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i have had to use jumper cables from the trolling battery to start my 50hp a couple of times. Not sure what year your motor is, but mine is a 2004 and it has the cord mounted under the cowl that you can use to pull start it if you ever get stranded. Not sure i would want to pull start a 50hp but its nice to have the option if need be.
Crappie max I am glad to hear I did the right thing, I about sold my sole (racing equpiment and camper) to buy this boat and want to take care of it, I think I will add a set of jumper cables to my boat tool box now.
Kissfan actually my boat is a 2004' pt 176 with a 50 3cyl mercury although it looks about new, I did basic maintenance on it this Winter when I bought it and dont remember a recoil starter and I am with You trying to pull that much compression would be tuff.
I will have the 2yr old cranking battery load tested this week, if its not up to snuff I will get a new one, is there any batterys You guys prefer? Ive read where the 3 stage 6 amp charger on the boat will charge agc and gell batteries too besides your standard battery, wondering if the Optimas are worth the bucks?
Tom
That boat should last a lifetime if you take care of it.
I just use Everstart Max 29 series from Wally World. I used to use Duralast batteries from AutoZone and I replaced them every 3 years for the TM. These batteries just started their 4 year of service in April and I'm still using them. I noticed a day at Cowan using the TM only they were tired at the end of the day but were still working. For most of my days of fishing They should be fine but if they show weakness...they're gone.
I upgraded the electronics a few years ago I went to a bigger starting battery (from a 24 to a 29 series) I didn't put a cranking battery in but I put a deep cycle battery since I have a consistently heavy amp draw with the (3) electronics, live well, bilge pump plus the starting going to that battery. It's only 2 years old and I just started to notice on days when I have the live well on all day it will pull the battery down low enough that it shuts the electronics off when I start the big motor. This battery is only 2 years old. It's still a wait and see how this battery lasts the remainder of the year.
Either way I will replace them this fall/winter if they make it that long.
I'm thinking of putting a separate battery for the electronics but I have no idea where to put it or how I'll keep it charged.
I had a set of Optima's a friend gave me after he used them one year, he didn't care for them. I used them the next year and wasn't impressed. He's not the kind of guy who takes great care of his stuff so I don't know if that had anything to do with the mediocre performance or if it was just the nature of the beast. I do know I'll never buy them.
I have a 15amp BPS 3 bank onboard charger. It charges everything overnight just fine no matter what I do the previous day.
I hope this helps.
PS I tried to pull start my 40HP Merc...it dang near killed me and I never did get the motor started.
Just sayin.
Thanks again Crappiemax, I love the boat and folks cant believe its 10yrs old, I think the previous owner had 2 hobbies and one was taking care of his boat thankfully. I replaced the trolling battery but have still run it down this Spring twice fishing a 10hp lake in the wind, trying to decide if I just want to add another battery and run them in parallel like I did on my 13ft boat or go all out and buy a 24volt trolling motor which could end up being a expensive venture. Ive got a account at the local Napa and will see what they have to offer to replace the starting battery if needed, but having a set of jumpers sounds like a good idea too.
I had the same problem years ago. I went with a 70# 24v Motor Guide. I truly hated that TM. I could never get the boat to go slow enough when I long lined. It was a 5 speed and maybe if it was a variable speed it would have been better. I used that motor for 2 years and sold it. I went back to a 12v system, Motor Guide 55# Tour (variable speed). In the 2 years I owned the boat I have to say I was never impressed with the performance of the 24v system. The batteries didn't hold up nearly as well as I had hoped. I still run 2 batteries with the 12v system and never run into power issues even on TM lakes like Cowan as long as the batteries are 3 years old or less. I guess if I had a heavier glass boat or if I only bass fished it would have worked okay.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom 513
I'm not pimping Motor Guide TM's. My foot just likes the cable steer better the power steer on MK's.