charging trolling motor battery thru plug in??

[fish hook]

I have a 2004 tahoe Q4 F/S where the trolling motor connects with a plug/socket in the bow. A separate battery is dedicated to the the trolling motor and has to be charged manually. Can I charge the battery with some sort of plug setup thru the socket instead of having to remove the cover on the battery box each time? The battery box is somewhat difficult to reach.

 

[dwparker99]

Re: charging trolling motor battery thru plug in??

It can be done but I think a better solution would be to buy an onboard 2 bank charger. Although, the engine will charge the cranking battery, you may not run it long enough to bring it to 100% charge. Letting a battery sit for any length of time without being 100% charged will shorten its life. Buying an onboard charger is some of the best money I've spent on my boat.

 

[NYBo]

Re: charging trolling motor battery thru plug in??

Your plan to use the TM socket will work just fine, but DW makes some good points about the cranking battery.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: charging trolling motor battery thru plug in??

The engine is perfectly capable of keeping the starting battery topped off with reasonable runs to and from the dock. He wants to charge the troller battery through the troller receptacle. The answer to that question is yes. Buy a plug the same type as on the troller and rig the wires so you can attach them to your portable charger. Yes - an on-board charger is more convenient, but a $7.00 plug is a lot cheaper than a $130+ dual bank or a $70 single bank on-board charger.

 

[dwparker99]

Re: charging trolling motor battery thru plug in??

Having an onboard charger is more than just about convenience. It is also about economics and peace of mind. Letting the cranking battery sit without a full charge even for a short period (1-2 weeks) means more frequent replacement of that battery. Seeing three green lights on my charger just prior to going fishing gives me peace of mind that my batteries are up to the challenge of the day.

Another thing to consider, charging through the TM plug adds considerable resistance to the charge circuit so you will not get the same charge on the battery. Your TM battery will not be as strong as it would be if the charger was connected directly to the battery terminals.