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Are they worth the hype and price tag?? I'm replacing trolling batteries AGAIN, will not buy Deka deep cycles anymore. I'm looking for some deep cycles that will hold up for longer than two years of fishing. I run 12/24 and run both batteries down together, and recharge at the end of the day with a two bank charger. I've had great success with the Deka crankin battery, in fact I'm pushing my luck with one now almost six years old. Trolling batteries, not so much luck, opinions wanted.......
Delco Voyager, best in my book. I get at least 5 years from a set of them. I went to Deka this last set because of saving a few bucks, but my next ones will be Delco.
Can't give you any help on the Optima's, but one thing I would check on would be the two-bank charger. I have known several people, myself included that no longer rely on the onboard chargers. They have a tendancy to not properley regulate output and in some cases not turn off automatically which harms the batteries. I know of one guy who replaced batteries every year for two or three years before he found out his onboard was burning them up. I use mine for overnight or weekend trips only and use a 10 amp auto charger at the house. If the batteries aren,t charged by the next morning, I look into battery problems at that time. My Opinion of Course.
One of the biggest enemy of a battery is vibration. Optima Batteries are built to avoid this problem with their spiral wound technology.
Vibration in a boat will ruin a common battery faster than an optima. Just look at the difference between the way the Optima is made and the way regular batteries are made.
Optima's also charge up faster and hold a charge for a year at a time. You can't say that about any other battery.
Go Optima Blue Top and get the largest amp/hr rating you can get for the trolling motor.
Also check the output of that battery charger and make sure it's working ok.
I have two optimas in my boat now and have been using the trolling motor on Electric Motor Lakes only and that puts them though the mill. I have been using them for 4 years now. I think they will give me 6 years of good service.
>Can't give you any help on the Optima's, but one thing I
>would check on would be the two-bank charger. I have known
>several people, myself included that no longer rely on the
>onboard chargers. They have a tendancy to not properley
>regulate output and in some cases not turn off automatically
>which harms the batteries. I know of one guy who replaced
>batteries every year for two or three years before he found
>out his onboard was burning them up. I use mine for overnight
>or weekend trips only and use a 10 amp auto charger at the
>house. If the batteries aren,t charged by the next morning, I
>look into battery problems at that time. My Opinion of
>Course.
I've been suspecting this might be the problem, hmmmm??
It is funny how opinions/experiences vary on any subject but batteries and how long they last is one subject with a lot of differences. I think it obviously all depends on what and how you (we) are using them. The above post seems to state that on-board charges are THE PROBLEM but I think my on-board charger is what has helped to prolong my battery's life.
My G3 came with Deka marine batteries when I bought it in June 2000. Within a month I installed a DUAL PRO on-board charger and I keep in hooked up and working whenever the boat is not on the road. I was told by the owner where I bought my boat that, unlike most on-board chargers, the DUAL PRO turns itself on and off (once the batteries have been fully charged) rather than providing a continious trickle charge. Apparrently this prevents overcharging and boiling of the fluid.
Anyhow,in April of 2005 I bought new Deka batteries. I think FIVE YEARS pretty good for batteries, so I'll keep using Deka and DUAL PRO.
Who sells Optima's...Pep Boys, Auto-Zone or ?????
>Who sells Optima's...Pep Boys, Auto-Zone or ?????
In N.Ky Sears has them.