Single starting battery?

[tks05]

Hi,

Last fall my center console's battery looked like it was going to blow up, with bloating sides and leaking acid. I replaced this battery with a deep cycle battery I had lying in the garage, because I needed to get the boat out of the water that day. The terminals melted off due to not enough CCA. I then replaced this battery with a new starting battery, with 1050 CCA. Now that i do not have a deep cycle battery, will my single starter battery be damaged due to overdraw? (Only one battery in the boat, no battery switch). I do not have many instruments on the boat, just nav lights and a bilge pump. Not sure if I should invest in a two battery system.

Thank you so much for any response. The boat is 22' with a 2003 Mercury 150 SaltWater series.

 

[alldodge]

The terminals melted off due to not enough CCA

This doesn't melt the terminals, its caused by a bad connection. A bad connection increases resistance, and this resistance causes heat to increase. Need to clean the terminals and check cables for corrosion.

ow that i do not have a deep cycle battery, will my single starter battery be damaged due to overdraw? (Only one battery in the boat, no battery switch). I do not have many instruments on the boat, just nav lights and a bilge pump. Not sure if I should invest in a two battery system.

With what you have listed, there should be no issue with drawing the bat down to low. Two bats are always best for backup in case something goes wrong, but I don't see anything like a trolling motor, so should not be an issue

 

[tks05]

Thank you

 

[82rude]

I have one battery that runs the fish finder the lights and the bilge pump.You have other issues it sounds like.I have more lights on my boat than ever before including a front flood light that will light up a small lake like daylight (used only for quick shore detection).I recommend led lights for everything .My led bow lights cost 8 dollars for a total of 8 of the strips .4 of each and work great.

 

[82rude]

Wallyworld has everstart 1000 mca boat batteries for 69 right now I just got back from there.

 

[Bondo]

The terminals melted off due to not enough CCA.

Ayuh,....Welcome Aboard,.... as AD said, this was because you didn't clean the terminals to shiny clean metal before installin' the battery, 'n no other reason,....

 

[QBhoy]

These days you can buy dual purpose batteries. Apparently good for high CCA and leisure deep cycle. Haven’t tried personally, but I will do...just as soon as my old trusty 80ah starter battery shows signs of letting me down. I keep a good quality solar charger plugged in during season and a trickle charge off season. Has never let me down.

 

[Texasmark]

Ayuh,....Welcome Aboard,.... as AD said, this was because you didn't clean the terminals to shiny clean metal before installin' the battery, 'n no other reason,....

.................And didn't tighten the connections goot-en-tite.
---------------

On your other question about application: Starting batteries are made with lots of surface area to supply high currents necessary for engine starting....like 200 amperes for a 5 liter V8. That means thin plates (to get them all in the box size) providing lots of surface area. Do not like to be cycled repeatedly.

Trolling motors only use 25 amps (for a number) which means for the same sized box (27 for a battery size category number) you can put in a few fat plates which survive cycling very well.

 

[tks05]

Thank you for all of the answers. I’ll be sure to get new terminals and seal em up good. I think I should be able to just keep the single starting battery I have now, as I only use the instruments while underway, except for the bilge pump.

 

[Texasmark]

Thank you for all of the answers. I’ll be sure to get new terminals and seal em up good. I think I should be able to just keep the single starting battery I have now, as I only use the instruments while underway, except for the bilge pump.

Plenty of power for that. Good choice.

 

[drrpm]

A single starting battery is fine for your purpose.

 

[82rude]

Thank you for all of the answers. I’ll be sure to get new terminals and seal em up good. I think I should be able to just keep the single starting battery I have now, as I only use the instruments while underway, except for the bilge pump.

I guess I cant read very well,lol.I thought you pooched your battery.My bad.