Starting/trolling battery charging

lifeisfun

lifeisfun

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
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304
I'm using one battery main battery for trolling motor as well.
Should I re-charge it every time I get home
or let it discharge as much as possible and then re-charge ?
After 5 hours of on/off trolling motor use the battery tester on the trolling motor still shows that the battery is in top shape. I just installed new 6A on board charger.
Yes I can start the main motor bay pulling the rope if I get in trouble :)

Thanks
 
M

MrBigStuff

Chief Petty Officer
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Aug 7, 2004
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Re: Starting/trolling battery charging

Always recharge immediately after use. Lead acid batteries tend to sulfate and die an early death if they are allowed to sit partially charged. You can expect your starting battery to have a shortened lifespan if you repeatedly discharge it to levels normally seen on a trolling motor battery.
 
Boatist

Boatist

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Messages
4,552
Re: Starting/trolling battery charging

Fully recharge as soon as possible if you want your battery to last. Do not even wait to the next day. Normal starting battery start being damage when they go below 80 percent of full charge. Deep cycles ok down to 50 percent but then the same damage. I would always recommend at least a 10 amp smart charger. 6 amps will work but will take a long time to charge.
 
jtexas

jtexas

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Re: Starting/trolling battery charging

ya, a cranking battery won't last long using it as a deepcycle..........when it goes, replace it with a marine deepcycle.......................
 
lifeisfun

lifeisfun

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Re: Starting/trolling battery charging

Will do - Thanks
Last time it took only 15min to recharge after 5 hours of using the trolling motor. ( coasting down the river positioning the boat )
 
jtexas

jtexas

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Re: Starting/trolling battery charging

lifeisfun said:
Will do - Thanks
Last time it took only 15min to recharge after 5 hours of using the trolling motor. ( coasting down the river positioning the boat )
Click to expand...

that's not a very deep discharge............probably won't affect your cranking batt too bad..........deepcycle would still be a good bet for ya I think, you'd have plenty of reserve power in case your main engine is disabled........assuming of course that your T/M is powerful enough to take you upstream.................

on second thought, might want to test that battery - just in case the reason it stopped charging after only 15 minutes was because it won't take a full charge................
 
Last edited:
SteveDavis

SteveDavis

Seaman
Joined
Jun 15, 2007
Messages
74
Re: Starting/trolling battery charging

Is it a deep cycle? How often do you use it a week? Deep cycle batteries are best to be distarged to nearly empty if they are used often. If you don't go out 3 times a week or so, I would charge if when you get back.
 
lifeisfun

lifeisfun

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
304
Re: Starting/trolling battery charging

The battery should be OK since even the tester on the trolling motor
shows that it is in excellent condition.
I tried to run it full power only once and it goes very fast even up stream.
 
R

rndn

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May 20, 2007
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2,323
Re: Starting/trolling battery charging

They also offer dual purpose batteries that offer starting as well as deep cycle.
 
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