What kind of Batteries do you use for your Trolling Motor?

[Scott Kitchen]

What kind of batteries do you use for your trolling motor?  Are they wet cell, AGM or Gel?  How many Amp Hours and how much reserve capacity?

 

Thanks and take care.

[Capt. Larry D. Jones]

Scott, I have two Optima Blue Top
D31M AGM Batteries, 900 cold cranking amps, 75 amp/hours, 155 minutes reserve. These batteries are 6 years old and still going strong.Only setback is they are $258 each!

[John Jarosz]

scott...here's what I'm running:  I have a 25 horse Yammie four stroke & I had an Exide starting batt, 750 cca & just traded it in for an Optima Gel Dual purpose battery (start & deep cycle) to temporarily use as a starter.  It's model # SC34DM, 870 MCA, 750 CCA.  I bought it at Gander.  Had a $40 bonus point coupon & used it to buy the $200 batt.

For my electric troller, I'm using an Interstate Deep cycle Megatron (wet cell) that I've had for a number of years.  It has 750 MCA, 600 CCA & works like a champ. Bought it from a trusted neighbor so I knew it was good (got a deal @ $25).  That's next to get traded in for an Optima Blue top starter.  then I'll switch my Dual Purpose to the electric troller & use the Blue starter strictly for starting.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Optima's are made by Interstate.  The Exide was a wet cell, lasted about four years & would only take a partial charge this year so it was time to get rid of it, however, with the Interstates, I never had a problem.

I wanted to try a gel this year.  heard nothing but good things about them. 

Hope that helps..jj

[jojo wilczewski]

Good Day

Scott I use a 1080 Cold cranking amps battery, cost about 100 dollars.

They are available at the Battery Store by me, across from Home Depot.

It is a small family owned business. I think their batteries held up better then the Diehards a last bought, the time before.

ALA BALA BALA jojoout

[Mike "the facilities" Fortunate]

spend.the.extra money for optima batteries!!!! I have used them in cars and the.last 2 boats I owned and they are far better.than anything else..my friend has a custom $10000" speedboat and only runs optimas

[Scott Kitchen]

Thanks for the replies. 

 

I am a little confused.  I read the Minn Kota manual and it recommends using batteries with at least 100 amp hours.  I have heard that the Optima Blue top D31M's are great, but they only have 75 amp hours.  The batteries that came with my boat are wet cells (Sportsman D27 715 cranking amps, 215 reserve hours and 105 amp hours).  I have had them three years and they started to get weak at the end of last season. 

I am not really as concerned about how long they last or how much they cost as I am about how long they will last with each charge out on the water I would love to have them be strong enough to run all day long.  (I need two as I have a 24 volt Minn Kota). 

 

Thanks again.

[Scott McKee]

I need two myself.  When it comes to batteries, I'm better off sticking to anything else...

[Joe Dolan]

Scott:  I am running a Minn Kota 24v system on my boat and use the Duralast marine batteries from Autozone with 800CCA (my boat compartment could not take the size of a 1000+ CCA battery or else I would have done that).

I normally run my trolling motor near a 3-4 setting which will get me close to .7mph speed for casting.  At this setting with my batteries, I can get over 4 days of use before I need a charge.

Other notes: 

- We are running a very similar setup on my fishing partner's boat, but with Interstate batteries...and they run just as well (plus Interstate makes bigger batteries if you can afford the room for a larger battery).

--Joe