Battery question

[dbasketman]

My group 29 Interstates tested good, but were not holding up to my normal use so i replaced them today, and will use the old batteries on other equipment here at work or the farm. Two years is about all i can get out of a set, sometimes even less on the starting battery. This is the weak link on our boats, but i sure dont want to lose a day fishing due to battery issues.btw,,,, The new batteries come with real hex nuts on the posts, use them instead of the wing nuts because they create a better contact for the leads. BUT have a wrench in the boat in case you need to unhook them in a hurry !Last edited by dbasketman on February 15th, 2011, 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[SuicideNemesis]

Did just that, just now have to have enough daylight after work to put em in. Thanks.- Chaz

[DPT2005]

I replaced the standard wingnuts with nylok lock nuts and that really keeps them from vibrating loose. Just a thoughtKentKent Charles 2002 Pantera Classic & 200 Yamaha VMax

[Bob La Londe]

I ran a set of AGMs for the last few years in the 3/36 configuration. Cranking battery was replaced when I got my boat back after the wreck as “somebody” had left the key on in their yard while they were busy not working on it. Anyway, the other 2 were fine. I just replaced the cranking battery again a couple weeks ago. The other 2 tested at about 50% capacity give or take. Good, but should be replaced They have been in for over 4 years. At a current replacement cost of $250 (Cabelas) brand VS $75 for the WalMart Maxx deep cycles. I went with the Walmart Maxx batteries. In my little boat I get a consistent one year of hard use out of the cheaper ($70) WalMart batteries. Several of my buddies have told me they are getting right at 2 years out of the “Maxx” group 29s. From cost benefit point of view: Wal Mart Cheapies (from experience)$70 X 12 = $840 (4 years cost)AGM Cabelas (from experience)$249 X 4 = $996 (4 years cost)Wal Mart Maxx ( I am going to figure 18 months use based on comments from others, and the fact that my batteries never last as long as others brag.)$75 X 8 = $600 (4 years cost)Now I know there are Trojan fan boys out there, but I have used several sets of Trojans with what I considered poor results for their price. They are nearly the price of Cabelas AGMs. Interstate fan boys may now pipe up, but they are not any better in my experience than Wally World batteries and nearly the price of Trojans. Locally both distributors (in my experience) will refuse to warranty a battery that loads tests with even enough juice to crank over a starter just a couple times. Even on a fairly new battery. Dont get me started on AC Delco. Back in the 1980s they were one of the best batteries for the price on the market. We sold thousands of them in my dads hardware/auto parts store. Since 2001 when I bought my very first brand new from the dealership service truck I have had every single battery on every single truck replaced under warrantee. (Seven new GM/Chevy trucks in that time) Some multiple times. It got to the point where I just went down down and bought batteries from Car Quest (not bad batteries either) rather than put in another free replacement from the dealer just so I wouldnt have to deal with the service headache and time off job sites. Non of my current GM trucks have AC Delco batteries in them. The AGM (Cabelas group 30) have the advantage of no maintenance and not having to change them as often. If I can figure out a layout I like I may go with a 4 battery configuartion with the cheaper batteries though. Make it easier to jump start when the cranking battery starts to fail and the computer wont fire the engine. I might make some aluminum battery trays so I can suspend one end off over the bilge and not worry as much about flexing and the end of that battery floating in the air. Right now I am running the 3/36 config with Maxx deep cycles from Wally World in The Black Cat. Ill let you know when they fail. Bob La Londewww.YumaBassMan.comTournament Directorwww.YumaProAm.com–Bob La Londe Forums, Free Lures, Product Reviewswww.YumaBassMan.com CNC Molds N Stuffwww.CNCMOLDS.com

[SuicideNemesis]

I ended up with the Everstart MAXX 29 (Wal-Mart). It was a one for one replacement so it seemed logical anyways. All four of the batteries the previous owner had on board were those and they seemed to work well for him. I would consider the Cabelas if I was finally living in Phx again, but nope, and theres not a Cabelas within 100 miles of me here. One thing I lucked out with, I decided to check my batteries because my electronics were freaking out on me out on the water. I thought the power was coming from the three, checked em and found em bad. Then had an epiphany when I changed em and got the low voltage problem again, checked the cranking and found it needs a good charge. It would have been a real issue had I found them the hard way in a tourney. Sometimes dumb luck helps.Last edited by SuicideNemesis on February 18th, 2011, 1:32 am, edited 1 time in total.- Chaz

[Bass Cat Boats]

I would call interstate and get it flipped. shouldnt do that.C.O.D. Jr. III

[Bass Cat Boats]

What Ward said, though we would want to make sure it is charging also. Sounds like a bad cell.

[SabreDriver]

I would ask Sherm to overnight me a new battery. Suprised that a 2010 battery would be left in that boat? Battery sounds like its a dud!

[crafty30]

Called Sherm today, and he took care of everything. Excellent service.

[Bass Cat Boats]

What is battery voltage after sitting for 30 minutes after charging? This should be around 12.8 volts after sitting. We are suspect that the battery either is not charging or is substandard.

[kbgfish]

I will look into this this week and post results. Thanks

[JTodd]

Yup… Bcb is spot on… Likely a battery or charger issue..But it does raise an interesting question for me ( basically meaning more research required) — With DC power, voltage is additive in series, current additive in parallel… But this is only true when those circuits are closed… Meaning you can tap a single battery in a series configuration for 36v (trolling motor) and get 12v, as long as the 36v circuit is open (trolling motor not in use).. Engaging the trolling motor (36v series circuit) while attempting to start the engine (12v tap circuit) in this configuration would effectively drop starter voltage to 0 since loads must be in parallel ( would effectively be like plugging both positive and negative starter leads to the positive terminal, no potential difference means no current flow).. I know this is a bit askew of traditional thought processes and I am a bit strange, by my own admission, but the end result is that it should be ridiculously easy to configure a bank of solid state relays or simple starter solenoids for that matter to utilize all batteries for trolling, or starting and accessories as required by the flip of a switch.. The challenge is to maintain 12v for accessories while the series circuit is in use.. A resistor bank should do it quite nicely.. Ill play with the math and get back to you chaps..JT

[ischnell]

Using the starter (12V) and the troller (36v) at the same time would not be an issue thay will both work as long as the cranking battery has enough output to satisfy both draws at the same time. The 36 v comes from batteries in series setup and the 12v is only tapping one battery. As long as all batteries have the power available everything will work.Irv

[Mark5795]

This is going to sound stupid I am sure.. but after having the 3 battery set up to begin with and changing to the 4… I notice that the trolling batteries charge in the way they were used. Therefore many times my first battery in series takes much longer than the other 2 to charge. This is all new batteries and is consistent with the idea of voltage being drawn first from the first battery so on.. so the stupid part why isnt in a 3 battery system the cranking wire hooked to the 3rd battery with the idea that will be the one least drawn upon in the process… or am I just way out to lunch here?

[cb2structural]

Mark5795, I also want to hear the answer to your question.I have the same thing happen to my (3) battery setup. The battery to the big engine is far more tapped than the other two used to complete the 36V circuit to the trolling motor. I have watched this for several years. I have replaced the starting battery a couple times, replaced the battery charger (three bank dual pro), and have changed leads for the charger, seeing if anything makes a difference on the cranking battery. Its does not…..as the cranking battery is always tapped for more power. I have even gone to the lake and not used any electronics at all….and no pumps…..just trolling motor and big motor…..same thing, cranking battery is hit pretty hard but others are not hit as hard.I even went up to the great big blue top battery as my cranking battery (cant recall the brand….has the round cells) and use Delco Voyager batteries for two designated trolling batteries. The bottom line that Ive seen is that the cranking battery is going to get hit more than the other two batteries.Expanding on what you guys are asking, I would also ask this: Lets say a man wants to add a voltage cut-off switch at the cranking battery so that phantom draws do not draw down the cranking battery when the boat is not in use. I was experimenting yesterday by taking the positive lead off of the cranking battery, after the batteries are charged, so that the cranking battery has no draw on it……but then I thought to myself……if all my positive leads, taken off the cranking battery, are in contact with each other after removing them from the cranking battery……..will there still be power in the system because the other two trolling batteries are still hooked up? Would I actually have to place a cut-off both at the cranking battery…..and…..in-line with the positive lead of the trolling system to the third battery (cranking battery). I think so, but hadnt gotten any further on thinking thru this.

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