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Bill Babler
Bill Babler

By Bill Babler •

POWER UP FOR SPRING

1-11-22 Golden, Mo.

Hopefully we are about to snatch a glimpse of Spring in the up coming weeks from the doldrums of really a pretty lite Winter. 

Lots of you are winding up a successful hunting season and maybe starting to think about taking a peek in that bass boat that has been sitting since October. 

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This boat is pretty thirsty, for electricity. 

Some of you like myself may have had Santa bring a trinket for the boat in the way of some new electronics.   That's what I'm here to talk about today. 

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Nothing is more maddening than lack of or no power when its time to fish. With the demand for power ever increasing due to increased numbers of electronics, making sure your ready when the time is right is right now. ( Sounds like an ED commercial.)

I've used Battery Outfitters for my entire source of outdoor power since the 90's. They are local, friendly and extremely knowledgeable. 

Yesterday I changed out my series 31 AGM 110AH that I've had from my previous Phoenix. These batteries had in excess of 1000 charges. These are 24 month batteries Pro-Guide series. 

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That's right, at least 1000 rejuvenation. 

As those of you that know me, you know I'm a neat freak. My bilge including batteries is cleaned at least once a week. The terminals are kept shiny clean and the boat is stored in a climate controlled environment. Batteries are recharged after every usage. 

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All my compartments are kept clean and dry.  Notice the empty battery tray.  

Lane Shumaker, owner of Battery Outfitters told me from the first batteries that I ever purchased from him, to regenerate my deep cell trolling motor batteries with a 50 AMP charge after each 10 charges from the on board either 10 or 15 AMP charge system. I have done this religiously.   Usually I do this every two weeks. Takes about an hour to do 4 batteries

It is totally uncommon to get that many rejuvenations, but I earned them with how I took care of the batteries. I did not expect that and really, that is the best I have done as I usually sell the boat and don't bring them to the new boat. 

Pro-Guide series 31 AGM's are extremely good batteries. 

Besides power demands just like Champ I needed and wanted to cut some weight. My New Years resolution was to drop some weight off the bass chaser.   Me too. 

Yesterday with the guidance of Payton Shumaker, Director of Operations for Battery Outfitters, I did just that, to the tune of 140 pounds out of my bilge.  That's an entire wife removed from boat weight. 

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The new series 31AGM 114AH Pro-Guide, at 68 pounds is handling my cranking, electronics and boat functions. 

A pair of the new 12V 100AH Pro-Guide series 31M100 lithium's are handling my Garmin Force. With a total weight for both batteries at a puny 52 pounds. 

The Force and the Ghosts are brushless and both are 24/36V either or. With 24 volts of Lithium io-ion power 2,  12v. Batteries will run either motor 2 to 3 days of hard fishing in most any conditions, with out a charge. 

There are several companies that beat Pro-Guide to the table in the Lithium market, but Payton yesterday showed me cut aways of why the Pro-Guide is at the top of the quality market.  First being the reinforcement of the case, the entire battery is built to be wave and boat pounded.

The core is totally solid with a encapsulated case to keep the interior of the battery extremely stable. The BMS (Battery Management System) are the brains of the Lithium are located at the top of the battery in a cellular vault. This provides even further shock management and also is a sealed window to access the BMS for service tech's. 

This trial and error research and development actions cost 10's of thousands of dollars to provide the best trolling motor Lithium battery on the market. 

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To try and tell you how fortunate we are to have this homegrown, Missouri company in our back yard would be to difficult for this country boy. 

Battery Outfitters has stores all over Missouri and Arkansas. If you need to repower or just want to lighten the load, give them a shout. 

You will be treated just like the rest of us Table Rock River Rats that depend on them for every outdoor battery we own. 

Good Luck. 

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Bill Babler

Everyone can do what they feel is best, but time after time and year after year those Pro-Guide series 31AGM 110AH will last longer and out preform anything out there for boat functions and cranking

They are magnificent deep cycle trollers too, if your not going the Lithium route. 

If you do go that way at 26 pounds and 2500 rejuvenates your blowing most every other Lithium trolling motor battery completely away. 

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snagged in outlet 3
On 1/11/2022 at 11:32 AM, Bill Babler said:

Lane Shumaker, owner of Battery Outfitters told me from the first batteries that I ever purchased from him, to regenerate my deep cell trolling motor batteries with a 50 AMP charge after each 10 charges from the on board either 10 or 15 AMP charge system. I have done this religiously.   Usually I do this every two weeks. Takes about an hour to do 4 batteries

What do you use to do this?  

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Bill Babler

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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. 

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Dutch
1 hour ago, Bill Babler said:

Everyone can do what they feel is best, but time after time and year after year those Pro-Guide series 31AGM 110AH will last longer and out preform anything out there for boat functions and cranking

 

 

That’s all we carried at the dealership when I was in the business.

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vernon

I hate to ask but what are the Pro Guide lithium troller's going for?

I'm entering year six on my Cabela's AGM's so I'm sure I'm getting close to having to replace them.  

36 volt Ultrex.

I bought a new golf cart last year that's lithium powered and the difference and benefits are beyond obvious.

So was the price however.

I don't fish nearly as much as I play golf so I'm not sure if I can justify the difference in going lithium for the boat but would certainly prefer to.

And Bill your toys make me way more than jealous.

If only I had that unlimited stash of cash you spoke of previously!🤔

 

 

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Bill Babler

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. 

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Bill Babler

I have Minn Kota, on my aluminum boat, and I'm not switching to Lithium I'm going to stay with the AGM that are not broken. 

As fast as stuff is changing right now, I would not be to froggy to change anything if its all working.

Lowrance already has a new upgrade for Active Target. Has not been out a year. Just got a flyer today.  It's Live 360,  I mentioned Garmin was working on it last week in a thread Dutch posted, well here it is. 

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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.

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