Cranking Battery

doober113

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Can you put a regular battery, such as one you would find in your car, in as your starting battery vs using a marine cranking deep cycle battery? Just wondering if it would be any different and if so what would be the issue. Would like to add a battery just as a starting battery and have a good car battery sitting around. Would rather use that than buying a whole new battery. Thanks.
 


LBrandt

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I am pretty sure your cranking battery also runs your other stuff like your electronics and live well pump. I would stick with the deep cycle battery. Just my 2 cents. LB
 

johnr

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a car battery is charged pretty constant with the engine always running while you are using the features. A boat starting battery is run in short intervals and yet you will have constant draw on it.
Unless you are using your boat with no radio, livewell, sonar, lights, or your margarita machine, then you should be fine.
 

ndfinfan

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Personally I wouldn't put a car battery in a boat - even if only used to turn over the big motor. I put a new dual purpose 27 series in mine last year to crank big motor and run main graph on console. Found good deal at NAPA on the battery. For me it was $110 well spent for the peace of mind.
 


Weekender

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I had a group 24 deep cycle (standard deep cycle, not dual purpose) as a starting battery in my boat and never had an issue. It ran a 140hp outboard, 9.9 kicker, and two helix 7s. It got old so I just replaced it recently with a group 27 deep cycle.
 

Migrator Man

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Can you put a regular battery, such as one you would find in your car, in as your starting battery vs using a marine cranking deep cycle battery? Just wondering if it would be any different and if so what would be the issue. Would like to add a battery just as a starting battery and have a good car battery sitting around. Would rather use that than buying a whole new battery. Thanks.
I have used car batteries before but only on small boats with only a depth finder or two hooked up for electronics and a small motor. Never had an issue unless the boat sat for awhile and the battery drained. I would not use a car battery in a big boat with more power draw
 

Up Y'oars

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My dad used to say, don't buy a corvette if you can't afford the insurance. Kind of goes along the same lines as boat batteries, no? ;:;popcorn
 

measure-it

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Boat cranking &/or dual purpose batteries are built heavy duty on the plate housing to take the beating of the waves in a boat (much worse than a car/pick-up). Also be sure to use good fittings and secure the nuts rather than finger tight wing nuts,
 

sl1000794

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My understanding of deep cycle batteries is for use where they can be almost completely discharged and still take a full recharge. My experience is with electric wheelchairs. A deep cycle can be used all day and still take a full recharge overnight while a cranking car/boat battery will not. So ... use deep cycle batteries on your trolling motors but use a regular cranking battery for starting. It's worked for me for 50 years!
 


jdinny

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I am pretty sure your cranking battery also runs your other stuff like your electronics and live well pump. I would stick with the deep cycle battery. Just my 2 cents. LB
depends how your boat is wired, today with the mutlipe electronics in the boat i would say the vast majority of people have a 4-5 batteries in their boats 2/3 for trolling motor, 1 solely for the big motor and 1 to run the electronics with a ( dont know the name for it ) but inverter type thing that charges the electronics battery as the big motor runs....
 

LBrandt

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My boat isn't that big. I got 2 size 29 for my 12 volt troller and a size 24 for my starter battery that I know runs my single electronics and live well. Also have a 16 ft set of jumper cables when Murphy shows up and he will when least expected. LB
 

Up Y'oars

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My boat isn't that big. I got 2 size 29 for my 12 volt troller and a size 24 for my starter battery that I know runs my single electronics and live well. Also have a 16 ft set of jumper cables when Murphy shows up and he will when least expected. LB

I learned about dead batteries in the boat vs. having a set of cables stored. I now keep those 16ft set of jumper cables in my storage compartment in the boat, too. Never again.
 

Weekender

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I learned about dead batteries in the boat vs. having a set of cables stored. I now keep those 16ft set of jumper cables in my storage compartment in the boat, too. Never again.

I bought one of those lithium portable jump start packs for this reason. Also bring it with when taking the side-by-side on longer ice fishing adventures. I have yet to use it though, hoping it works when I need it.
 

doober113

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I was wondering if you would just hook it up to the motor for starting purposes while all other instruments/electronics would run off a deep cycle battery. Thinking that if the other instruments drain the battery then I am not left sitting on the water not being able to start my boat, yes this has happened and luckily there was enough juice left in the trolling motor batteries to get me to the dock.
 


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