Trolling Batteries

[Roger Chambers]

I have a 2010 175 TXW with a 46 lb. thrust Motor Guide. My first question is, is there room to put an additional trolling battery in the back compartment with the other batteries. Second question is if not, has anyone installed a battery in the small storage compartment in the rear, near the batteries. Third question, the battery I have now is an interstate 27. If I get another battery in 29 can I connect them together or do I have to have the same 27.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

All I can tell you is the case on the 29 is bigger than the 27, but they are both 12v and would work together.



BF

 

[Ed Rife]

Dont matter about case size...If it's a 12volt motor just hook them parelell..pos to pos

neg to neg....I did my 640 Nitro the other day pics in my library..

 

[Mike Clayton]

I have a PT 185 and I know I could not fit another battery in there, you would have to move

the start battery as you mentioned and I think it would fit in one of those side compartments but not sure how the weight distribution would be since it will be on the extreme left or right side...



Ed...did you upgrade your troller?? to 24 volt??

 

[Ed Rife]

No Mike I just added another battery stayed 12v just more time on the water. I will when this trolly dies lol.

 

[Jim in VA]

Roger - what are you trying to do? Upgrade to a 24V trolling motor with more power? Or just have more reserve capacity for your existing 12V motor? If the former, sounds like you'd have to get creative on battery placement. If the latter, it might be easier to buy the larger size battery and hook it up to your existing trolling motor.



On using two batteries, conventional wisdom is that you want to buy batteries hooked together at the same time to keep them the same age. Hooking up a new battery to an old one is generally not a good idea since the system will only be as strong as the older (presumably weaker) battery. I've also heard that the older batter will "age" the new battery faster.

 

[Ed Rife]

Check the voltages of both if there real close they'll be ok to hook parelell.I wouldnt hook 2 together if one was at 13 volts after charging and one at 12.5 you know the lesser isd on it's way out if thats all it is after charging.

 

[Mike Clayton]

Ed and any others too....??so you can hook up an additional battery to an existing and still have just 12 volts or is there a transfer switch involved?

Thanks

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Yes you can. No switch, just jumper wires.



TOXIC

 

[Ed Rife]

Mike,

For a 12volt trolling motor hooking 2 batteries to it parelell will still be 12Volts output..That will not give you more thrust just more battery power to troll(longer on the water time)If you have a 24 volt motor you hook 2 batteries in series to get 24v out put...pos to neg pos to neg = 24 volts from 2 12 volt batteries..pos to pos neg to neg = 12v output

 

[Roger Chambers]

Just staying with the 12 volt system. In windy conditions the battery seems to get pretty weak after about 6 to 8 hours. I have a Guest 2 bank onboard charger and I've heard some people having problems with them not charging to full capacity. Maybe I'll try charging with another charger and see if that helps. Thanks for the info everybody.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

6 to 8 hours in the wind on the tm all the time is not bad. Adding a 2nd battery in line will increase your time on the water. Your 2 bank Guest charger now charges the tm and the starting battery (which is a good thing)adding a 3rd battery you may want to go to a 3 bank charger but you don't have too. It depends on how fast the batteries have to be recharged (next day vs next weekend).



BF

 

[Mike Nelson]

Ed Rife: How does your 640 perform with 3 batterys in the arse end. I moved my single trolling motor battery up fron in the left rod locker to try distribute teh space better.

 

[Ed Rife]

It does fine...I have by the picture you can see both trlling batteries close together..

On the left front of the boat I have my tackle and incidentals in that storage area so it levels the boat out nice no problems.

 

[Mike Clayton]

I would like to do the same Ed but have no room for a 3rd battery so I guess I need to get creative and come up with re-locating start battery and good location...

Thanks