Run time while trolling

[lcookie]

I am not a battery guru so I will let you guys help me out. I have a 80 lb terrova with two group 29 batteries powering it. I read where some get 9+ hours while trolling. The last few times I have gone out I am getting about 3 hours out of the darn thing. While trolling my power setting is between 6 and 8 typically. I occasionally bump it up to max. This seems short to me but I don't have anything to compare it to. Before the terrova I had a 70 lb motor guide with these batteries running in parallel. Never had an issue then. I keep the batteries topped off every time I come off the lake and I took them to get load tested and they came up good. Is it the batteries or is it the power I am drawing? For those that get 9 hours what setting are you using?

[Fisherman_Wantabe]

I think something ain't right? I have MK PD V2 55 on a 18ft tracker with just 1 group 24 ( I know too small but it was free will upgrade when it dies) I can troll at 1.5 mph for 4.5 hours. This normally runs around power level 5 to 6, so you should be getting all day easy.

[crappiedoc]

I have a MK Maxxum 70# with Series 29's and can run 40 for days. Does it match up with the "guide" on the head of the motor? How old and what kind are the batteries? I know I just fished mine 3 days straight on one (1) charge at 40%avg, but it wasn't continuous. I've sat and held in a 25mph for 6-7 hrs at 50% and had 73% battery or 12.3v left before charging. It's somewhat similar, but PD's and Terrova's have 2 electric motors; 1 power/1steering. How long between uses? Do you have a switch or disconnect your wires. Mine will "leak" significantly just sitting for 1 week hooked up, disconnected I don't have to charge or maintain for a month or better. Maybe pull your prop and see if there's line wrapped around the shaft. I don't know how big of boat you have, but running that high is somewhat steep to me, 80% is water-skiing for me with a 18' Champion. Your questions are understandable.

[CatFan]

There are a lot of variables. Boat weight, battery age among the most likely to cause notable differences. Fill in some details about your boat, batteries, charger etc. and we can make a better attempt at figuring it out.

[bfish]

kicker motor for me, all day on 1-1.5 gallons. Trolling motors have there place but not for me while push/pulling cranks

[lcookie]

16 ft tracker pro angler deep v rigged for trolling with 4 batteries. Batteries are on their 4th season and are the everstart maxx 29's. They charge up every time I check. Thinking it was age I took them to be load tested. Both came up good on the tester. During the winter/spring I would troll 4 to 6 hours and would only use 1/4 of the charge based on the tester on the TM. I was doing about 1 mph during that time. Had power set to no more than 3. I knew it would draw more power at the faster speed but this seems excessive. When I check with the tester on the TM it will not even register when I am done. I usually fish every weekend. When I get home I charge them up then pull the plug. The night before I go out I reconnect to make sure they are fill. I am leaving the motor connected so I will disconnect just in case. Nothing else hooked up except some accessory lights for night fishing and a hydrowave unit. I run at 80% to keep my speed at 2.5 to 3 mph. I can get 3 for maybe any hour. Then it drops to 2.6 and no more. Later it is 1.3 or so. At that point the steering is sluggish as well. Charger is a pro mariner from BPS 3 bank onboard. I purchased some new batteries this afternoon and will test them in the morning. If they work Thumbs Up. If not I will return them and keep pulling out my hair or slow down.

[M R Dux]

I'm running a Terrova 80 I-pilot on my 1860 Horizon aluminum boat with 2 Interstate 29 series batteries. I can troll Bandits at 1.5-1.8 for about 4 hours.

Are you leaving your lower unit in the water while trolling? I have a trolling plate on mine that is like pulling a drift sock if the motor is left down. I can pick up a full .6mph when I trim my motor up. That lets me drop down at least a full digit on my remote, maybe 1.5.

[blueball]

running it constant when trolling cranks is alot different,i like to run 1.9 mph .one day my 55 powerdrive went dead while pulling constant ,but u could still get short bursts of juice so i fished jigs for a couple hours afterwords with no problems.before i pulled cranks i could go 3 or mopre days on one charge

I have a MK Maxxum 70# with Series 29's and can run 40 for days. Does it match up with the "guide" on the head of the motor? How old and what kind are the batteries? I know I just fished mine 3 days straight on one (1) charge at 40%avg, but it wasn't continuous. I've sat and held in a 25mph for 6-7 hrs at 50% and had 73% battery or 12.3v left before charging. It's somewhat similar, but PD's and Terrova's have 2 electric motors; 1 power/1steering. How long between uses? Do you have a switch or disconnect your wires. Mine will "leak" significantly just sitting for 1 week hooked up, disconnected I don't have to charge or maintain for a month or better. Maybe pull your prop and see if there's line wrapped around the shaft. I don't know how big of boat you have, but running that high is somewhat steep to me, 80% is water-skiing for me with a 18' Champion. Your questions are understandable.

[lcookie]

This sounds close to what I am getting. How are people getting 9 hours?

[crappiemax]

4 year old batteries....not good.
I used to buy Duralast Auto Zone batteries. I would get 3 years out of the every set. The 4th year they would still test good but they just wouldn't hold up to a days fishing. It didn't really matter how I fished troll or cast jigs or whatever, I never could get that 4th year. On the starting battery I would get 4/5 years or longer, no problem.
I hear of people getting 5 or more years out of T/M batteries. I think either he must not fish much (either very often or only a few hours a day) or he's got a super battery.
This year I switched to Wally World Everstart Maxx and replaced my charger. I'm hopefull I can get a longer life but I'm not counting on it.