One battery or two ???

[ky_madman]

I'm planning my build and cannot decide between one or two batteries. It will be a 12V system with onboard charger. I will run livewell on timer, fishfinder, trolling motor, and lights. Is there any real advantage to two batteries, or should I just stick with one?
Thanks,
Anthony

 

[Waterwings]

I'd go with the 2 batteries for all of that.

I run two batteries myself, although I don't have a livewell timer or lights to worry about. 1 battery is for the front trolling motor. The 2nd battery I use for the rear trolling motor, depth finder, and bilge pump. And as I'm sure you're aware of, be sure and purchase deep cycle batteries.

 

[fishhog]

i have two, 1 for the TM and the other one is charged by the motor so I run the livewell and the lights bildge pump and cooler on it, make sure that you save some power to start the motor.
Other than that your good to go.

Fishhog

 

[kentuckybassman]

Definately 2!!! No question!! I been stranded too many times cuz I only had one battery!!

 

[Jim]

I'm planning my build and cannot decide between one or two batteries. It will be a 12V system with onboard charger. I will run livewell on timer, fishfinder, trolling motor, and lights. Is there any real advantage to two batteries, or should I just stick with one?
Thanks,
Anthony

If your boat can handle the extra weight I would do two batteries!

 

[Popeye]

I would also go with 2 and put the TM on it's own battery. TM's can interfere with the electronics in your fishfinder

 

[Pont]

I would go with two! When I was looking at my stuff for my boat, I was going to put my depth finders on the trolling motor batteries until I heard about all the problems with interference. If you are looking for a combo pack, cabelas AGM has a combo deal for batteries and onboard charger. From what I have seen the AGMs have an extremly good reserve minute capacity. Check out the reviews they have on there site abou them. I bought a combo pack but I can't tell you how good or bad it is yet.

 

[Waterwings]

Noticed a couple of posts above (and at other sites also) mentioning tm's interfering with the depth/fish finders. Currently my rear tm is hooked to the battery that also provides power to the depth finder. The front tm is hooked to the other battery. So far no problems, but the rear tm is only used to get away from the trailer or dock or onto the trailer or up to the dock, but no interference on the depth finder while running the rear tm. My Tracker's depth finders (2) were also hooked to the tm battery and never experienced any problems. Is the solution a third battery just for electronics, or to hook the depth/fish finders to the cranking battery for those that have main motors? :-k

 

[ky_madman]

Okay, so I'll go with two batteries. Because of the interference issues, I should not connect these batteries together? But rather have one to run TM and other to run everything else? Am I reading this correct?

 

[Pont]

bingo!