POWER UP FOR SPRING

[vernon]

22 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

The ones I bought are $950.00 @ tax included. 

I will tell you Minn Kota has had a problem with Lithium power. 

Their trolling motors are very sensitive to a high charged battery, they have a protective device in the motor to prevent it from burning up from excess voltage. No problem with the AGM that comes in at 13.3v but for sure a problem with a lithium that is coming in at  13.7 or .8. 

I think Minn Kota suggests 12.8 as maximum voltage regardless if it is a 12/24/36. Size motor. 

This can be remedied by finishing your charge at 80%.   If you do fully charge it you can bleed off the charge till the motor thinks it is safe. You can also buy a lithium charge system that you can program to finish the charge at 12.8

The brushless motors don't have to worry about it, so no problem. 

I will also say and I bet Minn Kota is on the cusp of a 24/36 in a brushless.  That said paying for 2 lithium instead if 3 is a total plus and still getting the same performance. 

For about 5 or 6 years Minn Kota was simple ruling this market. I don't think they were sitting on their laurels but they got passed in overdrive. 

Going to be really cool to see what they have in store, in the one up world. 

Thanks Bill.  Not too sure what I'm gonna do.  That sounds like way more effort than I'm willing to put into it these days.  I read all your guys posts about the Livescope's and the Bird's and the Active Target and the Force and the Ghost and it flat makes my head hurt.  I was always the guy that had to have the newest of the new and the best of the best and didn't really care much what it cost.  

If I could afford it I bought it.

Now though I think this stuff just might have passed me by and it just ain't the same.  To be honest I just don't enjoy it anywhere near as much as I used to.  It's too crowded, the lake traffic is getting downright dangerous and for me at least the fishing has just gotten too danged difficult.  I used to chase 'em all day everyday that I could and never wanted to leave to come home.  Now it seems I go from annoyed, to frustrated to flat pissed off and some days I just don't even want to go out there at all cause I know what it's gonna be like.

Can you say grumpy old man?👴

Anyways, I'm lucky to have a great boat that's still like new, electronics that are still way beyond my comprehension and an Ultrex that while it might not like lithium batteries is still the best thing I've ever put on a boat.

I'll probably just run the Cabela's AGM's till they die and then give it some more thought but will likely just go with whatever AGM's I can squeeze into the "fixed income" budget.  

Being retired has to be the next best thing to being born but the pay can be a little shaky!

Thanks again.

[GNSfishing]

On 1/12/2022 at 4:57 PM, Bill Babler said:

Its called a Speed Charge. I bought it at O'Reilly. I think at the time it was $99. 

It throws a 60 amp charge. I think I mis-said 50 amp, but its 60 amp. 

When your AGM reaches 13.6v it kicks off and you move to the next battery. 

Never takes over 10-15 minutes per battery, and man can you tell the difference. 

You do this after your batteries have said full from your onboard 10/15 amp charger. 

Bill

What is the model number of that charger?? I tried to read it off of the post but just can't make it out. I want to try your cycling of my batteries to see if I get better results from my batteries... I have had battery problems in the past with capacity problems. I've got a 2019 Bass Cat Eyra that came with a 1150 Pro Guide AGM engine battery, it was replaced about a year ago under warranty because of low capacity. I have since bought a X2 battery in place of the Pro Guide and still have about the same fishing time. I am running 2 Garmin 126 with live scope and a HDS12 carbon and I can fish around 3 to 4 hours and my voltage drops into the mid 11 volt reading of the graphs and have problems cranking the big motor. I've checked the voltage level of my batteries before leaving 5the house and all batteries check at 12.8+ so they are full charged starting out. The trolling motor AGM batteries are working great, and they came with the boat also. So, I am going to put all electronics on a 100 AH Lithium battery plus changing the 10-gauge wiring to #6 gauge to combat the voltage drop. My on-board charger seems to be working fine so thinking that your charging procedure may help so willing to try it, but I need to obtain charger. Sorry for the long-winded reason for asking for the model number of your charger.  LOL

[seabass03]

Are there issues with lithium cranking batteries?

[Bill Babler]

Lithium are not designed for cranking. They are deep cycle Trolling motor. 

Any 50  plus amp charger will work.  They don't even make the one I have anymore. 

The Garmin are way to picky on power. Just shut off the warning. If it gets to 11.2 they drive you nuts. Your poor start is a different animal. 

Don't know why it would but you can add an additional battery to your boat functions to keep the cranked up. Mine is no problem all day with 4 graphs and a ProGuide series 31 110 AH. 

[Dutch]

3 hours ago, seabass03 said:

Are there issues with lithium cranking batteries?

There are according to Mercury.  However, I heard that the mother company, Brunswick is getting into lithiums.  I’m not sure what that means.

[Foghorn]

I enjoyed reading this article and I don't even own a boat. It was well written and very informative.

[fishinwrench]

A periodic hard 50A charge boils the battery and knocks the air bubbles loose that get hung up between the plates......which then increases the surface area of plates that the electrolyte can make contact with.   

You can do this manually (at 10A) by simply grabbing your battery and shaking it around......or by tapping on it with a rubber mallet.   

Don't ever charge your batteries at 50amps without plenty of air circulation.  The stuff that enters your bilge area during a hard 50amp boil is highly corrosive, and will attack everything back there.   This is why your outboard (with a 40amp output stator) is equipped with a voltage regulator.   A failed VR can cause a battery to boil dry, and rot your transom.   

Just a little FYI from dickhead Wrench 🙂   

[crazy4fishin]

19 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

A periodic hard 50A charge boils the battery and knocks the air bubbles loose that get hung up between the plates......which then increases the surface area of plates that the electrolyte can make contact with.   

You can do this manually (at 10A) by simply grabbing your battery and shaking it around......or by tapping on it with a rubber mallet.   

Don't ever charge your batteries at 50amps without plenty of air circulation.  The stuff that enters your bilge area during a hard 50amp boil is highly corrosive, and will attack everything back there.   This is why your outboard (with a 40amp output stator) is equipped with a voltage regulator.   A failed VR can cause a battery to boil dry, and rot your transom.   

Just a little FYI from dickhead Wrench 🙂   

Thanks Wrench - that is good stuff. It is nice to hear real life solutions instead of all of the marketing BS that is out there.  

C4F

[Bill Babler]

Great tip Wrench. I've not had a sealed battery boil over but I'm sure it could happen, I've just not had it. 

Didn't know why it worked but it really makes a difference in performance and I'm guessing longevity as mine have loved me a vey,vey long time. 

Thanks. 

[fishinwrench]

10 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

Great tip Wrench. I've not had a sealed battery boil over but I'm sure it could happen, I've just not had it. 

It doesn't have to "boil over".   The gases alone, produced from a boiling battery, will attack everything in the bilge area if it's not properly vented.  👍 

If you are running down the lake then your bilge area is venting fine.   But if your boat is sitting in your garage or driveway with the hatch lids down while you are charging at 50 amps...... then it is definitely not venting well AT ALL.