Batteries

[spiderman1800]

I have just purchased my first boat (a Small Runabout with a 50hp Force). Can I use a auto battery or must I get a Marine battery, and if so which is the best. I will have the engine, cb and am/fm w/cass running from this battery. Thanks for the help.

 

[chuckz]

Re: Batteries

A marine battery is recommended. <br /><br />That engine is pretty easy to pull start if necessary so a dead battery wouldn't leave you stranded.

 

[spiderman1800]

Re: Batteries

Thanks, would it be alright to use the auto battery for a back-up?

 

[chuckz]

Re: Batteries

It's my understanding that auto batteries and marine batteries are constructed differently inside. The marine battery is designed to withstand the more severe shock encountered in a boat.<br /><br />Whichever battery you use it needs to be in a battery box that is tied down in the boat. This is a USCG requirement.

 

[spiderman1800]

Re: Batteries

OK, thanks again for the help!

 

[Boatist]

Re: Batteries

I have a 1980 boat and my starting battery has always been a group 24 auto starting battery. Never had a battery that did not last 6 years. My aux battery is a RV/Marine deep cycle and again never had one that did not last 6 years. <br /><br />If for some reason you are mounting the battery in the front of the boat a marine battery may be a good idea. If your mounting it in the back like most and auto battery is fine and a lot cheaper.<br /><br />If you want it to last always recharge it asap. Do not leave it discharged from you last trip until getting ready for the next trip. The sooner you recharge the batteries without over charging the longer they will last.

 

[khc1970]

Re: Batteries

If you can afford it and have room for it, a 2 batteries set up is recommended.<br /><br />You need to know different battery does differnt job.<br /><br />To start an ob, you'll need a battery with large cold cranking amp (CCA), i.e., large power short burst of power, but if the power drains below a certain level, very often the battery will die and not recharge at all, or at a reduced compacity. The instruments, they drain the battery slowly, so you'll need a deep circle or maintenence battery, sod's law, deep circle are not very good for providing short sharp burst of power.<br /><br />Another reason you want a 2 batteries set up is that if fish allday like I do, and have fishfinder, vhf radio, gps, plotter like I do, than by the afternoon if you only have one battery, it will be pretty much drained. Now if you try to start your ob, it probably won't have enough juice in the battery.<br /><br />However, if you only troll most of the time, than it probably won't matter half as much as your ob is continously charging the battery.<br /><br />For information, I have a 2 battery set up, with a battery switch, battery 1 is for powering the ob while battery 2 is for instrumentation, however, both battery can be used/joined/switched to power ob or instruments. Bat 1 is a heavy duty diesel van type providing 850 cold cranking amp and bat 2 is a normal maintenence battery providing 110A.

 

[SeaHorse]

Re: Batteries

Spiderman,<br />Welcome to wonderful world of "more is more", otherwise known as boating. You will find that your main purpose in life now is to keep boat salespeople solvent. In order to do this, you will have to abandon any "less is more" or principles of parsimony you had in the past. From now on, you must adopt the new "bigger is better" philosophy or you won't fit well in the world of boating. You will always "need" a boat that is two feet bigger than the one you have. You will, from now on, "need" more gadgets, accessories, and jetsom to fill up that bigger boat. <br /><br />The dirty little secret is that the smaller the boat the more fun you have. You could board most boats and throw half of the stuff overboard and nobody would miss anything. Maybe this could be one of Cristo's new art masterpieces. Instead of covering the Arkansas river with cloth, he could have the owners of all the boats toss their stuff overboard at the same time. This would be a lot cheaper too, although maybe a cleanup problem.<br /> I have a small runabout with a 70 horse with no pull start and lots of electrical stuff like, radios, fishfinder, etc. I use a small, lightweight garden tractor battery I got at Walmart for $20. Until late last year, the charging system was not charging the battery at all and I didn't even notice. Did I need a $400 marine duty, two battery setup? No. Do you need a $50,000, 300 horse bass boat to go fishin? No. <br /><br />Sometimes less is more.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Batteries

hey spiderman welcome to the forum! if you're buying a battery I highly recommend getting a marine - tougher insides plus they got those wingnut posts for hooking up the accessories. But if it came with the automotive & it performs satisfactorily then what the heck.<br /><br />You didn't mention horn, running lights, depth finder & tilt/trim, but you probly got those, right? Unless you do a lot of all-night (or maybe all-day) sitting around listening to the radio & running the blender for marguerittas, you won't likely be running a battery down to the point where it won't start your 50hp, at which point 5 minutes later it'll be recharged. <br /><br />At least until that first time you forget to reattach the emergency kill switch lanyard, or vent the fuel tank, or any of those other things we've all done, and drain the batt cranking the motor too long. I'm in favor of have the backup battery around if you don't mind the extra weight.<br /><br />Myself, 2 marine deepcycles: the one dedicated to the trolling motor is not hooked up to the charging system because I don't want to put too much strain on my 25-year-old 70hp 4-amp alternator, & the other cranks the motor & runs all accessories. I also keep a set of jumper cables in the boat in case I have to jump start myself.<br /><br />have fun!!