What type of battery should I use??

[jacobmorin]

I have recently purchased a 72' 65 hp merc. It has the Thunderbolt ignition, and I am not sure what type of marine battery I should buy? Is there a specific brand or voltgage I should be looking for? I see that batteries can vary from $65 dollars at Sears to $150 from some of the specaility on-line marine stores?

Thanks

 

[hammyloz]

Re: What type of battery should I use??

for info only
i use a 135 amp leisure battery and carry an 85 amp back up

 

[jimmbo]

Re: What type of battery should I use??

a marine cranking battery, most manufacturers make them. There even are Optima(agm) batteries. 12 volts is the standard. Costco or Wallmart are about the cheapest. A lot of people swear by Trojan batteries

 

[ninja500r]

Re: What type of battery should I use??

I have an '86 Merc75. A regular "old-school" flooded cell battery is recommended with unregulated charging systems that use a rectifier. I got a new starting battery at Walmart for about $40. It's a normal flooded cell battery. You want to avoid gel cell or maintenance free batteries because the unregulated charging system will kill them. You just have to check your water levels regularly in the new battery because the unregulated charging system can boil off water.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: What type of battery should I use??

knowing how hard the older inline mercs are starting cold, i recommend atleast 800 CCA starting battery, we use to use a battery that was compatible with the towing vehicle. i now use a 1150 CCA Trojan starting battery. and like having the extra UMPH.

 

[jimmbo]

Re: What type of battery should I use??

Tashas
Old mercs hard too start? My old 84 115 only took 3 pulls on the emergency rope to catch and run. I guess it needed a new battery

 

[anthony115merc]

Re: What type of battery should I use??

my merc 25 doesnt use a battery haha

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: What type of battery should I use??

jimmbo, yours must be tuned perfectly, as most of the 70ish inlines are extremely gas hungry, when cold. you had to almost flood them to start cold,