Trolling Motor Batteries?

[VMAXX]

Now that I bought my batteries what is the best procedure to get the max life out of them?
1) Plug them in to my on board charger and leave them plugged in and let them set at a float on the charger?
2) Go out and plug them in every few days
They will get used (fished) about 1 time a week thats it.

Myself I leave mine plugged in all the time I guess it depends on the type of charger you have and if you trust it(to kick off to a trickle) however if you go that route I would check your water level at least twice a month and top off the water level with distilled water(tap water will kill your batts,heavy in minerals) coat your post with some di-electric grease(a couple of bucks at auto parts store) and you should be good to go! If you go out and plug them in every few days they'll probably go straight to the trickle charge anyway as they havent dropped enough to draw a charge.

[Moose1am]

Hitting the lake two or three times a week is the key. How many hours do we run our trolling motor battery per YEAR. Not necessary how many years you get from any particular battery.

I am retired and have been able to fish during the week for the last three summers. Ever since I discovered the local fishing hole I have run my batteries a lot more than I ever did before.

It's how many hours of operation you get out of a battery that really counts.

If someone goes three times a week all summer long vs someone that only fishes once ever other weekend or once a month the guy using the boat all the time will have the battery go down first. Considering that all other things are equal. Proper maintenance is the key to getting the most out of any battery.

I personally think that paying 1.5 X price wise and getting 2X life out of a set of batteries is worth it. I don't have to go shopping for new batteries as often this way. You get what you pay for I guess in most cases.

Now since I have an old truck and and old boat and motor I can afford to splurge on my batteries.

I agree. I have to replace three batteries and that's a chunk of change when I do it. I always check my batteries with a hydrometer for the exact specific gravity before switching the charger off. I hit the lake 2-3 times a week now that I'm retired so its even more important that I take good care of them.

[Newlight]

Hitting the lake two or three times a week is the key. How many hours do we run our trolling motor battery per YEAR. Not necessary how many years you get from any particular battery.

I am retired and have been able to fish during the week for the last three summers. Ever since I discovered the local fishing hole I have run my batteries a lot more than I ever did before.

It's how many hours of operation you get out of a battery that really counts.

If someone goes three times a week all summer long vs someone that only fishes once ever other weekend or once a month the guy using the boat all the time will have the battery go down first. Considering that all other things are equal. Proper maintenance is the key to getting the most out of any battery.

I personally think that paying 1.5 X price wise and getting 2X life out of a set of batteries is worth it. I don't have to go shopping for new batteries as often this way. You get what you pay for I guess in most cases.

Now since I have an old truck and and old boat and motor I can afford to splurge on my batteries.

I don't shop for batteries but just once every 4-5 years. I have an 18 ft. fish n' ski boat. I do a 'ton" of trolling each and every time I go to answer your questions. Most people do not take care of their batteries. I have had a couple of friends ask me about how I get that kind of use as they can't seem to get more than 2-3 years. In the cases I'm familiar with they don't check their batteries with a hydrometer and trust the meter on the charger. One of them lets his batteries sit for long stretches of time without checking them. I have a set of WalMart batteries that are in their third year and still going strong. At any rate, there will be many more buying these batteries if they have the performance/cost advantage. Time will tell the tale.