Will deep-cycle lose power?

[Jeff R.]

Hi guys. I am wondering if a trolling battery (12V) will cause the trolling motor to not have as much power over time? My battery is 4 years old and it seems like I don't have the power with my trolling motor like I used to have. The battery takes a long time to charge back up, but it eventually does top off and the light on the charger goes green. I'm just not sure if I need to buy a new battery yet since it is still taking a full charge, and didn't know if an older battery will cause the trolling motor to run slower. Thanks in advance.

 

[Dan J.]

Check the battery fluid level and top off with distilled water after a full charge when cooled down. Recharge again and see if that helps. Good luck!

 

[Jeff R.]

It is an AC Delco deep-cycle that is sealed so I am unable to check the water level...or is there a way to get in there without the caps?

 

[Bruce Freeman]

It may not be dead yet, but it's on the way out. You should replace it because it is putting a strain on your charger. At 4 years it's had a good life and since you can't top of the electrolite and it does evaporate (not trying to scare you) but a dry battery is just a bomb waiting to go off.

BF

 

[Rich Stern]

Jeff, over time, the lead plates in the battery deteriorate. Four years is better than average service from a consumer grade deep cycle battery. You can take it to an auto store where they will put it on a battery analyzer, but it's a fair bet that it's nearing the end of its life.



When buying the next battery, buy the heaviest battery available in the group size that fits your boat. Generally, more weight = more lead = more durability and storage capacity.



You can prolong the life of a deep cycle battery by:



1) Keeping it fully charged when not in use.

2) If it's a flooded battery that requires fluid level checks, keep it topped off with distilled water.

3) Avoid deeply discharging the battery. Running a battery until it's dead is very hard on them.

4) If you don't fish over the winter, take the battery out of the boat and put it on a smart trickle charger in a warm, dry environment.

 

[Berry Lindley]

Yes, it will lose power over time. If you got 4 yrs out of a battery it is not bad.