Trolling motor power??

[ssmith36]

Have a couple questions thought I would ask here. I just put a 40lb thrust trolling motor on my boat, with a mercury 650 engine 12 volt system. Can i get by with running the same battery or should i pick up a seperate battery just for the trolling motor? Can I get a new battery for both or am i definitely better keeping them seperate?


Thanks in advance

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trolling motor power??

If you like to paddle, then use the starting battery which is NOT designed to be deeply discharged. Trolling motors need a big deep cycle to provide reasonable run-time. By all means, keep them separate. You will need either a portable or on-board charger to charge the trolling motor battery. And before you ask, NO -- the engine does not have enough output to charge both batteries.

 

[ssmith36]

Re: Trolling motor power??

Thanks and I was pretty sure I needed seperate batteries ( someone had told me I could use one). Thanks

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Trolling motor power??

You can use just one, how ever it is very very easy to run it down past the point of starting the gas motor. So a second just for a trolling motor is best.