Best Battery for my Buck?

[JL8Jeff]

Depending on the size you need and assuming deep cycle, I grabbed the AutoCraft 24DC-1 at Advance Auto last year. Mine is 685 CA, 550 CCA and 140 minute reserve but the newer ones look a little lower. I also like to go for the most cranking amps in the size that will fit. They give 20% off coupons all the time so the $85 price drops down below $70. Here's a link:

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/autocraft-marine-and-rv-12-volt-deep-cycle-battery-group-size-24m-550-cca-24dc-1/2080060-P?krypto=hbMc%2FQYop0YdBphavOoiDEQb6uOB5Qh0%2B40QFJ%2BYewy%2FrxjSdmpJ6fkeUvzLeeUIMnidet80HtyRLVLMrL4%2FIdplBr2ZqpzhdzJ9bqHsGWQZFgUVJspYik0rA2VzjPoLvUAvV7FnSoad9phAEv%2FP5aqtgCtmsbzb5RNTtha78EiFROfU%2FaIyODNuOJiHbiR5SOjd%2FIxZrXS2PemT1P9St95x5mFFgfMvB5xwCU3TrN05CJWSYAo3sxgW1OtF%2BovMJnfcZjVCJUQ1tvBeAcrW%2BXVIDIoENRt29y7aPITyfRGZ8pgDx2HPbBG%2FiogpFrUCx%2BNZpWBHkuiF5D3UhF%2FrXQ%3D%3D

 

[moecarama]

The Evermaxx is good a good battery get yourself a 29-31 series with 195-205 RC and enjoy fishing. Academy Sports has Exide and Sam's Club has Duracell all of these are great!

 

[bcbouy]

high cca is useless for an electric trolling motor.op, take a few mins. and research the difference between deep cycle,marine and starting batteries.look at the difference between flooded,gel and agm.if you only spend a couple hrs. out on a little pond then you probably don't need to spend much $.if you're like me and head out for several days to several weeks boondocking and fishing with just a 120 watt solar panel and your outboard to recharge,then you will need to go big and spend the $ for a fast charge agm deep cycle,probably in parallel.that's where quality and high amp hours make all the difference.my last pair were 7 years old before they were replaced.and that was several hundred discharges.to put it another way,your t/m will draw 4 amps on low and probably close to 40 on high power.you may get an hour out of a regular starting battery at full power and if you completely discharge it you will be able to count the # of times you can recharge it before its junk on one hand.

 

[beetlespin]

I only use Blue Top Optima's. No water to fill, no crud on the terminals and vibration resistant.

Usually get 5+ years out of a set for my 24 volt trolling motor. Use them all day and still have full power.

You get what you pay for. I've been down the Wally World road already, no thanks. My last boat had a battery issue and they spewed acid on the floor. You know what acid does to aluminum?

 

[handyandy]

The everstart max batteries are actually pretty good johnson controls manufacturers them and brands them as everstart. I have good luck with interstate that's what I'm running now tried an exide from rural king cause it was cheap like 65 buck for a group 27 it only lasted 2 years before it wouldn't hold a charge well. When I got my boat it had an interstate don't know how old it was it lasted three years and I don't know how long before I had it. So I went back to interstate buddy runs a car dealership and got me one at his cost which was 75 bucks. The duracell branded sams club batteries are also actually pretty good I believe johnson controls makes them as well. Johnson controls manufacturers interstate batteries as well, so wal mart everstart maxx or interstate either one your buying almost identical batteries. Also east penn who makes deka batteries which are good batteries, they also manufacturer duracell batteries which are sold at sams club. I know a few guys with them in their cars that have had good things to say about the east penn duracell batteries they got from sams club. Optima's are great, but unless someone wants to cut me the check to buy one I'm sticking with a quality group 27 lead acid had plenty last a long time, and the I've never had an issue with it lasting long enough with my 55lb trolling motor and still having enough to crank my engine.

 

[thedude]

The everstart max batteries are actually pretty good johnson controls manufacturers them and brands them as everstart. I have good luck with interstate that's what I'm running now tried an exide from rural king cause it was cheap like 65 buck for a group 27 it only lasted 2 years before it wouldn't hold a charge well. When I got my boat it had an interstate don't know how old it was it lasted three years and I don't know how long before I had it. So I went back to interstate buddy runs a car dealership and got me one at his cost which was 75 bucks. The duracell branded sams club batteries are also actually pretty good I believe johnson controls makes them as well. Johnson controls manufacturers interstate batteries as well, so wal mart everstart maxx or interstate either one your buying almost identical batteries. Also east penn who makes deka batteries which are good batteries, they also manufacturer duracell batteries which are sold at sams club. I know a few guys with them in their cars that have had good things to say about the east penn duracell batteries they got from sams club. Optima's are great, but unless someone wants to cut me the check to buy one I'm sticking with a quality group 27 lead acid had plenty last a long time, and the I've never had an issue with it lasting long enough with my 55lb trolling motor and still having enough to crank my engine.

Are you running only one battery? What size outboard? I was still planning on a separate cranking battery. I found Duracell makes a dual purpose one that has great reviews.

https://www.batteriesplus.com/battery/marine-and-boat/dual-purpose-(starting_cycling)/bci-group-27m/sli27mdp

 

[Hanr3]

I have two group 31 Duracell Deep Cycle batteries I use for my trolling motor. Love them. Thinking I need to replace my starting battery this year and will replace it with the Duracell.

 

[KMixson]

I only use Blue Top Optima's. No water to fill, no crud on the terminals and vibration resistant.

Usually get 5+ years out of a set for my 24 volt trolling motor. Use them all day and still have full power.

You get what you pay for. I've been down the Wally World road already, no thanks. My last boat had a battery issue and they spewed acid on the floor. You know what acid does to aluminum?

You can even mount the Optima's upside down if you wish. They are a fantastic battery. That would be my choice. I have them in all my vehicles. A bit pricey, but worth it in my opinion.

 

[Jake2250]

The plan for the rebuild will include a complete re wire and design. I used to run one Group 31 Everstart from WM. Has been a good battery four years old now. I keep it in a Minkota trolling motor power center box, it has two 12v plug ins and trolling motor studs. I can run the out board starting and trolling motor plus I wired plugs on both of my fish finders and running lights.
This system works Ok, only a couple if times I have drawn the battery down to a questionable level with the trolling motor.
New plan will be a two maybe three battery system.
Had to replace wifes car battery due to age (group 24). Tried that on the Out board only and it starts just fine.
So I will get a new WM Group 24 as a stand alone out board starting battery.
Then relocate the trolling motor battery to a compartment up in the bow. I plan to use this as a stand alone trolling motor battery.
For the fish finders I got the idea of smaller 12v 8AH batteries in water proof containers located near the FF or mounted under the steer console.
Note: My boat is stored in my driveway so I remove anything and everything that can be stolen! So all of this needs to be installed and removed before I go out and when I get back. Not a deal breaker for me as I am used to this practice!
I have found good battery pricing at WM and the four batteries I have used for my boat and RV in the past have been reliable and have lasted any where from five to seven years so they are good in my book.
My RV camping trailer came with two group 27 Interstate batteries,, fairly new, one died a sudden death on a camping trip and I had to drive 30 miles to the closest WM and purchase a new grp 27 Everstart.
Replaced that system a year later with two 6V golf cart batteries and 200 watts of solar.
That group 27 went over to the boat and did its job for five years! From there I upgraded to the trolling motor box and a Group 31 that is now 4 years old and will be turning 5 this July! Still going strong!

 

[New River Rat]

I've asked this question before, and received some answers and I wrote them down and then lost them this winter #-o I bought a new 50 lb. Minn Kota last year, my only battery is for my old 30 lb. motor, and the 50 only lasted maybe 1 1/2- 2 hours on this old battery. I need a new, longest lasting, best battery for my buck for my 50 lb. Minn Kota this spring. Thanks! D. 8)

I may not have your solution, but it sure helped mine. I have a MK 55 Endura that has been modded to be what it should have been from the factory. I fish almost exclusively the on New River and deal with varying currents every trip out, not to mention a wind that always blows upstream. My solution was to double my batteries to extend my trolling motor's time on the water. Two 29 series batteries wired in parallel did the trick. Not wired in series, but parallel.

 

[JL8Jeff]

high cca is useless for an electric trolling motor.

This is true but the high cranking amps sure helps when you're cranking over a 10:1 compression Chevy 350! :mrgreen: In my 30 years of boating, I've never had a trolling motor on any of my boats, I just paddle if I don't want to fire it up. But I'm only floating down the Delaware River and not on a lake or pond. This is a good example of why you need to really look at the overall picture of how you will be using your boat. Does it have ptt, do you have a trolling motor, do you run a livewell, do you have serious lighting, will a band be performing a concert on your boat? :wink: We all use boats differently so planning it out will help determine what parts will work best and it will help you get the best advice and real world experience from others.