Trolling Motor & Battery Questions

[DJ Funk]

Good morning everyone!

I’m new here, and would like to ask a few questions about
getting more out of my boat this coming season.

 

I have a 1989 bass tracker, (17 foot aluminum v-hull) with a
70 hp Mercury outboard, and a 55lb thrust Minnkota Edge trolling motor.

I fish club tournaments, as well as a few opens and may do
some local TBF stuff if my schedule allows it.

That said, the last few tournaments, I have struggled to
keep my trolling motor from running out of juice after lunchtime if there is
any wind. Getting a 24 volt system just isn’t an option (money).

 

I would like some insight on what my options
are. I bought my boat used last summer, and have done many little things to
improve it. The trolling motor was mounting into the front deck wood with
screws, and ripped out of the deck when I drifted too shallow. I have since
drilled into the edge of the aluminum and used heavy duty lag bolts, as well as
using bolts with nuts and washers going through the decking area. It’s solid
now!

My boat has 2 six gallon gas tanks in the back along with
two batteries in the back.

One being a Ultrapower (1024m, with 115 min. reserve capacity)
and another battery being a Trojan (SCS150). These batteries are being run in
parallel and all of the wires connected to the Ultrapower battery. I have a Lowrance
HDS 5 Elite DSI, and a HDS 4 DSI in the front, and of course use the livewell
during tournaments. I do not use the radio that is installed. I also do not use
the in dash fish finder, and have it unhooked, because my young kids would
constantly turn it on and it would get left on. lol

Now the big issue:

There is also a battery in one of the front compartments
being run to the trolling motor. There is heavy duty wiring that the previous
owner installed, or had put it run exclusively to just the trolling motor. I
had to replace this battery, and I bought a Duracell 29HM (225 minutes). I am
not sure why that the trolling motor battery isn’t in the back with the other
one, and why the two in the back are run in parallel. I really don’t have the
room to add another battery to the front, and the one that’s in the front is
the second biggest one they had.

 

What would you guys do?

 

Thanks in advance!

Jeff

 

Edited March 3, 2013 by DJ Funk

[Triton21]

If it ain't broke don"t fix it.

[salmicropterus]

Offhand it sounds like your TM battery upfront is weak. Run a load test on it to see amps. The fact that you are losing power as the day goes on indicates a battery issue. Even though new as it sounds, a battery can be bad.  I would guess the reason for that battery to be upfront is weight and balance issue as three in the back would be stern heavy for a 17' Tracker. Not sure why the 2 Batts in the back. Usually in a bass boat situation, a single starter or house battery is sufficient to crank the motor, run live wells and electronics.

A solution might be to add a charger-isolater type system to charge your TM battery off the big engine alternator when it runs. Stayncharge and Stealth are two good systems with me being partial to StaynCharge

[mc6524]

I agree, I would isolate two of the batteries for the trolling motor only, and use the third battery to start and power the boat electronics.  I too agree that it sounds like a battery problem, and by isolating the trolling motor from the rest of the boat you can identify that for sure is you run out of power.

 

Your trolling motor really should give you a full day of fishing wind or no wind.  If not, I'd again look at the batteries, or how you are using your trolling motor.  For example, do you run on high speed to change fishing locations on the lake instead of using your main motor?

 

Just a thought

[Crookedneck]

The 55lbs thrust for your 17' boat is probably a little underpowered.  I only say this as I too have a 17' aluminum.  I too had a 55lb thrust.  I do a lot of river fishing so current is always a factor.  I got tired of loosing power.  I found a used Minn Kota Maxxum 74. 

 

The wiring in my boat for my trolling motor was a 14 gauge wire.  This undersized wiring was also causing drainage in the batteries.  This is caused because heat is generated in the small conductors.  When heat is generated more amperage is drawn therefore draining the battery faster. This wiring was ripped out and 6 gauge now replaces it. 

 

The upgrade in the trolling motor and wiring has now allowed me to fish all day long, regardless of wind or current.  Is your Edge able to switch between 12 volt and 24 volt?  When you say heavy duty wiring how heavy duty are you talking?  Charging methods can also prematurely wear down a battery.

[DJ Funk]

Let me see if I have any pictures of the wiring. It's in storage at the moment...

[Traveler2586]

I had a 88' Tracker Tournament TX with a 12 volt trolling motor; I mainly fish a tidal river with wide open areas prone to wind and the 12 volt system did just fine.  But I also upgraded the wiring to 6 gauge with  a circuit breaker at the battery.

 

My concern with a battery up front is with vibration; as I understand it vibration/bouncing can shorten the life of a wet-cell lead acid battery by vibrating the led out of the mesh structure of the plates; it falls to the bottom of the battery between the cells and reaches a point where the build-up can short out the cells.  As far as I know this is one of the factors for batteries in the rear where vibration is much less.

[DJ Funk]

So I got to look at the wiring today. It is 8 gauge, and does have a circuit breaker on the wiring near the battery.

I wish that I could fit 3 batteries in the back, so I can have a back up. If I have it in the back though, wouldn't it be able to be charged from my outboard while I am running on that?

 

 

I also took my prop off, since it needs replacing.

It is a  48 77344 A4OL 17p Prop. I would need the kit for inside as well, since mine is built in.

 

Thanks!