Can't fish long enough Help please

[bigascanbe]

Here is the story. Saturday the wind was bad real bad so i used Level 3, 4, 5 on my trolling motor. I was only able to fish 2.5 to 3 hours before my fish finder said low voltage. Not to long after that i was loosing juice fast. I went and bought a brand new deep cycle battery. So i am pumped charged it over night full charge this morning. The wind was not as bad today I was able to use level 1,2,3 and the occasional 4,5. I was only able to fish 5 hours before i got the low voltage. I am so confused. help a buddy out.
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["G"]

What size deep cycle battery did you buy? I use a 125 amp deep cycle battery with my 40 lb. trolling motor on my 18 and a half foot bass boat and I can fish all day long. I also have a fishfinder and a electric anchor connected to this battery....no problems.

[azslabber]

My Minn Kota 55 Edge will only run my 17' deep V for about 5.5 hours on the battery.1,2,3 will last all day.but 4,5 sucks out the juice.

[Jig'r]

I parallel 2 batteries onwindy days(got 3..1 for starting) go ahead and get another batt. and 2 heavy cables

[skeetbum]

If you have an older trolling motor without the newer circuitry you are getting what you will get. Jig'r hit the nail on the head. Buy another identical battery and tie them parallel and you will never again run out of juice. Worked excellent for me with my previous boat. Might be a few bucks you didn't want to spend but it will solve the problem.

[Eager Beaver]

If the battery you got was a new battery than you need to charge it for a least a full 24 hours or more before using it the first time. It may have said it was a full charge but that was probably on the low side of full charge. Charge it for at least a full 24 hours before you use it again. It also depends on the size of battery that you bought. Maybe that is all the hours you can get out of it. EB

[Fishtaco]

Check all your connections for signs of corrosion. I can run my trolling motor on all settings all day on my 14' boat with a series 31 battery. By all day, I mean 6-8 hours.

[bigascanbe]

If i am going to hook in parallel do i need heavy guage wire going from battery 1 to battery 2?

[poppop]

Just one of the 6 to 8 ga lawn mower battery cables from Wal-mart..with terminals on both ends is all I used bigscanbe...

[greenchicken]

If i am going to hook in parallel do i need heavy guage wire going from battery 1 to battery 2?

They have those cables that fit right on the wingnuts on your battery
red to red/black to back = 12 volts
red to black/red to black = 24 volts
Deep Cycle Battery FAQ