Kicker Battery Question

[83mulligan]

Buying a new battery. Yamaha T8 will be wired to it and I'll have fish finder, temp and speed, auto bilge pump and spotlight connected. I will troll with the t8 (lots of hours). Question is: Is this a Deep Cycle Battery or a combination marine battery. Reason for question is will the alternator from the T8 charging the battery all the time reduce the life of a deep cycle because its made for deep discharge and theoretically will remain near the top of charge cycle and charging frequently?

 

[83mulligan]

Re: Kicker Battery Question

So.........Is constantly charging (about 3 to 4 amps est. from trolling with T8) bad for a deep cycle or is it still the best choice over a dual purpose in this application????

 

[Bondo]

Re: Kicker Battery Question

So.........Is constantly charging (about 3 to 4 amps est. from trolling with T8) bad for a deep cycle or is it still the best choice over a dual purpose in this application????

Ayuh,.... I think the answer is,.... either, or, probably, 'n maybe,...

Yer possibly gonna be drawin' more than the motor's puttin' back in,...

I'd go for Big Reserve, regardless whether deep cycle, or a combo pack,...

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Kicker Battery Question

I have a 9.9 merc pro-kicker that trolls a lot like you do. I have a combo battery on it. Don't have the boat here but its the largest battery I could find that fit. When running all the load is on the main engine, but when trolling I have a battery switch that puts all the "house" loads on the kicker. I'm talking all the stuff you mentioned plus RADAR, auto helm and four electric down riggers, fish locator with GPS, another GPS, VHF radio, small stereo, fish hawk downrigger speed and temp, interior lights, nav lights, etc. The battery is on its 4th year and is holding up just fine. I do have a pro-mariner two bank on board charger maintainer that's plugged in, in the garage cause I think the kicker doesn't keep up with everything all the time but it does do pretty good. I use the boat every year for a nine day salmon derby and have not yet had a dead kicker battery with no plug in of the charger during that tourney. I can't really tell you its the best thing to do but my experience tells me that it works. If I have to buy a new battery every five years or so I'll get over it but so far so good.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Kicker Battery Question

Reason for question is will the alternator from the T8 charging the battery all the time reduce the life of a deep cycle because its made for deep discharge and theoretically will remain near the top of charge cycle and charging frequently?

No, a battery of any type loses its capacity the further it gets discharged. Keeping it constantly fully charged is the best thing you can do.

If the battery is fully charged, it will not be accepting the current the engine is trying to give it unless the voltage is excessively high. In that case, the battery will boil slightly and the electrolyte will need to be checked more often.

 

[83mulligan]

Re: Kicker Battery Question

I hate electrical. So confusing for my already overloaded brain.