Deep cycle battery difference?

[duckduckgoose]

Shopping for new trolling motor batteries. Just curious what the difference between following batteries is? Use time? a 29 class 845 marine cranking hour with 210 reserve capacity///// a class 27 750 mch with 160 reserve capacity. Are both suitable for 80 lb. Minnkota? Thanks!

 

[lunkerslayer]

Doesn't Minnkota have a recommendation for minimum amps to keep them with in a warranty. Seems to me there would be a requirement.

 

[sweeney]

http://www.dcbattery.com/faq.html#3

This site should help answer a lot of your battery questions, biggest thing is to get two of the same batteries and make sure they are deep cycle not just starting batteries, in the same condition ie. both new, since you are going to running them in series( + to -) 24volts the amp hours of the weakest battery will be your reserve thus why you want two of the same rated batteries, when people are going to be paralleling them (+ to + and - to -) like in a camper or for a starting battery the voltage stays at 12 volts and your capacities sum together to provide you with more amp hours of electricity. The site goes over a most general battery questions and I think they answer them pretty decent. group 29 are bigger in size and usually will have a higher reserve or amp hour rating depending on the manufacturer.

 

[gone_fishing]

Shopping for new trolling motor batteries. Just curious what the difference between following batteries is? Use time? a 29 class 845 marine cranking hour with 210 reserve capacity///// a class 27 750 mch with 160 reserve capacity. Are both suitable for 80 lb. Minnkota? Thanks!

If you have the room I would go with the Group 29 size.

 

[Vollmer]

If you have the room I would go with the Group 29 size.

Yup, I always go group 29.

 

[raider]

Shopping for new trolling motor batteries. Just curious what the difference between following batteries is? Use time? a 29 class 845 marine cranking hour with 210 reserve capacity///// a class 27 750 mch with 160 reserve capacity. Are both suitable for 80 lb. Minnkota? Thanks!

reserve is what you're looking for for trolling... cranking means nothing for trolling motor...

more reserve capacity is better, and means more trolling time...

if you fish/troll 3 hours per day between charging, save a buck and go smaller...

if you fish/troll 8 hours per day between charging, spend an extra buck and go bigger...

 

[You]

So, for a 36v system I need 3 additional batteries on board. In addition to my 12v primary. So Group 29s hooked to absolutely nothing but the trolling motor. If my motors alternator is only charging the boats 12v primary, how am I going to recharge my 36v system? A lot of extension cords i take it?

can we get some brand/model recommendations going please?

 

[Vollmer]

So, for a 36v system I need 3 additional batteries on board. In addition to my 12v primary. So Group 29s hooked to absolutely nothing but the trolling motor. If my motors alternator is only charging the boats 12v primary, how am I going to recharge my 36v system? A lot of extension cords i take it?

3 bank charger

 

[Vollmer]

Another question that I've always wondered about. I have gone out, and know that I didn't use much battery. I know I have enough battery for the next day. Do I charge the batteries anyway, or try and drain them as much as possible before charging?

From what I have heard, newer batteries should be charged often. No need to drain them down.

 

[raider]

3 bank charger

yes... and price goes up exponentially...

- - - Updated - - -

Another question that I've always wondered about. I have gone out, and know that I didn't use much battery. I know I have enough battery for the next day. Do I charge the batteries anyway, or try and drain them as much as possible before charging?

From what I have heard, newer batteries should be charged often. No need to drain them down.

yes... recharge posthaste...

 

[ItemB]

So, for a 36v system I need 3 additional batteries on board. In addition to my 12v primary. So Group 29s hooked to absolutely nothing but the trolling motor. If my motors alternator is only charging the boats 12v primary, how am I going to recharge my 36v system? A lot of extension cords i take it?

can we get some brand/model recommendations going please?

http://nodakangler.com/forums/showthread.php?5641-marine-batteries&highlight=battery

That link has a discussion with some recommendations.

 

[You]

http://nodakangler.com/forums/showthread.php?5641-marine-batteries&highlight=battery

That link has a discussion with some recommendations.

Thanks. So from that I got Walmart 29maxx batteries or some such. Then id need this

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042T8XRC/?tag=nodakangler10-20

and I will in fact be running a massively long extension cord. Why do you suppose this charger says for a 24v? Are they assuming I'd want to use a bank on my starting motor, thus only leaving two for a troller?

 

[SDMF]

Thanks. So from that I got Walmart 29maxx batteries or some such. Then id need this

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042T8XRC/?tag=nodakangler10-20

and I will in fact be running a massively long extension cord. Why do you suppose this charger says for a 24v? Are they assuming I'd want to use a bank on my starting motor, thus only leaving two for a troller?

You want 10 amps/bank.

 

[gone_fishing]

Thanks. So from that I got Walmart 29maxx batteries or some such. Then id need this

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042T8XRC/?tag=nodakangler10-20

and I will in fact be running a massively long extension cord. Why do you suppose this charger says for a 24v? Are they assuming I'd want to use a bank on my starting motor, thus only leaving two for a troller?

Each battery is a bank so if you have a 36 volt trolling motors (3 batteries) you would need at least a 3 bank charger. If you also wanted to charge you starting battery you would need a 4 bank charger. Some don't have a charger on the starting battery and rely on their motor to produce enough amps to keep it topped off. If you don't run your outboard for extended periods of time and/or don't have a strong alternator (older outboards especially) it might not be enough depending on how much is running of the main starting battery. I have a 3 bank charger but only a 24v trolling motor so all 3 batteries are hooked up to a charger. It's just nice to know the starting battery is topped off and ready to go after a day of running graphs, radio, live well pumps, etc. Personally if I had a 4 battery setup (3 trolling and 1 starting) I would have a 4 bank charger. Even the 5 amps per bank should have no problem completely charging batteries overnight.

 

[duckduckgoose]

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Ponyroper]

Each battery is a bank so if you have a 36 volt trolling motors (3 batteries) you would need at least a 3 bank charger. If you also wanted to charge you starting battery you would need a 4 bank charger. Some don't have a charger on the starting battery and rely on their motor to produce enough amps to keep it topped off. If you don't run your outboard for extended periods of time and/or don't have a strong alternator (older outboards especially) it might not be enough depending on how much is running of the main starting battery. I have a 3 bank charger but only a 24v trolling motor so all 3 batteries are hooked up to a charger. It's just nice to know the starting battery is topped off and ready to go after a day of running graphs, radio, live well pumps, etc. Personally if I had a 4 battery setup (3 trolling and 1 starting) I would have a 4 bank charger. Even the 5 amps per bank should have no problem completely charging batteries overnight.

WHOA! Wait a minute! So you are telling me I need a separate bank for EACH battery? I thought you could use one bank for TWO batteries if they were hooked together. I have a 24 volt setup for my Minnkota and am only using ONE bank to charge the batteries between uses and it seemed to work fine. Both batteries seem to charge from the one bank-at least I thought they were as I've used them several times last year and recharged them. I just got the 24 volt last summer had a 2 bank charger already installed from before and knowing nothing about that setup I just assumed each bank was for one system. I just used one bank and taped off the other bank leads as they were not long enough to reach my engine motor battery. Hope I didn't ruin the two new batteries I was trying to charge! If I need to use one bank for each battery how are they supposed to be hooked up and do the batteries need to be disconnected from each other when charging?

 

[Vollmer]

You can leave everything hooked up as you charge.

 

[SDMF]

WHOA! Wait a minute! So you are telling me I need a separate bank for EACH battery? I thought you could use one bank for TWO batteries if they were hooked together.

1. Yes

2. Most definitely NO.

3. Hook the charger leads to each individual battery as 12V. Hook the draw leads (trolling motor wires) up 24V.

4. No

 

[Ponyroper]

You can leave everything hooked up as you charge.

OK, I have the red lead from one bank hooked to one battery and the black lead from the same bank hooked to the other battery. Does that mean I haven't been charging the batteries at all or that I'm only charging one battery? I'm very confused. Could I have ruined the batteries by hooking them up that way or maybe ruined the charger?

- - - Updated - - -

1. Yes

2. Most definitely NO.

3. Hook the charger leads to each individual battery as 12V. Hook the draw leads (trolling motor wires) up 24V.

4. No

Thanks SDMF. That helps a lot. Guess I better get things straightened out ASAP and hope the batteries aren't ruined. I plugged in the charger a couple of times this winter thinking I was topping them off and actually I didn't do anything. ;:;banghead

 

[SDMF]

I plugged in the charger a couple of times this winter thinking I was topping them off and actually I didn't do anything. ;:;banghead

Probably not a big deal over the winter. Heat is your biggest problem with both batteries and chargers so this is probably going to end up in the "No Harm, No Foul" category. IME, the charger is more likely to have an issue than the batteries in your situation, but, again, it's not like you did it when it was 100 degrees and in an enclosed humid area. Just get it wired right and you'll likely be fine. While you have things disconnected, you could put a multi-meter on each battery lead coming off your charger just to make sure your output is where it needs to be on both banks. If you get "0" output on one of the banks, check the in-line fuses, if they're good and you're still "0", the charger is bad. If you're getting 12-14V off both sides you're ready. If you've got blown in-line fuses, replace them and test.