Run time while trolling

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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Originally Posted by 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.

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

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.

so far i have always got 4 yrs or more ,usually get 5 and was at 6yrs on a starting battery when i sold my last boat.never tried the everstart maxx,i use the regular everstart.

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Originally Posted by 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.

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Originally Posted by crappiemax

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.

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Those batteries are now made by Johnson Controls down in Mexico, or so I've been told. One thing for sure, they're not made by Exide, contracts are generally 5 years. Should be good batteries.

Well I trolled for 5 hours then shot from hole to hole for another. Got home and still have 1/2 battery. Was getting 2.8-3.0 on 10 when I left. I could tell they were running down but much better than the old ones. I guess the new one stays. Thanks for all the input folks.