Battery And Boat Wiring

[Sam]

Two questions. The most pressing one is that I've got to buy a boat battery tomorrow and I'm sure I've been getting the wrong kind. On the recommendation of a friend, I've always run Delco Voyager boat batteries. Those are deep-charge marine batteries and one of them does a good job running my 12-volt Minn-Kota 40-lb. trolling motor. Trouble is, I use a second Delco Voyager to start my outboard motor, a 4-stroke 50 hp Suzuki, and run the Humminbird 597ci depthfinder on my console.

The starting battery for my outboard motor has a dead cell and I need to replace it before going fishing on Tuesday. From what I've read here, I don't think I should be running a deep-charge marine battery for that - and I know they only last me about 50 trips, probably because I'm using the wrong kind of battery. I need a quick recommendation of what battery to get for that, please!

Second, and less pressing, question. Obviously, I've got my boat wired up bass-ackwards. My strongest Delco Voyager battery runs my 12-volt trolling motor and the Eagle FishMark 320 depthfinder on the trolling motor. I ran the front depthfinder off that battery because the wire was already up front for the trolling motor, but toward the end of a long trip that depthfinder dims and blinks out with use of the trolling motor. I bet both depthfinders should be hooked up to the battery that starts the outboard motor, huh?

Now that I think about it, I've got (useless) power-trim buttons up front for the main motor, and they work. What's the good of that, anyway? Maybe if your motor gets hung up on a stump and you don't want to go back to the console to tilt it up? Anyway, I bet that control is run by the main, starting battery so the wires are already up there - and it should be easy to power the front depthfinder from that.

Bottom line - I'm running two deep-charge marine batteries, one of which starts the main motor and runs the depthfinder on my console. The other marine battery runs my trolling motor and the depthfinder up front. How should I change that - and especially, what battery should I buy right now for starting the main motor? THANKS!

[ozarkgunner]

Your starting battery should last a couple years. I think you need a marine starting rather than a deep cycle to run the engine. Deep cycle for troller only.

[Nitroman]

Check out INTERSTATE BATTERIES @ interstatebatteries.com they have a MARINE / RV ( DUAL PURPOSE ) DEEP CYCLE / STARTING BATTERY that should work just fine for you. They have a dealer locator section available on their WEB-SITE so you should not have a problem finding one. Purchase the largest series AMP HR. - MARINE CCA - RESERVE CAPACITY etc. as you can afford & fit into the battery storage area. Your trolling motor battery should be your power supply for your trolling motor & your trolling motor only. A front TILT / TRIM SWITCH helps if you get your outboard hung up while fishing, you can raise the outboard while still operating the trolling motor to get yourself free. I cannot imagine not having one. I have owned BASS BOATS for almost 40 years & without a front mounted TILT / TRIM SWITCH I would have spent some long cold nights stuck out in the middle of nowhere. AS far as AC / DELCO BATTERIES I had 3 in one of my boats that believe it or not lasted almost 7 years. Longest lasting batteries I ever owned. A few important musts with batteries especially deep cycles, charge them after " EVERY USE " regardless of the time used 4 hours or 14 hours, if you have the right type of battery charger you will not over or under charge them which are 2 of the things that will shorten their life cycle. Keep them clean ( BAKING SODA & WATER MIXTURE ) & their water level @ the proper level & use distilled water not tap water. Charge them once a month in the off-season & / or during the season if not in use. If removing them during the off-season don't store them on a concrete floor &, they discharge @ a slower & lower rate the cooler they are so keeping them @ +70 or + 80 degrees during off-season storage is not required. On the other hand don't get carried away & store them in a " SNOW BANK " !!!!!!! Good luck.

[motoman]

Myself and all my buddies have used thè Y'all-Mart Everstart Marine batteries for all our batteries for years and years. No different batteries for the starter or troller.......just the good ole, deep cycle marine everstarts.....$79.99 a piece. They've been bulletproof for all of us for years a piece. My one friend is a retired guy that fishes allday, EVERY weekend......no exaggeration......that's literal. And he swears by them. He's one of those guys that's done well in life, has some pretty serious equipment; but has done great with the everstarts.......and theres a Walmart near most lakes; so even if you have an issue; no big deal finding the replacement......that kind of convenience is important to me; since I don't get on the water nearly as much as I used too.

[dtrs5kprs]

_{Your bow trim is, as you said, for getting off stuff or fishing shallow, but also for convenience at the ramp. Mine has been out for 2 years and it has made me crazy trying to get it fixed and fishing without it.}

_{Cranking batteries are usually the first to go on my rides. Lots of wear and tear from running the wells.}

[Bill Babler]

The batteries are a crazy deal. Motoman. I had a starting battery burn our several years ago, an interstate and had to get a new one immediatly. No interstate around, just WalMart and exchanged it for an Everstart. It would not accept a charge. Wal-Mart gave me a new one plus $20.00 additional bucks as the price of the new one was on discount, so I got that extra savings. That battery lasted 90 days, and I did not take it back. Two bad ones in 90 days was to much for me even though they were nice with replacements.

I only use either ProGuide now or Trogan. No problems in the last 9 yrs. Great points by Nitro on battery care. Another point is after every 10th. usage or so, give it a 50 AMP charge. You will notice the difference.

[tmoney]

Yes your depth finder should be hooked up to the main battery. But I want to mention a few other things: 1st make sure u set a battery voltage alarm on your depth finder or you could fid yourself stranded. 2nd. If you have a higher end depth finder it can cause blips in the screen if u have it hooked up to the trolling motor battery.

I

[David Unnerstall]

Depth finders, in my experience, consume little current and it is not important what battery they are connected to. Now it is possible the multi-function color units take more than the monochrome units I have used in the past.

Regarding the Tilt/Trim switch: it is a SWITCH and only has one leg (positive or negative) of the circuit connected to it. The other leg goes directly to the tilt/trim motor -- so you can't access voltage at the switch.

[Sam]

Thanks for the good information, everybody. I pulled the "bad" battery this morning and took it to the auto parts store where I get Delco Voyager marine batteries. I figured I'd replace it with a cranking battery in the same Delco series. They tested the battery and it was fine - both for voltage and cranking power, so I don't know what's going on with that depthfinder turning itself off when I start the main motor.

Maybe it's more of a depthfinder issue. It's a Humminbird 597, and it doesn't exactly turn itself "off" when the motor is started. Usually it goes into some super-faint mode where you can hardly see the screen but it is still sort of "on". None of the buttons work when it's in that condition, and the only cure is to remove the depthfinder fron the console, re-attach it, then press buttons to turn it on. Does anyone have any ideas about that?

I'm charging both batteries up, going fishing tomorrow. Since the batteries are identical I'm switching them - maybe that will make a difference.

[dtrs5kprs]

Thanks for the good information, everybody. I pulled the "bad" battery this morning and took it to the auto parts store where I get Delco Voyager marine batteries. I figured I'd replace it with a cranking battery in the same Delco series. They tested the battery and it was fine - both for voltage and cranking power, so I don't know what's going on with that depthfinder turning itself off when I start the main motor.

Maybe it's more of a depthfinder issue. It's a Humminbird 597, and it doesn't exactly turn itself "off" when the motor is started. Usually it goes into some super-faint mode where you can hardly see the screen but it is still sort of "on". None of the buttons work when it's in that condition, and the only cure is to remove the depthfinder fron the console, re-attach it, then press buttons to turn it on. Does anyone have any ideas about that?

I'm charging both batteries up, going fishing tomorrow. Since the batteries are identical I'm switching them - maybe that will make a difference.

Sounds like some sort of power fluctuation at locator...starter drawing too much power off to fully run the 597? Might be as simple as a bigger battery.