
Quote:
I noticed that Cabelas is running their annual spring fishing sale starting tomorrow. The Cabelas AGM battery was the top seller when I worked in the marine dept….Just a heads up..
I got a set of these some time back and they have been great.
Always 100% charged after sitting all winter in boat.
I think this is the third winter maybe four.
No more taking them out to put in basement or garage and putting a charger on them.
They also have enough juice for a weekend of fishing with my minn kota 24 volt system.
Charge when I get home and 24 hours later they are ready for the next trip. Could be 2 weeks or 2 months.
These cost up front back you do not have to be baby sitting them all the time
One more thing they are sealed. So no spills.
Quote:
The 27 will be fine.
I’d go to Walmart over Fleet Farm for batteries. I’ve had super luck running their batts. Great no hassle warrantee too.
Here’s a tip on the Walmart batts. The is a date code sticker on the side of the battery. The first letter represents the month. For instance “H” is 8th month or August. Second is year “09”: is 2009, “10” is 2010 and so on. The battery I just bought had the code “L 09”, so I know that battery was made in Dec of 09 and has not been sitting on the shelf that long.
Good Luck,
-J.
Would a battery from E9 (may 2009) be too old? I checked out the wal-mart ever-start batteries and they all said E9. I think they were actually more expensive than the fleet farm ones too, unless i got a smaller 24 series, which is probably all I need.
I would not buy an E9 battery. Hold off for a fresh one!
-J.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
