trolling motor batteries?

[moby_dick]

I was wondering if anyone could help me out on a battery question.

I just purchased a Minn Kota 30# electric trolling motor, and I have no clue what battery to get for it. Do I need a battery charger to go with it?
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[road]

Moby you will need a battery charger. If I remember right you get about 10 hours drive time from the Minn Kota. At that point you will need to recharge your battery.
Buy any good deep cycle 12 V. You wont be sorry for the extra dollars you spend. Nothing worse than getting to the other end of the lake and having the battery die. Hopes this helps.
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[moby_dick]

Thanks for the advice. Now, this charger, would just a 12V car battery charger work? (The kind you plug in the wall and connect to the battery)
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[ocean]

Exactomundo! Any 12v battery charger will do and amps do count too.Make sure you get a deep cycle battery you wont be sorry.I had a 16ft fiberglas boat and i ran my trolling engine from about 4-8 hours at a time.Saves on gas too.
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[road]

They will work. Mine has a deep cycle setting and a jump start (like that ever works). My son left the old one in the driveway. Returning after dark with the boat I backed over it. So I replaced it with a newer model. Just remember deep cycles are ment to be diacharged completely. So drain it close to dry then recharge it. Like your cell phone, it too will set memory, The lower the better.
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[moby_dick]

Thanks for the input guys....This helps me out a lot
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[road]

Hey Moby are you putting that trolling motor on a toon? If so consider getting a battery box for it. The corrsion and battery acid are murder on the toons material. That will add about 10 bucks to your setup cost. But its way cheaper than replaceing your bladders.
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[moby_dick]

it is for my toon, so i'll be sure to get a box....do they have all of this at cabela's?
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[road]

Cabelas or Sportsmens, Kmart, or WalleyWorld. Your choice.
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[addicted2fishin]

Hey, sorry I didn't see your post sooner. That toon is built to put the battery in a box right in front of where the motor mounts. The right size box will fit exactly in that hole you see there. I would just go to WalMart for the box. It should be about $8. I was going to throw one in there for you, but it has an old battery stuck in it that I couldn't get out. If you want it you can come get it, but I don't know if it's worth the drive just for a battery box.

As for the battery life....the good thing is that, using it on a toon, you won't have to set the speed setting quite so high as you would a boat. What this does for you is extends your battery life on each trip. You should easily get a whole day out of a fully charged battery as long as you don't turn the speed all the way up to cruise across a lake.

Glad to see you are enjoying the toon!!!
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[Ewetah]

I would advise to spend the extra cash and get an Optima battery. You will never half to worry about corrosion from acid fumes, leaks or spills, it will cycle double the number of times of a convention lead acid, it charges up much faster and will last about 10+ years.

I love mine, I will never go back to a conventional lead acid.
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[moby_dick]

thanks for the help guys. Oh, Brian, it might be worth the drive down there, seeing as how the closest wally world is quite a drive itself hahaha.
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[addicted2fishin]

Let me know if you want to come get it. I'll just set it out for you if you can't make it when I'm there. I will leave it up to you to get the old battery out of the box, though. Corrosion won't be a problem as long as you keep it in the battery box and keep the top on the box.
Hey, that old battery in the box may save you from paying the core charge on a new one if they charge a core for deep cycles. I'm not sure. last one I bought was at Costco and they don't charge a core.
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[moby_dick]

OH COOL! I'll call you tomorrow Brian, I probably will be down that way for work, so I think I may just stop by and get that! Thanks!
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