Trolling Motor Batteries?

[flippinstick]

I am looking into buying two new trolling motor batteries and was wanting some feed back on prefrence. What are some good batteries for the money, and what amp is on the brand you like? Is it higher theamps the better? I have a 24 volt motorguide 71lb. thrust.

[MsgMills]

People will argue till their blue in the face about why not to buy Everstart Batteries from Wal-Mart....But weigh the cost and Warranty and 24/7 replacement times available and by using the proper maint. and recharging the batteries when you get back off the water....Makes sense to buy them to me in every sense of the word......

But you'll hear planty of reasons from others on why not to buy them....But I like them a lot.....

[BASSKING]

Go with everstart! A one year replacement with no questions asked and they are nowhere near the price of other batteries. i have two for my little jon boat and they get the job done and i didnt pay a arm & leg for them.JMO

[djh480]

Go with everstart.

[Moose1am]

I am using the Blue Top Optima Batteries. One to start the boat motor and the other to run the trolling motor only.

I am starting my 4th year with these. I'll let you know in two more years if they are still going!

I can charge up my trolling motor battery in 4 hours after using it all day long. It holds it's charge all winter long too. It won't leak if it's knocked over. It's more vibration resistant that any other battery on the market. Just think how much vibration you get in a boat running across or down the lake all day. Waves hitting the boat and bouncing things around. Regular Lead Acid Battery Plates are just hanging freely in the acid and subject to movement. While the Optima Battery lead plates are wrapped around in a circular shape with glass fiber material in between each plate. And they use a paste that's more resistant and thicker that the water soln used in the regular batteries. This is one of the main reasons they last longer. Optima battery's also use a more purified lead in their plates. This decreases the charging resistance so they charge up faster and hold their charge longer.

How many other batteries will hold their full charge all winter long. Optima batteries will hold their charge for a full year's time.

They cost a bit more but they are more reliable IMHO. And they should last twice as long as your Walmart Batteries. I testing this last statement myself. Like I said I am going on my 4th year with my set of Optimas. I used my boat all last year though Dec. I fish a lake that was Electric Trolling Motors only so I put my trolling motor and my battery to the test last year and the three years before that! Imagine using your 50# thrust trolling motor get power around a 200 acre lake for three years!

But in the end each of us has to decide what's best for us.

I am looking into buying two new trolling motor batteries and was wanting some feed back on prefrence. What are some good batteries for the money, and what amp is on the brand you like? Is it higher theamps the better? I have a 24 volt motorguide 71lb. thrust.

[mrobertson]

I am using the Blue Top Optima Batteries. One to start the boat motor and the other to run the trolling motor only.

I am starting my 4th year with these. I'll let you know in two more years if they are still going!

I can charge up my trolling motor battery in 4 hours after using it all day long. It holds it's charge all winter long too. It won't leak if it's knocked over. It's more vibration resistant that any other battery on the market. Just think how much vibration you get in a boat running across or down the lake all day. Waves hitting the boat and bouncing things around. Regular Lead Acid Battery Plates are just hanging freely in the acid and subject to movement. While the Optima Battery lead plates are wrapped around in a circular shape with glass fiber material in between each plate. And they use a paste that's more resistant and thicker that the water soln used in the regular batteries. This is one of the main reasons they last longer. Optima battery's also use a more purified lead in their plates. This decreases the charging resistance so they charge up faster and hold their charge longer.

How many other batteries will hold their full charge all winter long. Optima batteries will hold their charge for a full year's time.

They cost a bit more but they are more reliable IMHO. And they should last twice as long as your Walmart Batteries. I testing this last statement myself. Like I said I am going on my 4th year with my set of Optimas. I used my boat all last year though Dec. I fish a lake that was Electric Trolling Motors only so I put my trolling motor and my battery to the test last year and the three years before that! Imagine using your 50# thrust trolling motor get power around a 200 acre lake for three years!

But in the end each of us has to decide what's best for us.

My everstarts hold a charge during the winter, not a perfect 100% charge. but hey if yours last 6 years and mine last 4 or 5 who got the better deal overall. Price+waranty+24 hour service anytime+1 year free replacement= around $70
What does yours cost?

[Moose1am]

I'll tell you the answer to that question if and when my Optima Dies. Which I hear is twice the lifetime of the other batteries?

So if the marketing guys are right then I will pay only once for a battery that lasts twice as long as the others. If that is the case then I guess I will be the winner.

My Optima's are still going strong and that's the only thing that matters to me at this time.

If they last me 6 years then I will be happy with that. I only paid about 120 bucks. If you paid $70 for your battery and they only last half as long as my optimas then I would have saved 20 bucks over what you did for the entire lifetime of my optimas.

It all depends on how many hours of operation each battery gives to the fisherman. That's something that we both have to figure in.

How many hours or operation will each battery give to us over it's lifetime. Heavy use will deplete the battery faster than casual usage. So the number of years that each last is very dependant on how many times it's been drained and recharged over those years.

I do know this. I have talked to people who own large fleets of heavy duty trucks and they use the Optimas in their fleet. These are businessmen who know how to get the most out of their batteries. They buy in huge quantities of batteries and they purchased Optimas.. not the other brand. So I am banking that they are right and that my Optimas will last twice as long as the other brand but won't cost twice as much. They may coast 1.5 as much and give me twice the number of operating hours. That's a deal I can't pass up!

PS: I have had my boat for over 25 years and have gone though a lot of different type deep cycle and regular batteries over those years. None lasted me over 3 years. Maybe I didn't keep them charged up over the winter months or didn't add the right quality of water to them during the hot summer months. But with my Optimas I don't have to worry about adding water or having them turn over and leak. And the lead plates don't fail nearly as much due to vibration as the old batteries I use to buy. I used a lot of Marine Deep Cycle type batteries in the past so I have enough experience with them.

But when you depend on your battery to get you back home on a trolling motor only lake I would recommend getting a Optima Battery. It will get the job done right.

My everstarts hold a charge during the winter, not a perfect 100% charge. but hey if yours last 6 years and mine last 4 or 5 who got the better deal overall. Price+waranty+24 hour service anytime+1 year free replacement= around $70
What does yours cost?

[Newlight]

Moose, where is your dealer located? If these are as good as you claim we'll all be using them in 4-5 years because of their price/longevity advantage and even WalMart will be stocking them soon if you are correct from the demand. So you gave $120 for two batteries - one deep cycle and one starting?

[VMAXX]

Optimas and Everstarts are made by the same manufactuer....Johnson controls, the spiral wound agm batts are sub contracted to a company called Banner in Austria, nobody should have to worry about a battery turning over while runnning down the lake if your battery is not secure your taking a chance of a damaging your hull or worse(fire). Deep cycle batteries regardless of brand have a life expectancy they will only be drawn down and recharged a number of time, before they start having capacity loss,....even if your charger tells you their 100% try running a load on them and see if they have the same reserve capacity that the sticker says,I'll bet not. Likewise deep cycle marine batteries are built with heaveir plates to withstand the abuse they get(vibration and pounding)Optimas are built good so are Everstart marine batts. but without proper maint. none will live their expected lifetime.

Johnson Controls Inc. [Sears' DieHard, Auto Zone's Duralast, Wal*Mart's EverStart, Motorcraft, Optima, etc. ], (US)

[Moose1am]

http://www.optimabatteries.com/publi...ig/splash.html


Thanks for that information. Johnson has purchased a lot of companies that deal in sports and the outdoors.

When a regular battery the plates are just hanging there and there is a large space between each plate. There is nothing really in between the plates to secure them well.

With the optima there is a the plates are wrapped around in a cylinder shape with a fiberglass matrix between the plates. Each cell is in the shape of a cylinder and then they put six cells together. It resembles a six pack of beer if you look at it from the top view.

Optimas and Everstarts are made by the same manufactuer....Johnson controls, the spiral wound agm batts are sub contracted to a company called Banner in Austria, nobody should have to worry about a battery turning over while running down the lake if your battery is not secure your taking a chance of a damaging your hull or worse(fire). Deep cycle batteries regardless of brand have a life expectancy they will only be drawn down and recharged a number of time, before they start having capacity loss,....even if your charger tells you their 100% try running a load on them and see if they have the same reserve capacity that the sticker says,I'll bet not. Likewise deep cycle marine batteries are built with heavier plates to withstand the abuse they get(vibration and pounding)Optimas are built good so are Everstart marine batts. but without proper maint. none will live their expected lifetime.

Johnson Controls Inc. [Sears' DieHard, Auto Zone's Duralast, Wal*Mart's EverStart, Motorcraft, Optima, etc. ], (US)

[phoenix]

I get 5 yrs from AC Delco Voyagers 27series. Have a set of Dekas now and not very satisfied with them. I think my next ones will be Voyagers. They are a sealed battery, never need water , and never any terminal corrosion.But they too have increased in price over the years, but what hasn't.

[Monarkman]

Some everstarts are also made by exide. Earlier in the year I was looking at the Maxx 29's at the Florence store and noticed that some of the cases were different. Some were made by johnson controls and some by exide. Now all the Maxx 29's they carry are exide made and have a solid black case instead of the bright yellow.