Trolling motor battery - recommendations

[wind drift]

I need to replace a dedicated battery for a bow mounted Minnkota. Deceased battery is an Optima blue top that came with the boat. Is there a better option now? Experiences and recommendations are appreciated.

[honker_clonker]

I just picked up 2 cosco group 27 deep cycles for my minnkota 24v. I have run it for like 10-12 hours at speeds below 5-6 and use 1/4 to 1/2 the battery as per the indicator. They were like $140 each and I am very pleased with them so far.

[Walleyedude]

The ultimate option is to go lithium. Prices are still pretty crazy, but if you're in it for the long term, the combination of performance, low weight, and long life make them a reasonable option.

The best lead batteries I've ever used are the Odyssey AGMs. Again, they're crazy expensive.

I've gone the low cost route for my last set. Group 31 lead acid deep cycles, the cheapest ones I could find. If you ever get to Regina, or have a buddy there, Sask Battery sells their own brand group 31s for about $100-120 each. They are really good batteries, and the price is amazing.

[abhunter40]

I need to replace a dedicated battery for a bow mounted Minnkota. Deceased battery is an Optima blue top that came with the boat. Is there a better option now? Experiences and recommendations are appreciated.


Been down this road a few times. Best outcome I ever had was with 2 deep cycle Group 31 AGMs from Westmarine in VAncouver, wired in parallel for a 12V 55lb bow mount motorguide on a 19 ft princecraft super pro. These are true deep cycles and typically used as house batteries in sailboats. Could go for 2-3 days without a recharge, as long as there was minimal wind and I was conservative of course. Those 2 batteries were going strong after 7 years when I sold the boat. They were about 300 bucks each new but given the life and performance no complaints Inwould do it again. Back then, AGMs were fairly hard to find so lots more choices now. Go with a decent brand full deepcycle AGM (no combo deep cycle/cranking batteries) and look after it and you will be served well. Charge them asap when depleted and disconnect them when not in use so they don’t get drained slowly from trickle draws from electronics.l etc. i think its the trickle down current draws from electronics that kills most batteries nowadays if they are not being used and recharged regularly. An onboard charger to plug into shore power when tou come off the water makes keeping a bank of trolling batterirs charged much easier with no moving them around (heavy suckers). Likewise you can get a blue sea systems add a battery kit and charge trolling batteries from your main motor when its running if you want to get really rigged up or don’t typically have the option to recharge them every time you come off the water. No liquid sulphuric acid to worry about either with AGMs. The AGMs at Basspro seem to have good reviews and are priced reasonably. I am eyeballing one of those for my next power source for a minn kota on a pontoon boat that I use for fly fishing high mountain lakes in BC.


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[Penner]

Have 3 deep cycles from Costco. 2 I bought in 2010 the other 1 2011. Still going strong. I use them a fair amount. I keep them charged quite regularly and store them inside during the off season.

Costco seems to sell energizer AGM’s now online it appears. From what I’ve read the main advantages of AGM are weight, charging time, better for being bounced around, and life. Don’t see them providing a longer run time.

[wind drift]

Good information. Thanks for taking the time to share.

For awareness, Westmarine is no longer located in Vancouver. No more Canadian store. Too bad.

[abhunter40]

Good to know about West Marine shutting down in Canada. It’s a shame though, I only moved there for a few years and then came back to the flat land but really enjoyed the products they had there since we are pretty starved for that kind of marine products selection out here in the prairies. Steveston Marine and Hardware was also a good place for marine stuff, if you are in that area or passing through and I see online that they carry Dekka,batteries which are a good brand from what my research has revealed. Battery World in Calgary of course carries a few different brands of AGMs including Dekka. You have a range to pick from there based on what your wallet can handle. As was pointed out though, performance won,t be any better with an AGM just perhaps longevity and all the benefits that go with no liquid electrolyte that can spill out.


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[wind drift]

I want to circle back on this. I learned some things about batteries and want to pass it along. I’m pretty sure many others know this already, but all deep cycle batteries are not the same. My Optima is an AGM battery (absorbed glass mat). Regular automotive battery chargers likely won’t work well on that battery, nor can it be assured that boat charging systems restore a discharged AGM battery. I did some reading and found info to indicate that a proper charger might be able to essentially fix a depleted AGM battery. After some more research, I decided to invest in a NOCO Genius charger. Glad I did. It’s a pretty sophisticated charger (and it was 30% off at CDN Tire!). The battery has regained a full charge. All indications are that my lack of battery knowledge was putting it on a slow path to death. That said, I can cut myself a bit of slack, cuz the battery came with the boat and I didn’t really pay it much attention until it stopped making my trolling motor turn. Live and learn. The battery and charger are a system. They need to be matched to work well. I hope sharing my trials and tribulations helps someone else avoid wasting time and money.

[Mr Flyguy]

I've had a Nautilus AGM deeo cycle for 6 years for my canoe trolling motor. A good battery but heavy!

Wondering about the lithium batteries, 'cause the're half the weight but twice the cost.

[EZM]

I have used and bought interstate batteries. They last a long time (8 years on this set) and still holding charge and working great.

I really don't know if I will go to the Lithium option. I see no need to do so. I don't often Pull my boat around with the trolling motor, I generally use the i pilot to steer me along my track, and leave the 9.9 gas kicker in gear and pointed straight ahead and I can get a a full weekend out of my batteries before plugging in the on board charger.

If I don't use my gas kicker, I'm like 8 hours maybe. My boat is a deep hull and has high sides battling the wind so my boat pulls through the water with the efficiency of a parachute ..... lol.

[abhunter40]

When you are looking at batteries the most important factor for a deep cycle to be used on a trolling motor is RC (reserve capacity) not amp hours. Get the highest you can, preferably something around 200 RC. You shouldn’t need 2 of them unless you plan long days or trolling. You can find more information on trolling motors on the Trolling Motors Guide (https://trollingmotorsguide.com/)


Totally agree and there is a formula to calculate RC from the AH rating for the mathematical folks in the room. Can’t remember right now but a search online should turn it up easily


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[Dan'ol]

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-nautilus-group-31-deep-cycle-battery-0103199p.html#srp

I was going to buy one of these today and try it out tomorrow.

[SNAPFisher]

I have used and bought interstate batteries. They last a long time (8 years on this set) and still holding charge and working great.

I really don't know if I will go to the Lithium option. I see no need to do so. I don't often Pull my boat around with the trolling motor, I generally use the i pilot to steer me along my track, and leave the 9.9 gas kicker in gear and pointed straight ahead and I can get a a full weekend out of my batteries before plugging in the on board charger.

If I don't use my gas kicker, I'm like 8 hours maybe. My boat is a deep hull and has high sides battling the wind so my boat pulls through the water with the efficiency of a parachute ..... lol.

Interstate are excellent! I knew that they would be good when my brother in law gave me a deep cell 6 years ago and said it was on its last legs. Out works my not so old nautilus (which are crap). Runs trolling motor in the summer and my snow plow in the winter. Still going strong. Bought four 31s this year. Looking to pick up two more. Bringing in my last two nautilus shortly to get two more - they do give $20 off with an exchange.

[SNAPFisher]

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-nautilus-group-31-deep-cycle-battery-0103199p.html#srp

I was going to buy one of these today and try it out tomorrow.

Don't do it! I bought 8 of them and 7 of the 8 were crap. They leak a lot too. Really makes a mess of your connections. I hope you do not get them. Worst on the market imho.

[Dan'ol]

Don't do it! I bought 8 of them and 7 of the 8 were crap. They leak a lot too. Really makes a mess of your connections. I hope you do not get them. Worst on the market imho.

Well shoot one day to late. Bought one Friday used it all day Saturday worked great and only used 1/4 of the battery. Hopefully no issues in the future.

[SNAPFisher]

Well shoot one day to late. Bought one Friday used it all day Saturday worked great and only used 1/4 of the battery. Hopefully no issues in the future.

You might get lucky. I didn't. Of course all after the 1 year warranty....sigh
good luck!

[Pikeonafly]

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-nautilus-group-31-deep-cycle-battery-0103199p.html#srp

I was going to buy one of these today and try it out tomorrow.

A buddy of mine got one of these and so far no issues. Downside is it’s a CDN tire brand.

i went with the Costco marine deep cycle g27 because of costco policies.

[OL_JR]

You might get lucky. I didn't. Of course all after the 1 year warranty....sigh
good luck!

Interesting that you haven't had good luck with those as I've had the motomaster eliminators in vehicle applications and they were absolute garbage as well.

I've used a variety of deep cycle batteries and full disclosure I get them for free through work most of the time as culls so generally use what I can get. With that said the best battery I ever had was a deep cycle from battery electric. If I didn't have a charger fault that cooked it I'd probably still be using it and it was supposedly dead when I got it years ago lol.