Who knows batteries?

[livemusic]

Mainly this first question... but others below!

 

1. Need cranking battery for 1997 Basstracker Pro17 ft boat with 40hp Tracker motor. Any idea how to determine what size battery I need? I will likely sell this boat.

 

2. Also... my much newer xPress boat with 115hp Yamaha... the onboard charger quit charging the cranking battery but kept the others charged. Any tips on figuring that out? It's a gob of wires on that battery! (I charged it with a separate charger.)

 

3. Also... after charging the battery on the 115hp Yamaha, it reads 12.3v or maybe it was 12.4v. Is this enough? (Sitting up for months.)

 

4. Also... the old battery on the first mentioned 40hp Tracker... the battery reads zero. Will a battery totally discharge to zero? Seems batteries have always read some voltage on the meter. Been sitting up a long time. Plus, the battery is old, lol. Like, probably 5 or 6 years.

 

TIA!

[TnRiver46]

12 minutes ago, livemusic said:

Mainly this first question... but others below!

 

1. Need cranking battery for 1997 Basstracker Pro17 ft boat with 40hp Tracker motor. Any idea how to determine what size battery I need? I will likely sell this boat.

 

2. Also... my much newer xPress boat with 115hp Yamaha... the onboard charger quit charging the cranking battery but kept the others charged. Any tips on figuring that out? It's a gob of wires on that battery! (I charged it with a separate charger.)

 

3. Also... after charging the battery on the 115hp Yamaha, it reads 12.3v or maybe it was 12.4v. Is this enough? (Sitting up for months.)

 

4. Also... the old battery on the first mentioned 40hp Tracker... the battery reads zero. Will a battery totally discharge to zero? Seems batteries have always read some voltage on the meter. Been sitting up a long time. Plus, the battery is old, lol. Like, probably 5 or 6 years.

 

TIA!

A normal 12 v starts a 40 horse just fine, somewhere around 1000 cca would be more than enough. When a battery goes to zero jump it off with a car or 220 amp charger 

[casts_by_fly]

49 minutes ago, livemusic said:

Mainly this first question... but others below!

 

1. Need cranking battery for 1997 Basstracker Pro17 ft boat with 40hp Tracker motor. Any idea how to determine what size battery I need? I will likely sell this boat.

 

2. Also... my much newer xPress boat with 115hp Yamaha... the onboard charger quit charging the cranking battery but kept the others charged. Any tips on figuring that out? It's a gob of wires on that battery! (I charged it with a separate charger.)

 

3. Also... after charging the battery on the 115hp Yamaha, it reads 12.3v or maybe it was 12.4v. Is this enough? (Sitting up for months.)

 

4. Also... the old battery on the first mentioned 40hp Tracker... the battery reads zero. Will a battery totally discharge to zero? Seems batteries have always read some voltage on the meter. Been sitting up a long time. Plus, the battery is old, lol. Like, probably 5 or 6 years.

 

TIA!

 

 

1- You could get by with a lawn tractor cranking battery or motorcycle battery for a little 40 hp motor with nothing else on the battery.  In practice, you're going to have bilge pumps, livewell, and lights also on it, if not also fish finder.  In that case, a group 24 lead cranking acid is the right size.

 

2- Probably a bad bank on the charger.  What charger is it?  When you are charging with it, does it have lights that light up?  You can trace the wire from the charger down to the battery or vice versa.  When the charger is on and charging the others, put a multimeter on it and see what voltage you're getting.  Do it again with the charger unplugged.  if there is no difference, you've got a bad bank.

 

3- that's about right for 75% full on a wet lead acid battery.  Charge it up fully over night, unplug it, and check it again.  12.6V is the nominal top charge on lead acid.

 

4- Yes.  eventually you'll get to a steady state after all of the electrons have moved and equalized the anode and cathode.

[GaryH]

1 hour ago, livemusic said:

 

 

3. Also... after charging the battery on the 115hp Yamaha, it reads 12.3v or maybe it was 12.4v. Is this enough? (Sitting up for months.)

 

 

[Jig Man]

My impression is you have 2 bad batteries.  Your manual will tell you how many CCAs needed for the motor.  My guess is in the 6-700 range.

[WRB]

Battery; only use Marine Deep Cycle.

Battery size for starting outboard engine a Group 24.

Battery size to start outboard and run you electrical components and sonar unit size Group 27.

Battery to run your trolling motor should be separate from starting and electrical use. TM Battery size depends on how often you use it and the boat size. Generally group size 29 to 31.

If you want no maintenance Battery then use AGM’s.

5 year old wet cell 12V Battery is beyond it’s life expectancy.

Tom

 

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, GaryH said:

 

Well that is accurate based on my trial and error, wish I saw that chart 20 years ago haha

[Log Catcher]

I have 98 Bass Tracker Pro Team 175 with a 40HP motor on it. I put new batteries in it two years ago.  I got Interstate batteries. The cranking battery is a 24M-XHD and rated for 800 CCA and 1000 MCA. My last batteries were Interstate and I got seven years out of them.

[Bird]

I've always used interstate.

24 group for starting and accessories.

( 2 ) 27 group for 24v trolling motor.

Maximum life, no issues. 

[airshot]

Your batteries are shot !!  I have a 40 hp Merc and use a small 625 amp battery and it is fine for starting only.  Then I have another deep cycle battery just for accessories, everything on the boat except the TM runs off the house battery.  I then have two deep cycle batteries just for the TM.  I woukd never use my starting battery tobrun accessories unless you really like paddling !!  A good marine starting battery of 625 amps as a start only battery, and at least a group 24 deep cycle as a house battery.  If you have a TM then extra battery forvthat depebding on how much you use it will determine the size.  Batteries need to be kept charged, if left to discharge, that will kill them !

When not in use, keep a battery maintainer on them to cycle and keep them full.  Once a battery is dropped below 11 volts it rarely ever comes back, and if it does, it rarely lasts, just consider it dead !!  Many folks swear by certain brands, in the long run it all depends on how well they are maintained !!  I have had good luck with walley world batteries but not with Interstate, each to his own...just take care of them!

I typically get 4-6 years out of my cheap batteries with proper care, but when they do show signs of failing, dont mess with them just replace them, not worth messing with and getting stranded !!  Been a boat owner for over 60 years and worked for a battery mfgr for a number of years....

[TnRiver46]

I have used many batteries for many years that have drained well below 11v, they can be charged . Did it this week with two of them 

[Bird]

6 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I have used many batteries for many years that have drained well below 11v, they can be charged . Did it this week with two of them 

I've literally had my batteries so low that the trolling motor prop remained stationary. 

Maybe not ideal but they charged right back up.

[airshot]

You might get away wuth that on a deep cycle but starting batteries only one in a million chance..even deep cycles, thatbwill normally shorten their life, even a blind squirel finds a nut on ocassion

[GoneFishingLTN]

On 3/10/2023 at 3:48 PM, WRB said:

Battery; only use Marine Deep Cycle.

Battery size for starting outboard engine a Group 24.

Battery size to start outboard and run you electrical components and sonar unit size Group 27.

Battery to run your trolling motor should be separate from starting and electrical use. TM Battery size depends on how often you use it and the boat size. Generally group size 29 to 31.

If you want no maintenance Battery then use AGM’s.

5 year old wet cell 12V Battery is beyond it’s life expectancy.

Tom

 

what would you recommend for two hummingbird units 9"10" one garmin unit 10", the big motor and livescope?(just one battery to run the above plus talons and livewells)

(Thinking a AGM Group 31) would be the best choice is this right?

Mark Daniels says a lithium 100 amp but that's $1000 dollars

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

what would you recommend for two hummingbird units 9"10" one garmin unit 10" and livescope?(just one battery to run the above plus talons and livewells)

Mark Daniels says a lithium 100 amp but that's $1000 dollars

Dakota or Battleborn maybe - when I upgrade to Lithium, it'll probably be Mighty Max...my AGMs from them have been rock-solid

https://www.mightymaxbattery.com/shop/lifepo4/ml100-12li-12v-100ah-deep-cycle-lithium-battery/

[WIGuide]

2 hours ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

what would you recommend for two hummingbird units 9"10" one garmin unit 10", the big motor and livescope?(just one battery to run the above plus talons and livewells)

(Thinking a AGM Group 31) would be the best choice is this right?

Mark Daniels says a lithium 100 amp but that's $1000 dollars

Group 31 AGM would be the cheaper option if you wanted to keep it on 1 battery. I bought an X2 last year after seeing multiple positive recommendations. The longest day I fished last year was over 14 hours running a 12, 9, and active target the whole time. I also have a Mercury which has some of the highest power requirements to start amongst outboards and I had no issues at all. From what I was reading doing the research, it sounded like even guys running 4 units were seeing the same type of results. 

[WRB]

House battery to run all the electrical needs, starting battery, 2 or 3 TM batteries, lithium starts to make sense to save weight.

Pricy with a new charging system plus the high cost of lithiums. I wouldn’t mix AGM’s and Lithium, different chargers needed.

Tom

[Bird]

Would like some clarification on this.

Are we talking running the electronics on non motorized lakes ?

If not, starting the boat and moving to another location will charge the starting battery via the engines alternator.

 

I run my sonar, bilge pumps and some time lights and have not exhausted a group 24 after extended use.

 

Does live scope have higher demands ?

[airshot]

49 minutes ago, Bird said:

Would like some clarification on this.

Are we talking running the electronics on non motorized lakes ?

If not, starting the boat and moving to another location will charge the starting battery via the engines alternator.

 

I run my sonar, bilge pumps and some time lights and have not exhausted a group 24 after extended use.

 

Does live scope have higher demands ?

You motor needs to run for about a half hour to replace the power from the battery to start it.  Numerous short runs will slowly deplete your starting battery, for this reason many use much larger than required starting battery.

[TnRiver46]

36 minutes ago, airshot said:

You motor needs to run for about a half hour to replace the power from the battery to start it.  Numerous short runs will slowly deplete your starting battery, for this reason many use much larger than required starting battery.

Your magneto ain’t quite as good as mine 

[gulfcaptain]

Wow, I have the room thank goodness.  So I run 2 group 27 cranking in parallel.  Big motor, all accessories (2 9"s, 10, 12, livescope,  and data hub). That $200 in batteries from Walmart  is a lot easier  the $1000 lithium.  Also split the accessories  and electronics to 2 switches too. All day fishing my voltage might hit 11.9v.  Then 3 group 27s for my trolling motor. 

3 hours ago, Bird said:

 

Does live scope have higher demands ?

Yes it does. Had to increase wire size to Fuse panel  from 12g to 8g and increased all wiring size for most graphs to 12g from 14. Keeps a constant voltage without loss as the bigger wire gives better power without loosing voltage in longer runs or heating up.

[TnRiver46]

7 hours ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

what would you recommend for two hummingbird units 9"10" one garmin unit 10", the big motor and livescope?(just one battery to run the above plus talons and livewells)

(Thinking a AGM Group 31) would be the best choice is this right?

Mark Daniels says a lithium 100 amp but that's $1000 dollars

A bit of perspective, I’ve bought a few outboard engines that ran like a top for less than $1000

[Deleted account]

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Your magneto ain’t quite as good as mine 

 

 

[TnRiver46]

45 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

 

 

That’s the guy! He can charge my battery with just a few revs of the engine in 5 minutes or less 

[Deleted account]

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

That’s the guy! He can charge my battery...

 

Really, you strike me more as a Thor guy...