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looking into a new 12 volt trolling motor battery, stopped at Sams club yesterday to start looking they carry the duracell deep cycle and a AGM type the AGM type they had was similar in CCA and minutes but was around 180 dollars vs the duracell at 120 dollars. any thoughts on these deep cycle batteries on which ones will give me the best time on the water.
chet
Do you recall what group, 27, 29, 31?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DockShootinJack
I think the Duracell was a 31
Heres my take. Get walmart group 31 deep cycle. They key is a good on board charger that is religiously plugged in as soon as the boat is in the driveway and stays that way until it's time to go. I just sold a boat that had 3 walmart deep cycles on it from 2017, that was paired with a minn kota 3 bank charger. I fished every weekend year round. 8 hours or so on spot lock and those batteries still never drained below about 50 percent max.
I am a fan of those myself. I believe in the on-board charger also. I got 8 years out of the last set of walmart group 31 batteries.Quote:
Originally Posted by parratt1
You don't have to maintain an AGM battery. It is maintenance free. you are not comparing apples to apples.
I don't have experience with either.
To answer your question picking between the two... I have never been able to justify the extra money for agm. A good wet cell has lasted me well over long enough to justify replacement. I would forget the agm. Just my opinion.
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Batteries….lead acid and AGM are a crap shoot. For everyone who tells you I got X number of years out of so and so battery you will find dozens who tell you they get about 2 years max. Yeah some may get 4 years or more but that is not the norm. I’ve tried high dollar AGM and quite a few brands of lead acid. I have found for me to just get some Walmart…Auto Zone….Costco batteries and plan on replacing them in 2 years…which is about all I get out of them and yes I have a good 3 bank on board charger. Now lithium is a different story….but a lot of money.
Regards
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I've been using a Duracell AGM since 2018 for my cranking battery, it's been a good battery but I'll probably get a higher cranking amps lead acid next time. I've also had very good luck out of the Walmart batteries for the trolling motor. I would save the 60 dollars and get the lead acid or go to Walmart and save a little more.
And for those suggesting a good onboard charger & keeping it plugged in all the time when the boat is parked at home ... make sure it's a digital/smart onboard charger. My MK-220 onboard charger is not digital ... and it will keep the batteries charged up, but if left on all the time it will also boil the fluid off.
as for the walmart brand, are they the Everstart series. local walmart only carries group 27 deep cycle here.
chet
The brand is Everstart. I prefer the max series of them
If I am buying I will rebuilt batteries. We have a guy east of Cullman that sales gr 31 for 75$. I'm on my 4th year on a pair. But as AlphaHawk says it is a crap shoot. There was a guy there returning a battery and complaining when I went to pick up another for my Jon boat
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I believe starting to charge as soon as you returb from the water. Plus a smart charger is the life of a battery. Not discharging them too deeply helps also. I have 2 group 29 batteries for a 55bt Terrova I pilot. I can fish as long as I care to and not discharge them deeply enough to cause damage
Chet, you should be able to order the 31's, and have them shipped to your local Wal-Mart.
Quote:
Originally Posted by S10CHEVY
got it...:biggrin
Although pricey, once you go lithium, you'll never go back.
The last few years I've taken boat to Advance. Their deep cycle batteries do just fine for me. I run 3 batteries about 75 days per year. The batteries average about 3 years and I'm satisfied.
Take the boat to Advance and they remove old batteries and install new ones for free. My batteries on 1998 20 ft Skeeter are hard to handle. I'm old.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Speckalator
Naw. you are still young....
Out of curiosity I looked it up. There are 4 wet cell battery manufacturers here in the United States. The same number for AGM batteries.
What lithium brands seem to have the best bang for the buck at this point in time? What's the warranty on them?Quote:
Originally Posted by tlefire
I purchased 4 of the 60ah lithiums from AMPED outdoors. They have BMS but no bluetooth. I didn't need the blue anyhow.
I also purchased 2 NOCO smart chargers that can be programmed for most any 12v battery.
I have a 220D and a 330D and a 3 bank Power Pro charger cluttering up my work bench.
The batteries nor the chargers have failed since last years purchase. No probs makes TOM a happy happy.
Looking them up they are approximately half the weight to lead acid batteries. That is a pretty substantial weight savings
I bought 2 series 29 lead acid batteries from Wally for about $225 four plus years ago and they’ve done well for me. Long trolling times and plugged into the charger when I return home and my last two sets of batteries have lasted just fine. Keep the water up and hit the charger right away and don’t leave them depleted and they’ll do you well, no matter whose name is on them.
Tracker Marine is a rebrand Relion lithium ion...they are expensive but half the weight of the AGMs I was running and definitely have more power and reserve at a lower AH rating. No memory or need to charge immediately after use if 120 is not available. I made a couple AGMs last a little over 3 years with a smart charger and 2 bank Dual Pro charger, they would completely die after about 2 hours of fishing last couple outings. Lithium Ions might not be necessary but I am very impressed with the Tracker batteries I bought and can fish multiple times in wind without any charging or worries and my boat no longer has the mean battery lean I had going on.Attachment 407450
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I definitely have a battery lean going on in mine. Gas tank on one side batteries on the otherQuote:
Originally Posted by Fishfood123
I like ionic brand. Bluetooth to see what your batteries are doing. I have 2 125ah for the troller(terrova) and 1 50ah for electronics. Pulled cranks last week for 7 hours and only used 34 percent of rhe batteries. Could have pulled for another 9 hours according to the app. Still had 13.4 volts. Can't do that with lead acid batteries.Quote:
Originally Posted by scout-j-m
Ionic batteries have a 8 year and 5000 cycle warranty. Caught them on sale less than $800.00 per battery. Expensive yes, but worth it for me.
Pretty impressive numbersQuote:
Originally Posted by tlefire
That 8 year warranty is very nice. I just have a basic 1648 flatbottom with a 45lb thrust 12v TM and then I use a U1 mower battery for my 25hp outboard. I plan to upgrade to a 24v Terrova at some point but one reason I've been delaying that is because adding an extra TM battery present both weight and logistical issues. Those lithiums would probably really help me out in the weight department but probably more so in allowing me more options to place them.Quote:
Originally Posted by tlefire
Hopefully the prices will come down even more as they become more common
I have never had better service life out of any batteries better than with Walmart Everstart Batteries, and Walmarts are everywhere if you ever have a warranty issue like I did in a vehicle 800 miles from home several years ago (The one and only time).
Boat, vehicles, mowers, you name it, bang for the buck and long life cannot be beat.
As mentioned, smart chargers is the key. I still have a couple of the old chargers, mostly to remember who gave them to me, but I never use them. One of them, a 6 amp Silver Beauty, will boil the acid out of your battery and just makes a mess. Smart Chargers that charge, maintain, desulfate, just can't be beat. I install small inline digital meters on my charger leads that shows what's going on so I can tell what the charger is doing, as well as identifying when a battery is starting to go bad. 8-10 year battery life is not uncommon here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DockShootinJack
Weight was why I swapped. I was dependent on others to remove/install batteries. The price was worth my independence
I bought one of the Sam’s Duracell deep cycle batteries last fall. It’s been great so far. It’s heavy tho, maybe 70 lbs
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