BATTERIES - Trolling motor

[johdavlang]

Looking for advice from experienced boaters/fisherman on the best bang for you buck trolling motor batteries. I have a 36 v t motor w/ on a on board Guest charging system. I'm the 2nd owner of boat, purchased 1.5 yrs ago. It had 3 A/C Delco voyager II batteries that the previous owner stated were new. Last month 1 battery keep blowing the fuse. I brought the battery to get tested and it showed that it was reverse polarity. Replaced it. Now another battry is timeing out (14 hr) and not taking charge. I'd like to get advice on whats the average life of trolling motor batteries and what type/manufacture is the best bang for your buck battery for this application. Thanks in advanced and all comments welcomed.

[cajun bill]

Might be hard to believe, but I just changed out my 9.5 year old Exide Orbital AGM batts and since they don't make them anymore, I went to two Optima batts so too soon to say if they will be as durable.

[jccnash22]

I've got 3 interstate batteries for my troll motor. Minn Kota 4 bank charger with battery conditioner. Stays plugged in when not on the water. Main thing is to monitor the fluid levels in your batteries. Keep them topped off and you should get quite a few years out of them.

If not, you can expect no more than 2-3 years on a battery.

Heard great things about optima batteries, just too pricey for me....!!!!

[cajun bill]

Originally Posted by jccnash22

I've got 3 interstate batteries for my troll motor. Minn Kota 4 bank charger with battery conditioner. Stays plugged in when not on the water. Main thing is to monitor the fluid levels in your batteries. Keep them topped off and you should get quite a few years out of them.

If not, you can expect no more than 2-3 years on a battery.

Heard great things about optima batteries, just too pricey for me....!!!!

That's the beauty of AGM's, no maintenance and getting to my batts under the console to check water levels is a real PITA. Regarding expense, I got them from Amazon, $175 each with no tax or shipping charges and 5% back on Amazon store card. Then, to top it off, I turned in my old batts at AutoZone yesterday and got $10 each store credit where I saw the same Optima batts selling for $225. So, in effect, the batts ended up costing me about $150 each. Even if they don't last 9.5 years, I still think they are worth it, but that's just me. I've also heard good things about Interestates.

[legallimits]

Make sure to use deep cycle, not starting or dual purpose.

Optima makes the best, but they are super expensive. You can get them for $200 each for the deep cycles at Sam's.

Here's what I'd do to get a great bang for the buck. Buy the deep cycle batteries from Advance Auto. They are $89.99, but if you buy online and choose store pickup, you can get $30 off of each battery with code RAF51112. They always have some type of incredible coupon code like that working. I'm replacing my two trolling motor batteries, and it will cost about $100.

As for duration, it's not like a cranking battery where the thing will be totally dead on you one day. If you have multiple batteries, you will just start to experience less and less power over time. Four years is a pretty good ballpark for when to replace. I replace at three, just because I don't want to have any reduced power.

[Pop N Cork]

Most people don't know that there is only a hand full of lead acid battery manufacturers. Johnson Controls is probably the largest. Each manufacturer put the batteries in different colored cases with labels of where they are going to - Walmart, Sears, Autozone, Interstate, etc. If you look close, you can see most have the same black case with different labels!

Shop for best price and warranty, because chances are you're looking at the same battery from each retailer.

[murfdawg]

The Optima batteries at sams are not very good. Mine didn't last long and died quickly. Look at RC/Ah and CCA on whatever you buy and compare.

[legallimits]

Originally Posted by murfdawg

The Optima batteries at sams are not very good. Mine didn't last long and died quickly. Look at RC/Ah and CCA on whatever you buy and compare.

That's the same one that is $175 on Amazon. I would be really frustrated if I paid that much for a battery and it didn't last for me. If I felt like the Optimas would run for the better part of a decade, I'd spring for them, but my experience is they all seem to go dead by about 5 years, even the AGMs. I just replace the trolling batteries and the starting battery every three years with a good deal at Advance. It's usually about $45 per battery, which is a great deal, and I never worry about whether my boat will start or my trolling motor will run. Like somebody else on here mentioned, all of those batteries are made at the same factory and just get different labels. Find a decent deal and put them on a replacement schedule if you can.

Anybody else have a different experience with Optima? Maybe they do last 10 years, and I just don't know what I'm talking about.

[neverenuf]

Original AC Delco Voyager maintenance free is the best trolling motor battery I have found.

[Dogface]

Originally Posted by neverenuf

Original AC Delco Voyager maintenance free is the best trolling motor battery I have found.

I agree but thought they quit making the maintenance free. Are they still available?

[Andy C]

Originally Posted by Dogface

I agree but thought they quit making the maintenance free. Are they still available?

Yes just bought 8 at Houston truck parts on. 225 yesterday for 82 dollar's each.

[neverenuf]

Originally Posted by Dogface

I agree but thought they quit making the maintenance free. Are they still available?

Bumper to bumper auto parts carries them now.

[HackBluewave]

Sam's Club, Energizer $79 deep cycle marine battery. Replaced my 5 year old Interstate batteries last year. One of the Energizer's went bad this year but Sam's replaced it free of charge no questions asked and no prorating.

[biggun]

Are they the sealed Maint. Free ones???

[Dogface]

Originally Posted by biggun

Are they the sealed Maint. Free ones???

I bought some earlier this year from bumper to bumper and ther are NOT sealed Maint. Free. I don't think they make the Maint free anymore but hope I'm wrong.

[neverenuf]

Originally Posted by biggun

Are they the sealed Maint. Free ones???

Yes. Get the original Voyager ones, they are just like they have always been.

There is a fairly new "Voyager II" battery from AC Delco that is cheaper but not sealed.

I have 7 of them, all purchased this year in Lake Charles....