Charging and Maintaining Marine Batteries
2 questions, 1, How many amps are pulled from a battery with an electric trooling motor? 2, How long would a gel group 27 battery last?
I gave this response:
On highest speed under load if you have a 40 amp draw:
A normal deep cycle group 27 battery provides about 24 hours of use at a 5 amp draw so your motor could run high speed for about 3 hours on a full charge. Your battery may differ slightly depending on brand.
Battery connections,junctions,length,and size of wire also have a bearing on performance.
Luck, Wayne
Here's another question:
This question is about batteries.
Now, I know that it is not recommended to have just one battery for both starting your outboard and running a trolling motor. Plus, from what I hear, it is not that good to start an outboard with a deep cycle one.
I have looked around my local boating equipment shops and came up with the following scheme.
I found this STARTING/DEEP CYCLE cycle battery. it has 850 MCA and 120 amp hours.
1) what is your opinion on such batteries? does it mean that I can use it for both starting an outboard and running a trolling motor.
Next,I found out that there are 2 kinds of deep cycle battery chargers.
the cheaper one charges it once it is empty -- something that I would do at home once I come back from boating. the more expensive one (looks like a car stero amp) would be attached to the battery at all times and recharge it as the battery is being used by a trolling motor, which would make it behave sort of like a starter/car battery.
2) so, what I would like to know, if it is possible to purchase just one such starting/deep cycle battery along with one of those "charge at all times" chargers, and use it for both starting my outboard and running my trolling motor?
thanks!!!
Here's My Answer
First let me say that if you purchase a good starting/deep cycle battery it can be used for cranking or slow, complete discharge accessories, such as trolling motors or spot lights.
Next, the only two ways I know of you can charge the battery away from shore power or a generator(plugged in to 110 volts)are:
With your outboard motor running; thereby using it's charging system.
With a solar panel charger which is more of a battery maintainer.
There is no magic box without a power source that can re-charge your battery while you are using your trolling motor. I think you may be looking at a battery isolator, which allows charging multiple batteries with one charging system.
You can use one battery if you want for both cranking and trolling motor operation without harm but not without fear. You will be running the risk of draining the battery while using the trolling motor to the point that it can't start your outboard. Once you start and run your outboard for a while you will be recharging your battery. Send me model and specs on your trolling motor, outboard motor, and battery, then I'll give you an idea how long you can run trolling motor, and how long it will take your outboard to recharge the battery under normal conditions.
By the way, if you find one of those boxes don't tell anyone else and I'll make us both rich! :-) Good Luck, WW
Charging Batteries
It's not necessary to
remove the batteries from the boat to charge them but it is a good idea to at
least remove the cables/wires going to the ground post of the battery being
charged.
Removing all cables/wires from positive
and negative posts of the battery would be best.
It helps to tape all the positive(+)
cables with red electrical tape as a bundle a little ways back from battery, and
do the same with black electrical tape on the negative(-)
wires.
If you don't have red and black
electrical tare then colored wire tys work pretty well.
Sometimes you(or someone else) might mix
em up if they're off a while and cause a short and damage electrical components
on motor or boat.
ALWAYS be sure key swith is off (better
to remove key) anytime you connect, disconnect, or charge the cranking
battery.
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