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Reply With QuoteI'm not a fan of flooded/wet cell batteries. If you've ever seen what happens when one boils over in a boat due to overcharging or charger malfunction, you will know what I mean. I also don't like having to check electrolyte levels. Where I keep my batts stored under the console, it would be a pain and take a contortionist. I also don't like the acid residue that wet cells put off when charged, which causes corrosion at the connections.
That being said, I have been using the Deka Group 31 AGM batts since 2002 and I'm typically gettin about 8 years of hard service (trolling motor, striper bait tank, etc) out of them. These AGMs can also serve as cranking batteries due to their design. So I now also run one for my cranking and electronics batt too. Last one I bought was $240, but you can find them for less at times.
Onboard chargers are the only way to go as far as I'm concerned. I have 3 onboard chargers wired to a single plug. Makes it very easy to simply plug in an extension cord and charge all the batts whenever I travel. I've had very good service out of Guest battery chargers. But I do NOT leave the chargers continually plugged in. Doing so shortens the life you will get out the chargers since they see every voltage spike/dip the grid throws at them. (Lightening strikes, power outages, etc). I've also had an onboard charger overheat and almost catch fire. You really want to be around to monitor when they are charging in my opinion. I recharge my batts immediately after use, and then top off the charge before the next trip or whenever I'm around to monitor between trips.
Its hard to get a lot of folks to understand, but if you fish a lot, a good set of batteries and chargers will $ave you money in the long run. Hard to make that initial investment, but if you follow proper charging techniques, your cost per year is actually less. And you don't have the hassle of swapping batts out every year or two. That's been my experience anyway.
Tight Lines!
