Trolling Motor Battery????

[trapshooter]

I have a minikotta 45lb trolling motor. I need a battery for it. Does it NEED to be deep cycle or can it be a different battery. I know deep cycle is best.
Thanks

[Rick.]

Deep cycle is the way to go. Walmart has a really good deal on them right now but make sure you take a trade in battery with you or it will cost you an extra ten bucks. Recharge it as soon as you get home every time you've used it. Rick.

[trapshooter]

Can I use a "Lawn and Garden" Battery?

[Speckle55]

Trapshooter .. i have use both .. car and deep cycle,, and Deep Cycle is the way to go if you use car battery i have had the reostat burn out on motor if you are going fast for a length of time.it over heated to and burnt wireing. deep cycle are made to recharge over and over .. i use R28(180) and r32(205) but have used Cat Batterys (420) i get about 7 years to 10 years life from them .. David

[Willowtrail]

I emailed minn kota a few weeks ago to ask what's the BEST battery to use. They said a group 27 deep cycle. I buy mine at costco. $99 for a 120 AH. Use 2 in my 5th wheel and they're awesome.

[Rick.]

Can I use a "Lawn and Garden" Battery?

You can but it won't last very long. Amp hours is what your needing. The more the better. I picked a group 27 for my trolling motor. Rick.

[Outcast 1100]

dont waste your time. get a good deep cycle battery and a deep cycle charger.

[Pikebreath]

You can use power packs (booster packs) in a pinch. I have 3 moto master 700 amp packs that I have used on my 40 lb thrust minkota for the past 5 years. I typically get about 4 - 5 hours of use per pack if I am using the electric motor for boat positioning as opposed to steady trolling. So for those "quickie" fishing trips I find the power packs quite adequate for my needs and much easier to lug around in and out of the boat.

I also have a couple of group 27 deep cycle batteries which do give typically 6 - 8 hours of service so I usually start an extended fishing trip with the D/C batteries and then switch over to the power packs as needed. At any rate, power packs make great back ups to as they are lighter and easier to handle than regular batteries, so carrying an extra one in the boat is no big deal

[Pikebreath]

More on power packs.... Not all power packs are created equally,,, I have probably owned at least a dozen different booster packs over the years as I have several trucks / tractors / swathers / combines / auger engines etc that see very seasonal use and the need to boost batteries is frequent so I keep several around the farm. For what it's worth, if you just want a DC power source,,, the best packs I have used in terms of providing power, keeping a charge and lasting through frequent discharge / charging cycles have higher capacity (600 plus amps) and the least other features,,,, all the other stuff such as AC converters seems to take away from the life the power pack.