Trolling motor batteries

[Gr8tz]

A the end of last season one of my deep cycles wouldn't take a full charge and the other one I've been using in my enclosed trailer to run my diesel heater, so I'm going to have to buy some new batteries this season. My question is do I go cheap and get wet cells and count on only getting a couple seasons out of them, do I go middle of the road and go with AMG and still have the weight in the bow of my tiller, or do I bite the bullet and go with lithium. My other question if I do lithium do I do two individual batteries or go with a 24V.

 

[risingsun]

I have had great luck with the ever start deep cycle batteries from walmart. My current ones are stickered 4/15 and 5/15 making them 8 years old. So they have to be nearing the end, but were still going strong last fall yet, using on a 24 volt 80lb minn kota. I think my previous ones were close to 7 years old. So the next set will be the same. I believe mine are the 29DC .

 

[Smuscha]

Haven’t ever seen much of a difference between life span or run times from sams club Duracells vs. a more expensive say X2s or something along those lines. I made the switch last year to liths and it’s awesome that you can run 2 days on a charge but they are spendy. Will see if a guy gets the years out of them to justify the cost. So if you have the cash buy liths, if not go to sams club.

 

[Fester]

Sam’s club Duracell AGM are made by east pen and are decent batteries. I would not rate them up there with the x2 power by batteries plus. Those are made by northstar batteries. I have used both deep cell batteries I will only buy the X2 going forward. It is a very stout battery but will cost you a little more. For me it is worth the price of the x2..for some it won’t be. It’s personal choice on what price you want to pay. I have never used lithium but have heard both very bad stories and good stories. Seems to be about a 50/50 on the lithium. I wouldn’t want to deal with a 50/50 on the price of the lithiums. People will brag about their interstate batterie and those are made by Johnson controls..the same manufacturer of Walmart battery. I am sure the interstate may have a little more engineering???? Behind them but in my opinion I think I would just buy a Walmart battery before the interstate…cheaper for the same thing in my opinion.

 

[shorthairsrus]

I have had great luck with the ever start deep cycle batteries from walmart. My current ones are stickered 4/15 and 5/15 making them 8 years old. So they have to be nearing the end, but were still going strong last fall yet, using on a 24 volt 80lb minn kota. I think my previous ones were close to 7 years old. So the next set will be the same. I believe mine are the 29DC .

Mine are exactly the same age. 15s. 29dc wally world.

 

[ndfinfan]

Two years ago I bought two Duracell 31 series wet cells for trolling/have a Motorguide Xi5, those batts have been awesome. As mentioned above, Sam's Club carries them - good prices usually.

 

[guywhofishes]

I had fantastic luck with gel batteries from Fleet Farm.

 

[5575]

Hard to beat the walmart batteries, they are cheap, last a long time and have a darn good warranty.
I like the sams club duracell agm batteries but good luck finding any around. Their regular wet cell are a good bang for the buck as well like others have said. Been in two boats with lithiums in colder weather and it was a shit show both times, ending up pulling them out and running to walmart to save the trip. I got a deal last year on some interstate agms and so far so good with them, couldn't give me their wet cell deep cycles though.

 

[Gr8tz]

I'm leaning towards Renogy 100AH sealed gel batteries $200 a piece and I will be able to stick with the existing on board charger I have in my boat

 

[Fester]

Heads up on gel
AGM Batteries have a lower internal resistance that allows for much faster charging and better performance under heavy load conditions. AGM Batteries will most likely also perform better than GEL in colder operating conditions, and AGM is often less expensive as an option for getting reliable power.

 

[Gr8tz]

Heads up on gel
AGM Batteries have a lower internal resistance that allows for much faster charging and better performance under heavy load conditions. AGM Batteries will most likely also perform better than GEL in colder operating conditions, and AGM is often less expensive as an option for getting reliable power.

Amazon product

this one of the other batteries I was considering

 

[Fester]

Amazon product

this one of the other batteries I was considering

The specs seem decent. “Design life 10 years” they only give you a one year warranty for $180.00.To me that says they don’t have a whole lot of faith in their product. I know warranty is not everything as I have purchased things with little to no warranty and have had the product last a very long time. The reviews are also good with the battery. The next thing to think about is if something does go wrong in the one year warranty I am not sure what type of issues you would have trying to return through Amazon. If it was me and you absolutely wanted to stick with the $200 range I would do the sams club Duracell agm series 31. East penn manufacturing does a good job with batteries and in my opinion are a very decent battery for the price. You’re also dealing with sams club if you would need to return.

I just looked up prices on those x2 power and the Duracell…my god have prices sky rocketed. If I remember correctly I purchased one x2 about 3 years ago and I could have swore I paid about $325 for it..now $500. I purchased a northstar 31 series about 10 years ago (still runs great)I believe that was $200. Oofta things are getting pricey.

 

[buckhunter24_7]

I just buy cheap ones and put one new one in every year. I know it’s not the right thing to do but it works for me, and the expensive ones last about the amount of time for me. I don’t do many 8-10 hour trolling days either, so do not care about the extra run time. that just sounds like a bad day of fishing most of the time

 

[wslayer]

@5575 glad you mentioned that. Lithium batteries do not perform well in cold weather.
Have found that out with Ion battery and Dewalt drill batteries. Gotta keep them warm.
Same boat as short and rising , my Wal-Mart's are 2015

 

[espringers]

Let's be clear... I fucking despise wally world. But, they have their place in this world. And I don't hesitate to buy batteries from them. They are the exact same quality with a warranty that is no questions asked.

 

[Upnorth]

@5575 glad you mentioned that. Lithium batteries do not perform well in cold weather.
Have found that out with Ion battery and Dewalt drill batteries. Gotta keep them warm.
Same boat as short and rising , my Wal-Mart's are 2015

Lithium don’t, but lifepo4 do.

 

[Gr8tz]

100AH Amped batteries from Scheels are $699 a piece, Walmart batteries are $99 a piece so if I make the jump to high end batteries they would have to last 18 years to pencil out versus buying Walmart batteries every 3 years.
So I do believe I will be heading to Walmart this week

 

[risingsun]

100AH Amped batteries from Scheels are $699 a piece, Walmart batteries are $99 a piece so if I make the jump to high end batteries they would have to last 18 years to pencil out versus buying Walmart batteries every 3 years.
So I do believe I will be heading to Walmart this week

That has been my reason forever. It just does not pencil out in my mind I guess. You could buy 7 sets of batteries vs one expensive set. 5+ years @7 sets is 35+ years of service, vs 10? I understand some of the expensive batteries have there place, but certainly not for me. Just like anything we all buy and use. Some have better luck with one than the other. And not all of us have the same uses.

 

[Fester]

100AH Amped batteries from Scheels are $699 a piece, Walmart batteries are $99 a piece so if I make the jump to high end batteries they would have to last 18 years to pencil out versus buying Walmart batteries every 3 years.
So I do believe I will be heading to Walmart this week

Do you have a link for those batteries? I might be in the market for a 31 series battery for $100

 

[risingsun]

Do you have a link for those batteries? I might be in the market for a 31 series battery for $100

I am not sure if they have a 31 series.? Mine are 29's, because I can not go any bigger.
https://www.walmart.com/search?q=marine+batteries&facet=fulfillment_method_in_store:In-store