good TM batteries

[(='_'=)]

hey. i have a 24V TM, 71# thrust i believe. its on a 18ft Javelin. now, the batteries seem to last less every time, i think its time for an upgrade. 

which batteries do you recommend?? i used to think Optima blue top, but i have had a couple red tops on my jeep, and they went bad very soon, one was while using the winch, the other one while driving down the highway during a really hot day, it got like a hump supposedly due to heat, thats what they told me....

so now i dont know which ones whould i get... im using a LTH deep cycle battery for my electric only boat, and i has been working fine, but i dont know if i should get the same ones... i can get these for about $90 each.

 

[riverbasser]

should be fine with those but I have been debating on getting some AGM batts the next time I need one. they offer many more amp hours. but they are a little pricey

[Further North]

I fish a lot - at least once a week during the season, often more, and take a couple of week long trips each summer.

The last time I replaced my batteries, I ran the numbers on lead acid vs. AGMs...and even though I believe the AGMs to be superior technology...I couldn't make the dollars work out in their favor...and I tried really hard to make a case for them.

What I'd really like to see is a rechargeable lithium battery for a price that makes sense.

[riverbasser]

They may not even out with the price I never did the research on it. I will say that a good charger/maintainer goes a Long way in making batteries last

[Further North]

6 minutes ago, riverbasser said:

They may not even out with the price I never did the research on it. I will say that a good charger/maintainer goes a Long way in making batteries last

That's probably what makes a big part of the difference - I had my last set of batteries for 5 years on my Minn Kota charger (I leave them right in the boat all winter with the charger plugged in).

[Way2slow]

$350 worth of battery charged and maintained with a cheap charger might let you get $150 worth of use out of them.

For run time, no AGM of similar size as a flooded cell give the run time a high quality flooded cell will give.

For cycle life count, no flooded cell is going give what a high quality AGM will give if properly maintained with a good charger.

Now, as Further North stated, where is the advantage point, most of the time, the cost of the AGM is almost twice what a good flooded cell, so it's cheaper in the long run to run the flooded cells.

However, with either one, if you don't use a quality charger, you just need to go down to Wal-Mart and buy theirs.

[crypt]

I have optimas in my truck,boat,lawnmower. proper charging,good clean connections make all the difference. a good battery, no matter what brand will last as long as you take care of it.

[S Hovanec]

I put 3 blue tops in my boat when I bought it in 2005.  Just had to replace the starting battery last month.  My TM batteries are only charging to 75% now, so I'll be replacing them now too.  How many sets of wet cells would I have gone through in 11 seasons?

 

Did I get another blue top starter?  No.  I went with the Duracel AGM from Sam's Club this time.  I'll be getting 2 more for my TM.

[(='_'=)]

thanx for your input!

right now im using a Guest 2611for my TM batteries, i plug it as soon as i get home, and leave it always plugged. 

for my cranking battery im using a Schumacher which i also leave always plugged in 2 amp, from the time i get home to the time i use the boat again. 

 

 

the cranking battery is fine, but the TM batteries are not... those batteries came with the boat when i got it last year, so i dont know how the PO kept them... 

i read some comments some time ago about Sears batteries i believe, but i have not been able to find them.... they said (here in BR) that those were good batteried for the money, but im not sure if they were referring to the DieHard or maybe im mistaken and it was not Seas but another store.... 

 

[fishnkamp]

If you can catch a sale on the Cabelas AGMs they are definitely worth their price. They have been on both of my last two boats.  My current set are 6 years old. they get run a lot but recharged each time I return home.  I have a BPS on board battery charger that feeds 10 amps per battery. I just come home and plug in. i run the group 30s and right now these are on sale so you would save $100 off a pair 

[iabass8]

1 hour ago, (='_'=) said:

thanx for your input!

right now im using a Guest 2611for my TM batteries, i plug it as soon as i get home, and leave it always plugged. 

for my cranking battery im using a Schumacher which i also leave always plugged in 2 amp, from the time i get home to the time i use the boat again. 

 

 

the cranking battery is fine, but the TM batteries are not... those batteries came with the boat when i got it last year, so i dont know how the PO kept them... 

i read some comments some time ago about Sears batteries i believe, but i have not been able to find them.... they said (here in BR) that those were good batteried for the money, but im not sure if they were referring to the DieHard or maybe im mistaken and it was not Seas but another store.... 

 

I believe the Sears Diehad 31AGM that is highly talked about has been discontinued. There's an equivalent to it now in another brand or it's been rebraded but I don't recall the name.  Since going to a size 31 AGM 800/1000/205 cranking battery, I don't think I'll ever go back as everything on my boat is run off that battery except the TM. Never had an issue. For TM batteries, I use the size 29 EverStart MAXX from Walmart. The main reason being I go /w 100$ trolling motor batteries over a quality AGM like my cranking battery is there's a walmart almost everywhere and if I ever need to replace them traveling away from home I can walk in and swap them out in less than 15 minutes and be back out. I make sure they both have the same date on the sticker and replace them in pairs.