trolling motor battery

**camo** · 03-26-2014, 12:37 PM

Your right Cherokee they last a long time.I fish around 150+ days a year and get at least 4 years out of the voyagers,my best is 7yrs.I do not trust on board chargers my buddy is on his 3rd one in 5 years and had to replace his batteries every couple years and I say its the on board chargers.Sometimes he gets out and in an hour or so he's dead they say your charged but their really not.I think they burn up your batteries.I know its a pain but I hook up individual chargers to all my batteries and charge on 6 amp over night or 2 amp if I have more than over night to wait.I've been out 3 times lately and have not charged them up yet,it's been windy and I've been on the trolling motor alot,I'll run them down pretty low when I can, then put a full charge too them,that's the way I've done it for over 20 yrs and it seems to work, so if'its not broke....

**Cherokee Ref** · 03-26-2014, 04:21 PM

My experience is just the opposite. I don't fish nearly as much as you, but I always use my 3-bank on-board charger and it seems to do the job. I have heard there are major differences in the chargers, though. I invariably plug the charger in as soon as I unhook the boat and leave it overnight. Like you say, What ever works.

**Hughes** · 03-27-2014, 09:27 PM

Do marine battery's have a memory?

**Fly Reel Man** · 03-27-2014, 09:33 PM

Lead acid batteries do not have memory.

**hairy lures** · 03-27-2014, 10:21 PM

I bought 2 Optima blue top batteries in 02 along with a Minnkota 3 bank 10 amp on-board charger. The batteries are still working fine as far as I can tell. I had to replace the charger in 06 when we had a big rain and the bilge pump failed. The rain filled the boat and the batteries and the charger were underwater overnight. The batteries were still OK but the charger was fried. I bought the same charger as before, and everything is still working good. I live on Lake of Egypt, and the boat is in the water year-round, thru all types of weather. I'm pretty happy with my Optimas! And my MinnKota charger! I figure 12 years of service is pretty good!