Looking for some Battery help

[Andy]

I'm in need of new trollingmotor battery's this year. My question is do any of you guys buy Wallmart battery's like the Everstart MAXX group 29's they look good for 100.00 bucks per battery. let me know what you all have, I need some options

[dartag]

Bought Deka deep cycles for 125.00 each but they were 31 size a bigger battery.  Never run them down and I am on the TM all day.

[32eml24]

Ive got three everstarts on my boat and ive had them for four years. Im just one guy and I havent tried other kinds but I think I would buy another one. I think mine were less than 100 as well...

[MSURoss]

I got a question too... Can I sart my engine 200 efi with a size 31 deep cycle? Plan on having two 998s this summer, and dont think a cranking battery could handle it...

[red68prostreet]

MSU Ross, You can use a deep cycle to start your engine if you need a jump. Other than that I would not use a deep cycle as a cranking battery. A good AGM cranking battery will handle your HB units. For the last 2 yrs I have run a HDS 5, HDS 8, HDS 10, with structure scan all day long and have no issues starting my 225 e-tec.

Andy, Do your research on batteries. East Penn makes the best batteries out there and they make them for a lot of different companies. Walmart, Sams Club, etc. AGM batteries are the way to go. I got mine from CARQUEST as they spec a very good battery and have East Penn make them. Deka  is an East Penn battery as well. AGM's will cost more but well worth the cost.

[Andy]

Bought Deka deep cycles for 125.00 each but they were 31 size a bigger battery.  Never run them down and I am on the TM all day.

Man were did you find Deka's group 31's for 125.00

[MSURoss]

I got a 31 at batteries plus for 110$ i believe. I think they are made by deka.

[21XDC]

Maxx 29's are by far the best bang for the buck... Please shop "RC" reserve capacity over "Brands and Hype" Your troller don't care how much you paid for your batteries... It draws power and the batt with the most RC wins. Over sizing your batts will buy you years of extra licecycles.. Please read and compare>>> http://www.trojanbattery.com/pdf/TrailerBoats_batteryguide_201105.pdf

[fiker]

I don't remember the brand, but I got my batteries at the battery store in Brighton on Grand River.  The guys in there are very knowledgeable, their batteries are reliable, and they stand behind their products. 

I run two Humminbird units and my interlink off of my cranking battery I purchased there and have no issues.  I've had them for two complete seasons.

[Waterfoul]

I got a question too... Can I sart my engine 200 efi with a size 31 deep cycle? Plan on having two 998s this summer, and dont think a cranking battery could handle it...

You cannot use a deep cycle battery as a dedicated starting battery.  You will kill it in one season or less.  They are just not designed to put out the instant energy a starter demands.  I would recommend a Deka (East Penn, or West Marine batteries are Deka) M6 Group 27 battery.  This battery has 105 amp hours and 1050 cranking amps and is designed to meet Mercury's specs for starting/electronics batteries.  This is what I run and you know I use my boat a lot.  It's going on it's 3rd season and has never let me down.   I run a 997, 797, a Dragonfly, and my livewells on this battery with no problem.

[Andy]

I got a question too... Can I sart my engine 200 efi with a size 31 deep cycle? Plan on having two 998s this summer, and dont think a cranking battery could handle it...

You cannot use a deep cycle battery as a dedicated starting battery.  You will kill it in one season or less.  They are just not designed to put out the instant energy a starter demands.  I would recommend a Deka (East Penn, or West Marine batteries are Deka) M6 Group 27 battery.  This battery has 105 amp hours and 1050 cranking amps and is designed to meet Mercury's specs for starting/electronics batteries.  This is what I run and you know I use my boat a lot.  It's going on it's 3rd season and has never let me down.   I run a 997, 797, a Dragonfly, and my livewells on this battery with no problem.

I disagree on you can not use a deep cycle battery for starting. i did for years thats the way it was set up from D&R. I had 3 group 31 Dekas all 3 were the same. I ran them batterys for 4 years before i repaced them with the same. Im running a 97 200 EFI.

[Waterfoul]

Andy, I'm simply stating what my Deka battery rep and the engineers from Deka tell me when they are in my store, as well as what every battery "expert" has told me when ever this question is raised.  All the litterature I have here, or have read elsewhere says that to instantly discharge a deep cycle battery (flooded lead acid, AGM's are a different animal and are actually considered Dual Purpose and can be used as starting batteries) is detrimental to their overall health and will considerably shorten their life.  My bet is that if you were to have the one used to start your boat load tested it would show less overall capacity than either of the trolling motor batteries.

I have never seen a dealer put a deep cycle battery in the starting battery position.  Seems strange to me.

[Andy]

Well like I said thats the way D&R set it up. But its hard too say your full of poo to a rep hahahaha. I think some one did a opps on my rigging.

[21XDC]

Deep cycles make awesome starting batteries as long as they have atleast the min MCA/CCA your motor requires.... All I have ever used to crank my hot 250 Hammer is the Maxx 29 trolling batts. I get 4-5 years from them. The benefit is most cranking batteries don't have enough "RC" to run our accessories for the day, and still crank at the end of the day... This is the reason to get as much battery you can make fit in your boat. Even if you need to get new trays. Most just cut the side lip off of their existing trays.

Deep cycles will crank..... But cranking batts will not deep cycle. 

[djkimmel]

I've been using 3 Deka Dual Purpose Marine Master size 31 wet cell batteries for Yamaha HPDI 225 HP starting, electronics and a 24/36v MotorGuide in my old Ranger 492VS for over 10 years on 2 sets during that time. Never ran out of whatever power I needed during the years I was fishing 140+ days or only a few dozen days.

The battery guys as Deka recommended I get 3 of the same Dual Purpose 31 batteries for my setup since I sometimes use the MotorGuide in 36v while still needing live well, electronics and starting the big Yamaha. I've had zero battery problems since and got 5 full seasons on each set before switching out because 5 seasons is enough to push it.

When I was fishing a lot I camped a lot too and the old campgrounds didn't always have the power you could count on. Wet cells handle all of this better for me. I also bought an old Pro Mariner charger that charged at a higher rate and was designed to deal with inconsistent power supply sources better.

Here's a couple PDF documents from Deka:
There complete Marine line: http://www.dekabatteries.com/assets/base/0181.pdf

And a guide I use a lot - best battery options for your specific outboard: http://www.dekabatteries.com/assets/base/0406MarineApplicationslayout.pdf

It definitely helps if you have access to someone who is familiar with fishing battery needs, and knowledgeable about battery applications to various needs. I would expect D&R Sports Center probably installed the Marine Master Dual Purpose batteries though some people go with AGM. My diverse charging situations, motor brand and limit to 3 batteries did not make the AGM the best choice for me.

[Fishmael]

Last I knew, DEKA was sourcing the Napa batteries.  I've had very very good luck with them.  I run them down and recharge a couple times per week and they have lasted 5 years.  They are way cheaper too.  I paid $89 for a deep cycle last time I bought them.

[Skulley]

I talked to the battery guys at work.  At my work, we have a "Battery Lab".  The guys in the battery lab recommended I use as much of a battery as I can get away with.  One of the guys down there is a bass fisherman and he told me he runs Group 31 batteries for his trolling motor as well as his cranking battery.  He told me he runs a Group 31 for cranking because he is also running all his electronics off of it and it allows him to run a lot of his accessories simultaneously because bildge pumps, livewell pumps, and high current draw components, with confidence that they are not going to run his power down to nil.  Then with the addition of GPS units and fish finders...............well that's a lot of draw for a Group 27 or 29.  I was running a Group 29.  I had that battery for 2 years and toward the end of the first season with it, my fishfinder would give me the "low voltage" message when the livewells were working simultaneously with the electronics.  It happened usually halfway to 3/4 way through the day.  It's nice to have that resource of expertise on a subject like batteries right where you work.


BD                                     

[thedude]

Anyone who may be looking at dekas - i got 3 group 31s from meijer for under 100$ a piece. Plus, since we have a meijer credit card, i was able to get an additional 15% off. The batteries are penn batteries and identical to all the other penn/deka variations i've used in the past.

For a starting battery, i had used a optima blue-top. I had it for over 6 years and it wasn't until last season it would start to wear out fast... that being said, i could still get through a weeknight tournament running livewells and graphs and starting the motor reliably.

[djkimmel]

I've been with Deka wet cell 31 Marine Masters for something like 12 years and only gone through 2 sets for everything. I used the dual purpose variety and have swapped them out after 5 to 6 season while they were still acting like they had not quit in them just to be safe. I can't say enough about how it has been to have zero battery issues for that long of a time period after the up and down, late night anxiety of looking for a new battery to buy to swap for a dead one that was happening 1 or more time a season for all the years before I switched to Deka.

[motocross269]

Mercury reccommends 1000 CCAs for the Starter battery....A Sears PM1 is somewhere around 1050 if memory serves me correctly....I saw a Series 31 AGM Dual purpose at a batteries and bulbs store that was rated at almost 1200 CCAs that is the largest I have seen...It was also 350 bucks..

Sherm installed an Interstate commercial Series 31 in my boat from new...I have never been a big Interstate fan but the battery has held up well....I was planning on switching this year but the battery is still testing out great...