TM Battery Life?

[papajoe222]

It seems like a little over three years is the average life expectancy of a trolling motor battery for me.  I just replaced one with a dead cell that I purchased at the beginning of the 2016 season! I have a 24Volt system that I rarely run over 50% thrust, though I do use it a lot.  I'm anal about adding water when needed, always plug in the onboard charger at the end of the day and check the tie-downs regularly. 

Two questions; What kind of battery life are you guys getting and am I dreaming to believe that I should get more than three seasons out of one?

[Way north bass guy]

Last few boats I’ve got easily a half dozen good years out of them. My current boat is in its fourth year and the batteries I put in there when I bought it are still going strong. Maybe your charger is buggered up and is killing them, I’ve heard of that happening before. Also could be how your storing them in the off-season. Mine get a top up charge in the boat, then I store them in my heated garage all winter and periodically throw them on my other charger for the night ( maybe once a month). Done it this way for many years and it seems to work well for me. I also make sure to plug in the onboard charger as soon as I come back from fishing, never leave them uncharged for any length of time. 

[Jig Man]

5 minutes ago, Way north bass guy said:

Last few boats I’ve got easily a half dozen good years out of them. My current boat is in its fourth year and the batteries I put in there when I bought it are still going strong. Maybe your charger is buggered up and is killing them, I’ve heard of that happening before. Also could be how your storing them in the off-season. Mine get a top up charge in the boat, then I store them in my heated garage all winter and periodically throw them on my other charger for the night ( maybe once a month). Done it this way for many years and it seems to work well for me. I also make sure to plug in the onboard charger as soon as I come back from fishing, never leave them uncharged for any length of time. 

That is good wet cell battery maintenance. 

[WRB]

Go to AGM batteries, no more maintenance issues. My VMax Tanks are over 10 years without any issues.

Tom

[38 Super Fan]

I buy relatively inexpensive lead acid batteries and keep a close eye on water/acid level, and they never leave the charger/maintainer when not in use. Every single one dies at almost exactly 3 years every time.

[tcbass]

On 5/22/2018 at 7:41 PM, 38 Super Fan said:

I buy relatively inexpensive lead acid batteries and keep a close eye on water/acid level, and they never leave the charger/maintainer when not in use. Every single one dies at almost exactly 3 years every time.

 

 

How often do you have to put water in them?

[38 Super Fan]

23 minutes ago, tcbass said:

 

 

How often do you have to put water in them?

That varies a bit, but I check the level about every six months. Sometimes one or two of them might need a little then, sometimes it may be a year or so before they need some. (ideally use distilled water)

[tcbass]

1 minute ago, 38 Super Fan said:

That varies a bit, but I check the level about every six months. Sometimes one or two of them might need a little then, sometimes it may be a year or so before they need some. (ideally use distilled water)

 

 

Thanks! I've never really checked that. I know I should.

[A-Jay]

On 5/19/2018 at 11:29 PM, papajoe222 said:

It seems like a little over three years is the average life expectancy of a trolling motor battery for me.  I just replaced one with a dead cell that I purchased at the beginning of the 2016 season! I have a 24Volt system that I rarely run over 50% thrust, though I do use it a lot.  I'm anal about adding water when needed, always plug in the onboard charger at the end of the day and check the tie-downs regularly. 

Two questions; What kind of battery life are you guys getting and am I dreaming to believe that I should get more than three seasons out of one?

Two factors that play a role in (most all types of) battery life: (beyond ensuring wet cells are wet)

 First, how 'deeply' they are discharged.  Meaning it may not be what 'thrust' is used but how much of the charge is used each time out.  If they are routinely being drained down 80-90 % they will usually not last as long as batteries rarely dipping into the 50% range.  This is one reason more & bigger is better here.  Clearly they are meant to be used but each has a finite number of discharges - ones used up - it's over. 

Second, how 'quickly they are recharged: both in time and perhaps more importantly at what rate.  A slow trickle recharge of a drained down unit is less effective at maintaining longevity than a faster (more amps) recharge when it comes to extending deep cycle battery life.   

Gotta pay to play . . . 

A-Jay

[Rahlow]

http://www.batteriesnorthwest.com/batteryschool.cfm?TID=2

 

Very good advice provided in the link,,

 

one word of caution to add, please do not over fill your batteries with water, never fill them to the “top”, never “fill” them before charging, just cover the plates.

edit to add: chargers for deep cycle batteries if designed correctly will have 3 stages of their charging cycle, and will always end with “trickle” mode. You have 12 volts, 2 volts per cell, they will not discharge equally, so the trickle charge evens them up.

[tcbass]

On 5/22/2018 at 6:26 PM, WRB said:

Go to AGM batteries, no more maintenance issues. My VMax Tanks are over 10 years without any issues.

Tom

 

What is the best value priced AGM battery?

 

 

I am thinking about switching to them but want to sell my boat in about 5 years, so I don't want to spend too much money on batteries that will last 10 years when I plan on having the boat for 1/2 that time.

[Mjmj]

Sam's sells Duracell agm batteries from 159$ to 179$

[NHBull]

18 hours ago, tcbass said:

 

What is the best value priced AGM battery?

 

 

I am thinking about switching to them but want to sell my boat in about 5 years, so I don't want to spend too much money on batteries that will last 10 years when I plan on having the boat for 1/2 that time.

Vmax tanks can be purchased at a discount if it is your first purchase with them. Think it was the MR 137. On a side note, I added an alternator to my cranking battery and it provides enough charge on my return trip to almost fully charge my TM batteries 

 

[WRB]

If wet cell battery goes dry exposing the plate tops the plates oxidize dropping debris to the bottom of the case. The debris is conductive and shorts out the plates killing that cell. Keeping a wet cell battery topped off with water is critical. AGM's eliminate the problem.

Tom

[tcbass]

3 hours ago, NHBull said:

Vmax tanks can be purchased at a discount if it is your first purchase with them. Think it was the MR 137. On a side note, I added an alternator to my cranking battery and it provides enough charge on my return trip to almost fully charge my TM batteries 

 

 

 

Where can you get them for discount on first purchase like that?

[NHBull]

7 hours ago, tcbass said:

 

 

Where can you get them for discount on first purchase like that?

I will look it up and get back to you.....think it was 15% free shipping UPS

Here ya go

 

https://www.vmaxtanks.com/

[tcbass]

3 hours ago, NHBull said:

I will look it up and get back to you.....think it was 15% free shipping UPS

Here ya go

 

https://www.vmaxtanks.com/

 

 

Thanks!

[tcbass]

On 5/31/2018 at 8:43 PM, WRB said:

If wet cell battery goes dry exposing the plate tops the plates oxidize dropping debris to the bottom of the case. The debris is conductive and shorts out the plates killing that cell. Keeping a wet cell battery topped off with water is critical. AGM's eliminate the problem.

Tom

 

So, basically if you ever let a wet-cell water level sink below the top of the plate that battery is ruined?

 

I found out that happened to one of mine. 

[WRB]

Water systems are available for wet cell deep cycle marine batteries. Trojan batteries offered a system with SCS 225 series I used before switching to AGM's.

Tom

[tcbass]

21 minutes ago, WRB said:

Water systems are available for wet cell deep cycle marine batteries. Trojan batteries offered a system with SCS 225 series I used before switching to AGM's.

Tom

 

 

What is a water system? A repair system for wet-cell batteries that had the water drop too low?

 

 

 

If a wet-cell battery has the water level drop below the plates is that battery ruined?

[WRB]

A watering system helps to prevent the battery from going dry when charging. Flow-Rite is another brand that works good. You replace the battery cell water fill cover with a cover that has a tube that is connected to a water reservoir that keeps the battery full of water at proper level. Go online and search.

If the plates are dry they over heat and oxides fall off sinking down to the bottom of the case shorting out the cell. This can also occur from over charging with too much amperage boiling off oxides off the plates and over heating. When you charge wet cell batteries it creates gases that must vent, so a good watering system also allows venting without collecting the corrosive fumes.

You can't save a dead shorted cell!

Tom

[Rahlow]

Just because you find a cell low on water, below the top of the plates, does not automatically mean that cell or battery has been ruined. It is not good for the  battery, but it isn't a death sentence either. And never over fill a battery, boiling over during charging could happen and you will have a mess!

[S Hovanec]

With our short season and the fact I don't get out as often as I'd like, I got 12 seasons out if my Blue Tops before one if them crapped out.  Got 11 seasons out of the starting battery.  I installed them in 2005 when I brought the boat home and never took them out til I changed them.  Went with the big Duracells from Sam's club this time.

[TrollingMotorbatteryguide]

buy optima battery that are best in business http://www.trollingmotorbatteryguides.com/deep-cycle-battery/