12 volt batteries & trolling motor

[kydonky]

From what I understand a battery will perform better, last longer with a slower discharge rate. So if a battery provides 100 amp hours and is discharged at a high rate you may only get 95 actual amp hours. If the discharge is a really slow rate you may get 105 amp hours.

So if you connect two batteries in parallel they will discharge at a slower rate than each would individually. If you seperate them the discharge rate will not decrease.

The answer should be to draw from both at the same time to decrease the individual discharge rate from each. Doing this will give you some benifit by reducing the discharge rate from each battery.

If you switch them from one to the other you really no longer have the parrallel concetion just have two batteries on a switch.

[coombro]

Been running two batteries paraller for three years now and haven't ran out of power since. More weight in the boat,but the advantages far out weigh that. I do, however have to charge each battery seperatly, but charging time is not as long. And I stay out on the rivers dusk to dawn not concerned about power at all. Try it you'll like it.

[Duayne]

I echo what has been said. Don't use a switch while in use. You want your batteries to discharge at the same rate at the same time. If you ran one battery down, then threw a switch, the charged battery would discharge into the spent battery as the potential will seek a common level the same as with water. The other option would be to disconnect from one after it is spent then connect to the other, but running them together is actually better.

I would charge each of them individually, though.

[zimmy]

Keep seeing "charge them individually".....any reason? I have mine charge at the same time with the trickle charger since i put them together and haven't seemed to harmed anything. Takes a while but has worked.
Just want to make sure i'm maybe not hurting my batteries??
thanks

[Panfish Man]

Mine are run in parallel and you just need to charge one. Both of them will charge equally, I have been doing it for a long time.

[raporter]

Mine are run in parallel and you just need to charge one. Both of them will charge equally, I have been doing it for a long time.

Same here.

[coombro]

never really gave it much tought, but if it works for you guys i,ll give it a try. thanks

[Panfish Man]

One thing you need to keep in mind is that if you run them parallel, they need to be the same type, size, and age. One weaker battery will pull from the other and vice versa, your set up will not last this way. You will not get equal charge either.

[coombro]

One thing you need to keep in mind is that if you run them parallel, they need to be the same type, size, and age. One weaker battery will pull from the other and vice versa, your set up will not last this way. You will not get equal charge either.

Been noticing ones taking more of a drain than the other here latley. Thats how i came across parallel as my one battery was getting a little age on it. My batteries are not of the same size nor the same age. They still run me all day and then some. Dont seem broke to me so I guess I'm okay to keep going? There are times I will use just one battery. Depends what water I'm headed to. Dont stay on the lakes like I do the rivers.

[kydog]

when you wire them in a parallel circuit make sure when you wire up the trolling motor to hook the positive lead to battery #1 and the negative lead to battery #2, this way your drawing from the batteries equally.
hopes this helps Kydog

[12VoltMan]

I've been charging my two Optimas off one "automatic" charger for years; they've never even come close to running out of power even on the windiest days.

[coombro]

when you wire them in a parallel circuit make sure when you wire up the trolling motor to hook the positive lead to battery #1 and the negative lead to battery #2, this way your drawing from the batteries equally.
hopes this helps Kydog

mine are wired pos to pos neg to neg with a # 4 jumper then a #4 to a fuse block and distributed from there. Trolling motor,depth finder etc. Don't think I should have an issue and I have all the power I ever need, however I'm not much on dc current, but I'm always open for what works best. Would just have to do some rewiring to make it work that way.