What type of extra battery do I need?

[cin3000]

I'm trying to fully prepare for my purchase this weekend. I'm buying a used pontoon. So far, I have all the Dept of Natural Resources regulation requirements but now I would like to get the "extras" just in case of an emergency arises.
I plan on putting a pole on it to push off an island or to help in shallow water. I also will have a first aid kit and a list of numbers for local marinas. What I want to do is get an extra battery but have no idea what kind to get. I would like to run the stereo and/or lights off of this to reserve the main battery for start ups and driving.
What battery would be the best and how would I hook up just the stereo and lights to it?

 

[BobGinCO]

Re: What type of extra battery do I need?

Go to Wally World, and get a size 29 Deep Cycle Marine battery. That's something like 120 Amp-Hours, and about $85. Well worth it.

 

[Old Screwball]

Re: What type of extra battery do I need?

I bought a lawn tractor battery from Wal Mart for $23.00. Run everything except the starter from that battery including 2 high volume air pumps for rafts for the kids, and a 5gpm 45psi water pump for squirt gun fights ( I don't usually loose). I have a standard light switch that connects the batteries together when the motor is running to keep it charged, and isolated when stopped.

Good Luck.

 

[MinUph]

Re: What type of extra battery do I need?

A deep cycle marine battery of your choosing.

 

[Nightfisher-]

Re: What type of extra battery do I need?

I use an AGM gel cell from a telephone company backup for mine. I lucked out and it was free to me via a friend's father in law. I used a tractor battery on my old toon that was twice the size of a regular battery, but that sucker would run my lights all night. lol. Weighed every bit of 75lbs though. If you switch as many of your lights as you can over to L.E.D.s you will go a long ways towards saving battery. I have L.E.D. docking lights, anchor light, and bimini lights and run the bimini lights almost all night without draining my lighting battery. It's a very good idea to have that second battery aboard fr the extras. Just don't neglect to have a set of jumper cables aboard too, just in case.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: What type of extra battery do I need?

A deep cycle will do just fine. Depending on how much your going to run will determine what size you will need their is a group 24,27,29 and a 31.each has more power.