Trolling Motor Batty Help

[Guest fishmasa]

I am currently looking to replace my trolling motor battery this year. I would like one that will last all day or a whole weekend. Right now I am looking at a Optima Deep Cycle Marine Battery but the price is $248.00 which is freaking crazy but i am willing to pay that price if it means more time on the water using my trolling motor. What does everyone else use? Any suggestions? I have a Minnkota 40lb thrust trolling motor pushing my 14ft lund.

[GC 54 31]

I would then go with a 31 series Interstate deep cycle. Any other suggestions?

[Bill Arnott 2]

This will be my third season on my Optima batteries. I have 2 on a 24v Terrova that has never run down in a full days tourney fishing in heavy winds.

I usually recharge each night just to have max power.

It is favourable to totally discharge batteries before charging so even though I am shortening the life of the batteries they are still running strong after 2 years.

I often fish 2 or 3 days on one charge when not in tournaments.

By comparison the other batteries I have used in the past began to fade during their second summer.

The Optimas are charged and appear to be good to go as soon as the Crestliner hits the driveway....tomorrow I hope!

>Bill

[Monks 164]

Tough one, have an Optima and a Good deep cycle marine battery in my boat for the minnkota. I think the key is proper maintenance. I have compared, the deep cylce vs the optima, and the optima lasted longer but it was a year newer. I think in the long run if you maintain either battery properly you will be happy. I paid about 200 for my first marine deep cycle from CDN tire a Nautica batttery and bought an expensive Nautica charger. The battery is now going on year 6 and will almost get a full hard day of tourny fishing. By hard I mean running at 75% most of the day in high winds.

I would say pick the optima style or deep cycle marine and stick with it throughout your boat. Then you can keep the same maintenance schedule on all your batteries.

[Bottom Bouncer 22]

$248.00 for a battery WOW maybe if my name was "Larry Trump" I have 2 energizer batteries in the bow from Wal-Mart, for my Minn-Kota 80# thrust bow mount tiller. Deep cycle, they were the biggest ones they sell and I believe they were $85.00 each on sale and I have no issues with them. I fish a lot and have never ran out of juice. At that price you could by 3 batteries for $255.00. So you gotta do the math with a 12 volt 40 lbs thrust motor you need one battery, so you could by a new battery every 2nd year and you would get 6 years out of 3 batteries. So I guess you have to ask yourself will that optima last 6 years. Also you would probably get more than 2 years out of your Energizer. Also Wal-Mart is great to deal with. I will add, my buddy researches everything before he buys and when he bought his new boat last year,...big 18 foot Pro Vee he put 3 Interstate batteries in it right away from Glens Good-Year on May street Corner of May + Lieth st. I think they were about $135-145 each. Personally I would at least try an Energizer and if you have issues go back to Wally World and get a credit and buy the Optima or something else. Just my thoughts.

[Gone8to1248 158]

Another thought is if your running a 12 volt trolling motor you can hook up 2 batteries in Paralell which will still give you 12 volts but twice the Amps. This should give you all the battery life you want. Also periodically drain the batteries all the way down with a lite or some kind of load and then fully recharge and your batteries will tend to last longer.

gone8to1248

[Guest TerryK]

Let me tell you about Optima batteries. I have been using a 800 cold cranking amp Optima in my vehicle for 12 years now. One battery, 12 years. It's deep cycle battery which is not ideal for use in a truck but the price was right when I got it. It is now in it's 5th truck and I can't kill it. I don't maintain it at all, it gets bounced around and beat on mercilessly and it still keeps starting everything I put it in. I for one will never buy any other brand of battery. The way this one's going, maybe I won't have to buy ANY batteries! lol

[Garbie 7]

I have run an Optima in my truck for 6 years, with out any problems or signs of trouble. Have killed it twice by leaving the lights on and still no trouble. The truck hardly gets driven so the battery sits for weeks on end. I know its not a deep cycle, but as far as batteries go, it is by far the best one I have ever owned. I bought mine at LASCO years ago, was a decent price, but not sure if they could touch Walmart's price.

[Guest fishmasa]

Well I decided to try the Interstate deep cycle battery, smith's RV had a good deal on them so I bought it for $115 and also bought a Minnkota onboard charger for $112. So both of them cost me as much as the Optima battery would have. Hopefully this battery will last me a few years, the test will come this weekend......

Thanks for the help guys.

[Bottom Bouncer 22]

GOOD CHOICE.