Batteries for trolling motor on a jon boat..>>>

[Marty S.]

Hi all...

I'm looking for suggestions of deep cycle batteries for my 12' jon boat with
a 65lb, 24volt Minn Kota transom mounted motor. I will be using it in a
local reservoir that only allows electric motors. I'm looking for a good
trade-off between the weight of the battery (I'm going to be needing 2
batteries), the reserve time & amps, and cost. I've ruled out the sealed
gel-type batteries due to their weight and COST! The total capacity of my
boat is about 500lbs (including equipment and people).

Any suggestions? From here I have access to most battery distributors and
outdoor-type stores including Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's.

And -- suggestions for a charger. I'm supposing that I will be taking the
batteries out of the boat at the end of the day and recharging them in my
garage. I've heard not to let the batteries run down too far and that
recharging them after use is the best way to maintain a good charge -- yes??
Is this right?

Thanks in advance!!!

--
Marty S.
Baltimore, MD USA

[Calif Bill]

"Marty S." > wrote in message
...
> Hi all...
>
> I'm looking for suggestions of deep cycle batteries for my 12' jon boat
with
> a 65lb, 24volt Minn Kota transom mounted motor. I will be using it in a
> local reservoir that only allows electric motors. I'm looking for a good
> trade-off between the weight of the battery (I'm going to be needing 2
> batteries), the reserve time & amps, and cost. I've ruled out the sealed
> gel-type batteries due to their weight and COST! The total capacity of my
> boat is about 500lbs (including equipment and people).
>
> Any suggestions? From here I have access to most battery distributors and
> outdoor-type stores including Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's.
>
> And -- suggestions for a charger. I'm supposing that I will be taking the
> batteries out of the boat at the end of the day and recharging them in my
> garage. I've heard not to let the batteries run down too far and that
> recharging them after use is the best way to maintain a good charge --
yes??
> Is this right?
>
> Thanks in advance!!!
>
> --
> Marty S.
> Baltimore, MD USA
>
>
>

Group 24's from Costco or Wal-mart. They will be about 50 /ea. The 24 is
lighter than the grp 27 and my 21' boat can go a couple of days on the Group
27's and a MK 65 AP. I use a Wal-mart charger. They will cook your battery
if left on for days, so I just use a $5 timer from Home Depot and take the
"on" tab off the timer and set the timer for 10-12 hours of on time before
the "off" tab turns off the switch.
bill

[[email protected]]

Marty,
If you haven't bought the trolling motor yet I'd rethink your choice from
the standpoint of naval engineering. Your boats natural hull speed (amount
of waterline in the water on displacement type hulls) will be a deciding
factor on boat performance. For this reason I'd save a bunch of money and
weight and go with the smallest full variable speed trolling motor you can
find.
What I'm trying to say is there is a point where more HP doesn't help if the
boat isn't on plane, in displacement hulls the square root of the effective
waterline is the maximum efficient speed. Any additional power after that is
a massive use the hp or in your case battery amperage with rapidly
diminishing returns. In canoe racing it's called "trying to climb the hull
speed hill." More muscle needed to optimize canoe speed with less to show
for it.

[Joseph Stachyra]

Dear Marty: You say weight is a problem, and you say your use is only
your local reservoir.
and your boat is very small, thus meaning, your not going into deep or far
away waters.

1. response Car Batteries are lighter than deep cycle and cheaper, why
not. Your not going to sea.
2. Or go to Sears and get two deep cycle batteries they have many sizes.
3. open that wallet, let the moths out of it, and buy a bigger boat and do
it right.


"Marty S." > wrote in message
...
> Hi all...
>
> I'm looking for suggestions of deep cycle batteries for my 12' jon boat
with
> a 65lb, 24volt Minn Kota transom mounted motor. I will be using it in a
> local reservoir that only allows electric motors. I'm looking for a good
> trade-off between the weight of the battery (I'm going to be needing 2
> batteries), the reserve time & amps, and cost. I've ruled out the sealed
> gel-type batteries due to their weight and COST! The total capacity of my
> boat is about 500lbs (including equipment and people).
>
> Any suggestions? From here I have access to most battery distributors and
> outdoor-type stores including Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's.
>
> And -- suggestions for a charger. I'm supposing that I will be taking the
> batteries out of the boat at the end of the day and recharging them in my
> garage. I've heard not to let the batteries run down too far and that
> recharging them after use is the best way to maintain a good charge --
yes??
> Is this right?
>
> Thanks in advance!!!
>
> --
> Marty S.
> Baltimore, MD USA
>
>
>

[Todd Copeland]

I'd strongly recommend against cranking (car) batteries. It's not a question
of how long the batteries will last while in use, it's a question of how the
battery holds a charge. Cranking batteries are designed to deliver quick and
momentary power. They are also designed to be kept fully charged. If this
battery was drained and recharged several times it will stop holding a
charge and probably only last a few month. A deep cycle battery is designed
for this type of charge and discharge and can last years.

"Joseph Stachyra" > wrote in message
...
> Dear Marty: You say weight is a problem, and you say your use is only
> your local reservoir.
> and your boat is very small, thus meaning, your not going into deep or
far
> away waters.
>
> 1. response Car Batteries are lighter than deep cycle and cheaper, why

[Rod McInnis]

"Marty S." > wrote in message
...
> Hi all...
> I'm looking for a good
> trade-off between the weight of the battery (I'm going to be needing 2
> batteries), the reserve time & amps, and cost.


The first thing that you will need to establish is the desired run time on
the motor. If you use standard 27 series deep cycle batteries your run time
at maximum thrust will be under 2 hours, probably closer to 90 minutes. If
you run at less than maximum speed you would probably get two hours or more
from it.

If that is sufficient for your needs then your best bet would be two
standard lead-acid deep cycle batteries. You should be able to pick these
up for $65 to $75 each.

If you need more than that then your best bet would be to use golf cart
batteries. The case size of these are referred to as T-105 or 2200 series.
They are about the same length and width as a standard battery but they are
a bit taller. They are also 6 volts, so you will need four of them. These
batteries are the work horse of the golf cart industry and they are readily
available. Look in the phone book under "battery" and find an industrial
battery supply house. You should be able to find these batteries for under
$70 each.

These batteries will more than double your run time. They should also last
more than twice as many years as the 12 volt batteries will, so overall they
are a sound investment.

Rod McInnis

[Bob]

Why is nobody picking up on this setup?
Let's review your rig;
12' Jon boat with max. capacity of 500 lbs.
24v Minn Kota with 65lb of thrust.
What are you going to be doing with this rig? Towing water-skiers? I'm not
trying to be sarcastic, but this is a LOT of motor for such a small boat.
Usually seen on boats of much larger capacity and hull weight.

My rig;
14' Starcraft utility boat (old style w/ shallow sides) = approx. hull
weight 135 lbs.
2 fishermen = 400 lbs.
All of our gear (including electric trolling motor and battery) = approx.
125 lbs.
Trolling motor is a Minn Kota Endura 12v, 36lb transom mount = $100 at time
of purchase
One (1) marine deep cycle battery from my local farm supply house, house
branded (mfg. by Johnson Controls) = $45 on sale
I can fish the cranberry marshes (NO gas motors allowed, just having one ON
the boat will get you a fine) for two (2), 5-6 hour days without depleting
the charge in one (1) cheapo battery.

Suggestion;
Look into a less expensive setup for this boat.

Standard, portable style of battery charger will work just fine. Make sure
that it has a setting, or is compatible with, deep cycle batteries. I prefer
the Schumacher(sic) brand. With this you can also recharge right in the boat
as long as the charger is kept out of the rain.

Recharge as often as you can. While deep cycle batteries can withstand a
much deeper discharge than automotive type batteries, they will benefit (in
terms of length of life) from being recharged at lower levels of discharge.
Also, keep them charged up during periods of not being used (i.e. the
winter), either with a 1 or 2 amp trickle charger, or plug them into your
regular charger once a month and bring them back up to full charge. All
batteries will self-discharge while in storage, and this will affect the
life of the battery.

Bob

"Marty S." > wrote in message
...
> Hi all...
>
> I'm looking for suggestions of deep cycle batteries for my 12' jon boat
with
> a 65lb, 24volt Minn Kota transom mounted motor. I will be using it in a
> local reservoir that only allows electric motors. I'm looking for a good
> trade-off between the weight of the battery (I'm going to be needing 2
> batteries), the reserve time & amps, and cost. I've ruled out the sealed
> gel-type batteries due to their weight and COST! The total capacity of my
> boat is about 500lbs (including equipment and people).
>
> Any suggestions? From here I have access to most battery distributors and
> outdoor-type stores including Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's.
>
> And -- suggestions for a charger. I'm supposing that I will be taking the
> batteries out of the boat at the end of the day and recharging them in my
> garage. I've heard not to let the batteries run down too far and that
> recharging them after use is the best way to maintain a good charge --
yes??
> Is this right?
>
> Thanks in advance!!!
>
> --
> Marty S.
> Baltimore, MD USA
>
>
>

[Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers]

One of the reasons I didn't question the setup is the fact that I don't know
how he's going to be using the rig. If he were to actually use the trolling
motor for trolling, a typical 12 volt system isn't going to cut it for a
full day of fishing. I'd rather be overpowered than under any day of the
week.

Now, if he's strictly going to be positioning the boat, then I agree, 24
might be overkill and a 12 volt might be enough. As far as the motor
selection, maybe it's what he already has and he doesn't want to buy a
different trolling motor.

As to a charger selection, I picked up an automatic battery charger at
Wal-Mart for $39.95 and used it for quite a while, until I got a boat with
an on-board charger system. I always had full batteries overnight and had
good battery life.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com


"Bob" > wrote in message
news:Razlc.25112$I%1.1681173@attbi_s51...
> Why is nobody picking up on this setup?
> Let's review your rig;
> 12' Jon boat with max. capacity of 500 lbs.
> 24v Minn Kota with 65lb of thrust.
> What are you going to be doing with this rig? Towing water-skiers? I'm not
> trying to be sarcastic, but this is a LOT of motor for such a small boat.
> Usually seen on boats of much larger capacity and hull weight.
>
> My rig;
> 14' Starcraft utility boat (old style w/ shallow sides) = approx. hull
> weight 135 lbs.
> 2 fishermen = 400 lbs.
> All of our gear (including electric trolling motor and battery) = approx.
> 125 lbs.
> Trolling motor is a Minn Kota Endura 12v, 36lb transom mount = $100 at
time
> of purchase
> One (1) marine deep cycle battery from my local farm supply house, house
> branded (mfg. by Johnson Controls) = $45 on sale
> I can fish the cranberry marshes (NO gas motors allowed, just having one
ON
> the boat will get you a fine) for two (2), 5-6 hour days without depleting
> the charge in one (1) cheapo battery.
>
> Suggestion;
> Look into a less expensive setup for this boat.
>
> Standard, portable style of battery charger will work just fine. Make sure
> that it has a setting, or is compatible with, deep cycle batteries. I
prefer
> the Schumacher(sic) brand. With this you can also recharge right in the
boat
> as long as the charger is kept out of the rain.
>
> Recharge as often as you can. While deep cycle batteries can withstand a
> much deeper discharge than automotive type batteries, they will benefit
(in
> terms of length of life) from being recharged at lower levels of
discharge.
> Also, keep them charged up during periods of not being used (i.e. the
> winter), either with a 1 or 2 amp trickle charger, or plug them into your
> regular charger once a month and bring them back up to full charge. All
> batteries will self-discharge while in storage, and this will affect the
> life of the battery.
>
> Bob
>
> "Marty S." > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi all...
> >
> > I'm looking for suggestions of deep cycle batteries for my 12' jon boat
> with
> > a 65lb, 24volt Minn Kota transom mounted motor. I will be using it in a
> > local reservoir that only allows electric motors. I'm looking for a
good
> > trade-off between the weight of the battery (I'm going to be needing 2
> > batteries), the reserve time & amps, and cost. I've ruled out the
sealed
> > gel-type batteries due to their weight and COST! The total capacity of
my
> > boat is about 500lbs (including equipment and people).
> >
> > Any suggestions? From here I have access to most battery distributors
and
> > outdoor-type stores including Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's.
> >
> > And -- suggestions for a charger. I'm supposing that I will be taking
the
> > batteries out of the boat at the end of the day and recharging them in
my
> > garage. I've heard not to let the batteries run down too far and that
> > recharging them after use is the best way to maintain a good charge --
> yes??
> > Is this right?
> >
> > Thanks in advance!!!
> >
> > --
> > Marty S.
> > Baltimore, MD USA
> >
> >
> >
>
>

[Shawn]

"Bob" wrote ...
> Why is nobody picking up on this setup?
> Let's review your rig;
> 12' Jon boat with max. capacity of 500 lbs.
> 24v Minn Kota with 65lb of thrust.
> What are you going to be doing with this rig? Towing water-skiers?

Excellent observation. I ran a 36# MK on a single 12v deep cycle for a
couple of years with no problems, and I often fished for hours on end. It
was an old 14' jon retrofitted with 3/4" plywood decks fore and aft, 1/2"
plywood floor and side panels...all carpeted. I found I needed the weight of
the battery and a water filled Coleman cooler (aka live well) on the aft
deck to aid in positioning the damned thing. Without weight in the rear it
was like riding a skateboard on only the front axel...ridiculous.

65#'s of thrust on a 24v system will push that li'l 12'er around pretty
good - be careful in the "No Wake" zones.

--
Early to Bed, Early to Rise,
Fish all Day, Make up Lies.

Shawn

[Jim]

Bob wrote:
> Why is nobody picking up on this setup?

:^)


My extremely limited experience with a 12' Jon boat was that I had
never been in anything so unstable in my life. I've got one that
someone gave me and I'm going to set it up with a trolling motor as
I already have a deep cycle battery for it. However, based on that
limited experience noted above, in addition to the required life
jackets for the passenger or two, there WILL also be a life jacket
attached to the battery itself, just in case. :^)

-Jim

PS: The towing water-skiers comment was pretty funny and with this
light of a boat, probably not far from the truth. :^)

[Marty S.]

I appreciate everyone's comments and suggestions... just a bit of side info
about my use...>>

I will be using this on a nice sized reservoir or two here in the Baltimore
area. I've been out before with a 12volt setup and 24-30lb motor and was
stranded a couple of times when the juice ran out (one time was a windy day
and I was battling a good headwind, small little waves, and some current).
Since then I've taken an extra battery with me and it has come in handy at
least twice. I hate being stranded!! Soooooooooooo, (making a short story
longer) I figured that as long as I'm going to be using 2 batteries I might
as well make it a 24 volt system. And, at slower speeds, the 65lb motor
should be using less current (and being more effecient) that a smaller motor
at the same speed. And, with a variable speed control, I can run at any
speed I choose.


Is the 65lb motor overkill? Maybe. But, one other thing I hate is when a
late afternoon summer storm pops up to be puttzing along against a headwind
knowing that all holy hell is going to break loose if you don't get back to
shore in a hurry.

And, it shouldn't be any different than running a 2hp - 4hp motor on this
thing... I think the boat is actually rated for 6hp.

Sooooooo -- that said -- any other recommendations for batteries or
chargers?

--
Marty S.
Baltimore, MD USA


"Marty S." > wrote in message
...
> Hi all...
>
> I'm looking for suggestions of deep cycle batteries for my 12' jon boat
with
> a 65lb, 24volt Minn Kota transom mounted motor. I will be using it in a
> local reservoir that only allows electric motors. I'm looking for a good
> trade-off between the weight of the battery (I'm going to be needing 2
> batteries), the reserve time & amps, and cost. I've ruled out the sealed
> gel-type batteries due to their weight and COST! The total capacity of my
> boat is about 500lbs (including equipment and people).
>
> Any suggestions? From here I have access to most battery distributors and
> outdoor-type stores including Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's.
>
> And -- suggestions for a charger. I'm supposing that I will be taking the
> batteries out of the boat at the end of the day and recharging them in my
> garage. I've heard not to let the batteries run down too far and that
> recharging them after use is the best way to maintain a good charge --
yes??
> Is this right?
>
> Thanks in advance!!!
>
> --
> Marty S.
> Baltimore, MD USA
>
>
>

[RichZ]

I run a 50 pound MK 12 volt on my 14-1/6 footer and fish lots of
'lectrikonly lakes. One group 27 deep cycle battery from wallyworld will
fish me two full days before I neven notice a decline if it's not too
windy.

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing

[RichZ]

RichZ wrote:

> 4-1/6 footer
>
Oops. 14-1/2 footer



> One group 27 deep cycle battery
>
Oops again. Group 29.




RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing

[Bob]

Steve;
You do have some very good points, but please allow me to expand just a bit
here. (My excuse is that I pounded out my answering post while I was ALMOST
running late for work last night :-)

"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" > wrote in
message ...
> One of the reasons I didn't question the setup is the fact that I don't
know
> how he's going to be using the rig. If he were to actually use the
trolling
> motor for trolling, a typical 12 volt system isn't going to cut it for a
> full day of fishing. I'd rather be overpowered than under any day of the
> week.

I was trying to make the point (poorly) that with a boat of such light
weight, you can achieve very good results with a motor smaller than 65lb.
While I stated that my motor was only a 36lb unit, MK also makes the Endura
model in 40lb., 46lb., 50lb., and 55lb ratings, all with 12v. Any of these
would give even better performance, in terms of speed, than the 36lb unit.
And with a boat of the size and weight, of his Jon boat, any of these should
be capable of going all day on one battery. I just didn't say this very well
at all.
One other thing that I thought of while at work last night, is that any
system he uses that requires 2 batteries is going to seriously impact his
available weight capacity. One trolling motor plus two batteries is going to
weigh in at, or over 100 lbs. This would only leave him with approx. 400
lbs. of capacity, this would allow only 2 people (in my weight range :-)
with no gear. Better would be the trolling motor and one battery, if at all
possible.

>
> Now, if he's strictly going to be positioning the boat, then I agree, 24
> might be overkill and a 12 volt might be enough. As far as the motor
> selection, maybe it's what he already has and he doesn't want to buy a
> different trolling motor.
>

Yeah, I also thought of this while at work. If it is true that he already
has this motor, then the only advice I could give would be to fish alone,
instead taking the chance of pushing the weight on the boat to, or over,
it's weight rating. It is always better to be under the weight rating on any
boat, rather than at, or over the rating, for safety and insurance
requirements. In case of any accident, I never want to hear what my
insurance company would say when they found out the boat was overloaded.

> As to a charger selection, I picked up an automatic battery charger at
> Wal-Mart for $39.95 and used it for quite a while, until I got a boat with
> an on-board charger system. I always had full batteries overnight and had
> good battery life.
> --

I fully agree that having a dedicated charger is the best way to go. For me,
I already had the portable charger years before I ever owned a boat, with
the attendent batteries to be charged. Just have not seen the neccessity of
buying a seperate charger at this time. (Of course, with the wifey
questioning every little purchase, this helps keep me (more) honest, and
with fewer toys that she says I don't need :-)

Bob

> Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
> http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
> G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
> http://www.herefishyfishy.com
>
>
> "Bob" > wrote in message
> news:Razlc.25112$I%1.1681173@attbi_s51...
> > Why is nobody picking up on this setup?
> > Let's review your rig;

[Rod McInnis]

"Jim" > wrote in message
...


> However, based on that
> limited experience noted above, in addition to the required life
> jackets for the passenger or two, there WILL also be a life jacket
> attached to the battery itself, just in case. :^)


If you are expecting the life jacket to save the battery in case of an upset
then you better strap a couple of them on!

I would assume that you would be trying to save an optima battery, as any
lead acid would become worthless once it was dunked or turned over.

An Optima D34 weighs about 44 pounds. It is pretty dense, measuring in at
10 x 6.8 x 7.8 (ignoring all the contours that would reduce its flotation)
it will displace 530 cu inches of water when it gets dunked. The 530 cu-in
would displace 530 cu-in/231 cu-in per gallon = 2.29 gallons of water, which
would weigh 2.29* 8.3 lbs per gallon = 19 pounds.

44 pounds dry - 19 pounds displacement and you still have 25 pounds you need
to float.

The regulation for a type II or III life jacket is that they have a minimum
of 15.5 pounds of floatation. It will take at least two life jackets to
support the battery.

Of course, the battery should be strapped down to the boat so its the boat
you need to keep from sinking.


Rod

[Jim]

Rod,

Good point. Even though the battery would most likely be
trashed, I plan on using this particular boat in shallow salt
water marshes and would not want to leave the battery if it
were lost overboard. At the very least, the life jacket would
be a marker to retrieve the battery at low tide.

-Jim

Rod McInnis wrote:
> If you are expecting the life jacket to save the battery in case of an upset
> then you better strap a couple of them on!
<removed>

[Terry Spragg]

Joseph Stachyra wrote:

> Dear Marty: You say weight is a problem, and you say your use is only
> your local reservoir.
> and your boat is very small, thus meaning, your not going into deep or far
> away waters.
>
> 1. response Car Batteries are lighter than deep cycle and cheaper, why
> not. Your not going to sea.
> 2. Or go to Sears and get two deep cycle batteries they have many sizes.
> 3. open that wallet, let the moths out of it, and buy a bigger boat and do
> it right.
>
>
> "Marty S." > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Hi all...
>>
>>I'm looking for suggestions of deep cycle batteries for my 12' jon boat
>
> with
>
>>a 65lb, 24volt Minn Kota transom mounted motor. I will be using it in a
>>local reservoir that only allows electric motors. I'm looking for a good
>>trade-off between the weight of the battery (I'm going to be needing 2
>>batteries), the reserve time & amps, and cost. I've ruled out the sealed
>>gel-type batteries due to their weight and COST! The total capacity of my
>>boat is about 500lbs (including equipment and people).
>>
>>Any suggestions? From here I have access to most battery distributors and
>>outdoor-type stores including Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's.
>>
>>And -- suggestions for a charger. I'm supposing that I will be taking the
>>batteries out of the boat at the end of the day and recharging them in my
>>garage. I've heard not to let the batteries run down too far and that
>>recharging them after use is the best way to maintain a good charge --
>
>>Marty S.
>>Baltimore, MD USA
>>

Aww, rig a wire from your auto battery, and plug your boat into it.
You might have an extra circuit in your towing harness you could
use. Your car should be able to charge the batteries, if you hook
them up in parallel for charging, and /or you can continue / start
the charge in the boat in the driveway after you get home, if the
trip back doesn't do it. Rig a charge harness for the boat, so you
don't try to charge 24 v battery from 12 v vehicle or charger, or
you could engineer a switch arrangement, but I would not reccommend
that, as it only takes once if you hook your 24 v setup to the 12 v
vehicle by forgetting the switch before connecting the wire. You
could do serious damage to your entire vehicle electrical system if
you got it wrong.

Your alternator may not be able to handle the extra charge current,
but you can check that with your auto dealer. If you have a heavy
duty alternator, it should be OK.

Why lug them around?

Check the state of charge with a hydrometer, and top up with steam
distilled water if needed.

Terry K

[Rod McInnis]

"Terry Spragg" > wrote in message
.rogers.com...


> Aww, rig a wire from your auto battery, and plug your boat into it.
>

I doubt that you would ever get more than 10 amps of charge from this setup.
At that rate, it would take about 10 hours of driving around to get the
battery from "dead" to around 80%, and then another 6 hours to get it to
95%, and it might not ever get it to 100%

If he lives within an hour of the lake, the amount of charge that he would
get from this wouldn't hardly be worth the effort to rig it up.

Rod