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

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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. 

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

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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. 

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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.

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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 🙂   

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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

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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. 

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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.  

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Bill Babler

I was told long ago when charging your battery to leave the rear hatch open so gasses could escape, even with an on board charge system and to keep the bilge clean, always have. Another great point, love the information.   (Back to my old Water Patrol days.)

C4F also makes a great point in with all the advertising out there right now, It's nice to see all the testimonials on this thread of how well these Pro-Guide batteries have preformed for our forum members. 

Hands on performance by people you know is always the best medicine. 

Thanks all that have contributed, good stuff. 

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