Lets Talk Batteries

[Grumpy413]

I just returned from an assignment to Mississippi for hurricane relief and discovered that I had left my trolling motor battery hooked to the charger, in the time I was gone it cooked the battery.

So now I am going to buy new batteries.

Which are you using and how long have they been lasting?

My Everstart's were only 18 months old at the time of their demise. Not that it counts when some fool leaves them charging while he leaves town (wait a minute did I just call myself a fool. Well if the shoe fits ;D)

[gamblerOH]

i'm using all interstates, no problems so far, this is their second year. get yourself a good on board charger with a maintaining setting, it wont cook your batteries.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Most chargers have an automatic shut off but that should have been on a 2amp trickle charge anyway.  I can't see a trickle charge frying a battery,ever.

I use sears diehard batt's.  They now make one with a 200 min reserve which is huuuuge.  I bought 2 this year for the price of last years 1 optima battery. (they are great but too much money!)  I get almost 9 hours of use on 1 battery now.  Incredible.

[DDbasser]

My Everstart’s were only 18 months old at the time of their demise.  

Even though it wasn't the batteries fault, they should still be under warranty.

I use everstart batteries I put 3 new ones in the boat right after I bought it, and no problems!!  

[Madhouse27]

I too bought the Walmart everstart marine battery. I have three and have almost completed my third season with them. I'm not usually a fan of bargain basement equiptment but these have been awesome. I've had my share of problems with the recently deceased 1968 Mercury 50. On at least threee occasions this season the everstart batteries have brought me home under trolling motor power. These were all long hauls at the end of a full day of fishing. Hell I think I even have the inexpensive everstart marine battery charger too. Hmm I sense a sponsorship coming on....

[texasbass1]

Buy Trojan Marine batteries. They will run circles around neverstarts I mean Ever Starts.

[Rebbasser]

Everstarts here, too. No matter where I fish there is a WalMart close by so I can replace them if neccessary.  A few months back I discovered a dead cranking battery the night before heading to the lake.  10 minutes in a 24-hour WalMart at 5AM and we were on our way.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

funny because wal-mart has commercials aimed at tournament fisherman now and the commercial plays out just like the last post.  Guess that campaign is working!

[Nick_Barr]

I agree with everstarts, They are in the bargain Basement but i can fish all day on them, optima Makes AWESOME EXPENSIVE batteries but they do make some bad batteries, When you let it sit for too long without a charge the Gell Gumms up, and it loses its Power, atleast thats what the guy at Autozone Told Me after we bought a Optima form him and couldnt even Start the Engine or Run the trolling motor on 100%. So he Gave us a full refund plus $50 To go buy 4 New Everstart Batteries, 3 for my Stepdads Boat and 1 for mine.

[BassinFever]

Buy Trojan Marine batteries. They will run circles around neverstarts I mean Ever Starts.

Yep, No other battery gets in my boat!  Wait a minute, isn't that someones elses line? :

[Rattlinrogue]

I use everstart.Three years and counting.

[Matt Fly]

What do these other Batteries cost? Trojan, Optima?

[Ben]

I've been running seven (mor than one boat) Wally World batteries for years, back when they carried Stowaways and now the Everstarts and have never had any real complaints.   I usually get two - three years from them.  I've had a couple that died a premature death but the 18 month free replacement took care of that.  Like they say, there's always a WalMark close by.  I've never had a problem with run time, even when running TM on high most of the day chasing schooling fish.

I not a Wal-Mart fan, hate to go in the place, but I there are a few things I do buy there.

[Dobi]

Solely for the trolling motor I have an optima blue top. It has served me well so far. But I've only had the boat for a few months. For the rest of the boat I have a deep cycle Marine Autocraft (how bout that for irony) from Advanced Auto parts.

For the "in case I'm stupid" or "I got drunk and passed out the night before w/out hooking up the charger" days. (which happens more often then I care to admit) I've also got a cigarette lighter plug-in with one of these I can attach:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44768

I took a battery that would not crank my boat out and attached it to just the motor battery and left it out in the georgia sun. came back about an hour and a half later and the boat started up after 1 low pitched turnover.

So if my Optima happen to go dead I can at least I can swap it out with the Autocraft and as long as I get 2+ hours of trolling around I should be able to crank the boat with the solar charged optima.

Hope this made sense to ya'll.