Trolling motor battery reccomemdations

[BlakeMolone]

I just purchased a go boat which is basically a heavy duty float tube with a solid platform to stand on and a slot for a trolling motor. The motor is a mini Kota Endura 30, Today I made the mistake of buying a lown and garden 12v battery for it and after some research it looks like that was a terrible choice, that’s what I get for taking the advice of the random Walmart employee I guess ? I have 80 dollars in gift cards to bass pro and I’m hoping someone can recommend me a battery in the $120 range I can pick up at bass pro.

[MN Fisher]

Best bet at BPS would be a Starting Series 550 - if they have any in stock...currently show Out Of Stock. Better bet in Tulsa is a Duracell group 24 Deep Cycle at Batteries Plus - $100 + $18 core charge. 75AH will run your Go-Boat most of the day as long as you keep that Endura 30 to speed 3 or less. At Speed 5, that Endura pulls 30amps - so a 75AH battery will last 2.5 hours if you drain it completely...but you don't want to do that to a lead-acid battery - so 2 hours would be the max I'd run it for...that's continuously of course.

 

I have an Endura 30 on my Canoe, and a group 24, 75AH battery. Just getting me to spots and anchoring while I'm casting, it lasts me an entire trip which runs 4-5 hours.

 

 

[BlakeMolone]

9 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Best bet at BPS would be a Starting Series 550 - if they have any in stock...currently show Out Of Stock. Better bet in Tulsa is a Duracell group 24 Deep Cycle at Batteries Plus - $100 + $18 core charge. 75AH will run your Go-Boat most of the day as long as you keep that Endura 30 to speed 3 or less. At Speed 5, that Endura pulls 30amps - so a 75AH battery will last 2.5 hours if you drain it completely...but you don't want to do that to a lead-acid battery - so 2 hours would be the max I'd run it for...that's continuously of course.

 

I have an Endura 30 on my Canoe, and a group 24, 75AH battery. Just getting me to spots and anchoring while I'm casting, it lasts me an entire trip which runs 4-5 hours.

 

 

I will definitely look at those, I might just wait until next payday and get something in the 200 range if basspro has any quality batteries around that price. I’m really looking for something that I’m confident will get me through a day of fishing without having to use my paddle to get back. After fishing out of a float tube this year I’m very excited to have a motor that isn’t my legs ?

[Bankc]

The most amperage for your money is probably going to be the group 29 marine deep cycle batteries from any number of stores.  I believe most of them, if not all of them, are the same on the inside (same factory), but just have a different label slapped on the outside.  They should all be about 105Ah and you should be able to find one under $100 (though there's usually a core charge of around $20 on top of that) if you look around a bit.  The down side is that they're large and heavy.  Over 60lbs.  But I have an MK Endura 30 on my kayak and one of those batteries, and I've never run out of juice with it, and I usually travel 5-6 miles on the water every time I go fishing.  Sometimes more.

 

Though I will advise you that if you plan on traveling large distances that might threaten the battery's capacity, then I'd limit your speed to setting 4.  The lower, the better really.  The power draw on that trolling motor just about doubles with every number.  So at setting 4 you're getting about 80% of the speed of setting 5, but you're only using 50% of the power to do it.    At setting 3 you're getting a little over half of your full speed, but doing it with only one quarter the power.  You're more than doubling your range at setting 3 vs. setting 5.  I'll still use setting 5 for short bursts, but generally drop to 4 when I need cover large expanses.  I get over the impatience of having to go slow by trolling while I make those longer trips.  Setting 4 is just about the right speed for trolling!  

[BlakeMolone]

1 hour ago, Bankc said:

The most amperage for your money is probably going to be the group 29 marine deep cycle batteries from any number of stores.  I believe most of them, if not all of them, are the same on the inside (same factory), but just have a different label slapped on the outside.  They should all be about 105Ah and you should be able to find one under $100 (though there's usually a core charge of around $20 on top of that) if you look around a bit.  The down side is that they're large and heavy.  Over 60lbs.  But I have an MK Endura 30 on my kayak and one of those batteries, and I've never run out of juice with it, and I usually travel 5-6 miles on the water every time I go fishing.  Sometimes more.

 

Though I will advise you that if you plan on traveling large distances that might threaten the battery's capacity, then I'd limit your speed to setting 4.  The lower, the better really.  The power draw on that trolling motor just about doubles with every number.  So at setting 4 you're getting about 80% of the speed of setting 5, but you're only using 50% of the power to do it.    At setting 3 you're getting a little over half of your full speed, but doing it with only one quarter the power.  You're more than doubling your range at setting 3 vs. setting 5.  I'll still use setting 5 for short bursts, but generally drop to 4 when I need cover large expanses.  I get over the impatience of having to go slow by trolling while I make those longer trips.  Setting 4 is just about the right speed for trolling!  

Exactly the advice I was looking for, I know literally nothing about batteries and motors and this helps a lot. When payday comes around I will pick one up, thanks!

[MN Fisher]

6 minutes ago, BlakeMolone said:

Exactly the advice I was looking for, I know literally nothing about batteries and motors and this helps a lot. When payday comes around I will pick one up, thanks!

Just realize - the group numbers refer to physical size and weight as well as power capacity. Yes, they have higher AH ratings, but being bigger in all aspects is an important consideration in an inflatable.

[Jig Man]

What ever series size you buy get the highest reserve capacity that you can.  That is what gives you time on the water.