Everstart MAXX?

[SteveJ]

Anyone using these batteries? I have to use my TM for my crankbait trolling and I have 2 plain Everstarts I got May 05 and after about 2 1/2 or 3 hrs trolling at the 2 top speeds of my 24 volt TM they are down to about .8 mph, much too slow for CB trolling. Don't know how much I will get turn-in at Wal-Mart on them but I guess it is more than just the $7 core price I would get elsewhere. I did a search on one of the bass forums and quite a few were bragging on the MAXX, I'm sure the bassers use up more battery than us normally. Any thoughts?

[fishdoc]

the fastest i troll with my TM is 1.2-1.3mph(gps) but have trolled 12-14 hrs many days and have never noticed any decrease in speed from my OPTIMA batts. and they have lasted more than twice as long as any wet cell i've ever used in the last 35 yrs. i fish 240-250 days a yr. (no, it ain't all trollin! i own 4 anchors)

[BUCKMARK]

I have 2 of the "yellow" Everstart Max Marine batteries from Wal-Mart.

They work just fine and have a decent return policy....I think one year free, and 6 months longer pro-rated.

My cousin has 2 Optima batteries..and I can't say anything bad about them. They work great.

My Wal-Marts cost $60.00 each while his were over $120.00 each.

They better last twice as long as mine

[chaunc]

Where'd he get his? Got mine from sears and paid over $200 for it last fall. If i could find one at that price, i'd get an extra one and use it for my starter and accessory setup. I use the blue top. What's he use?

[FisherMike]

I just called on a new Blue Top Optimax battey for my boat. I checked at Auto Zone. They wanted $200.00 for one. I think that's kind of high though.
Then I called Wally World aka Wal-Mart about the Yellow Maxx deep cycle. $65.00. I own a Maxx now but I need a new battery because of my procrastinating. Forgot to keep an eye on the battery acid and I fried it.
Oh well,,,,,,, it's only money.

[FisherMike]

Check these sites out on the Optimax.


http://www.invertersrus.com/gpl-27t.html

http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com/

Heres some more info on batterys if your interested.

Major Battery Types
Batteries are divided in two ways, by application (what they are used for) and construction (how they are built). The major applications are automotive, marine, and deep-cycle. Deep-cycle includes solar electric (PV), backup power, and RV and boat "house" batteries. The major construction types are flooded (wet), gelled, and AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat). AGM batteries are also sometimes called "starved electrolyte" or "dry", because the fiberglass mat is only 95% saturated with Sulfuric acid and there is no excess liquid.

Flooded may be standard, with removable caps, or the so-called "maintenance free" (that means they are designed to die one week after the warranty runs out). All gelled are sealed and a few are "valve regulated", which means that a tiny valve keeps a slight positive pressure. Nearly all AGM batteries are sealed valve regulated (commonly referred to as "VRLA" - Valve Regulated Lead-Acid). Most valve regulated are under some pressure - 1 to 4 psi at sea level.

Lifespan of Batteries
The lifespan of a battery will vary considerably with how it is used, how it is maintained and charged, temperature, and other factors. In extreme cases, it can vary to extremes - we have seen L-16's killed in less than a year by severe overcharging, and we have a large set of surplus telephone batteries that sees only occasional (5-10 times per year) heavy service that are now over 25 years old. We have seen gelled cells destroyed in one day when overcharged with a large automotive charger. We have seen golf cart batteries destroyed without ever being used in less than a year because they were left sitting in a hot garage without being charged. Even the so-called "dry charged" (where you add acid when you need them) have a shelf life of at most 18 months, as they are not totally dry (actually, a few are, but hard to find, the vast majority are shipped with damp plates).

These are some general (minimum - maximum) typical expectations for batteries if used in deep cycle service:

Starting: 3-12 months
Marine: 1-6 years
Golf cart: 2-6 years
AGM deep cycle: 4-7 years
Gelled deep cycle: 2-5 years
Deep cycle (L-16 type etc): 4-8 years
Rolls-Surrette premium deep cycle: 7-15 years
Industrial deep cycle (Crown and Rolls 4KS series): 10-20+ years
Telephone (float): 1-20 years. These are usually special purpose "float service", but often appear on the surplus market as "deep cycle". They can vary considerably, depending on age, usage, care, and type.
NiFe (alkaline): 3-25 years
NiCad: 1-20 years
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Starting, Marine, and Deep-Cycle Batteries
Starting (sometimes called SLI, for starting, lighting, ignition) batteries are commonly used to start and run engines. Engine starters need a very large starting current for a very short time. Starting batteries have a large number of thin plates for maximum surface area. The plates are composed of a Lead "sponge", similar in appearance to a very fine foam sponge. This gives a very large surface area, but if deep cycled, this sponge will quickly be consumed and fall to the bottom of the cells. Automotive batteries will generally fail after 30-150 deep cycles if deep cycled, while they may last for thousands of cycles in normal starting use (2-5% discharge).

Deep cycle batteries are designed to be discharged down as much as 80% time after time, and have much thicker plates. The major difference between a true deep cycle battery and others is that the plates are SOLID Lead plates - not sponge. Unfortunately, it is often impossible to tell what you are really buying in some of the discount stores or places that specialize in automotive batteries. The popular golf cart battery is generally a "semi" deep cycle - better than any starting battery, better than most marine, but not as good as a true deep cycle solid Lead plate, such the L-16 or industrial type. However, because the golf cart (T-105, US-2200, GC-4 etc) batteries are so common, they are usually quite economical for small to medium systems.

Many (most?) Marine batteries are usually actually a "hybrid", and fall between the starting and deep-cycle batteries, while a few (Rolls-Surrette and Concorde, for example) are true deep cycle. In the hybrid, the plates may be composed of Lead sponge, but it is coarser and heavier than that used in starting batteries. It is often hard to tell what you are getting in a "marine" battery, but most are a hybrid. "Hybrid" types should not be discharged more than 50%. Starting batteries are usually rated at "CCA", or cold cranking amps, or "MCA", Marine cranking amps - the same as "CA". Any battery with the capacity shown in CA or MCA may not be a true deep-cycle battery. It is sometimes hard to tell, as the terms marine and deep cycle are sometimes overused. CA and MCA ratings are at 32 degrees F, while CCA is at zero degree F. Unfortunately, the only positive way to tell with some batteries is to buy one and cut it open - not much of an option.
Using a deep cycle battery as a starting battery
There is generally no problem with this, providing that allowance is made for the lower cranking amps compared to a similar size starting battery. As a general rule, if you are going to use a true deep cycle battery (such as the Concorde) also as a starting battery, it should be oversized about 20% compared to the existing or recommended starting battery group size to get the same cranking amps. That is about the same as replacing a group 24 with a group 31. With modern engines with fuel injection and electronic ignition, it generally takes much less battery power to crank and start them, so raw cranking amps is less important than it used to be. On the other hand, many cars, boats, and RV's are more heavily loaded with power sucking "appliances", such as megawatt stereo systems etc. that are more suited for deep cycle batteries. We have been using the Concorde SunExtender AGM batteries in most of our vehicles for some time now with no problems.

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[SteveJ]

I may have corrected my main battery problem. My boat has a front panel that my TM plugs into and it has a run/charge switch that you could flip to charge both batteries with 1 charger at the front. I removed the switch and wired the plug to run only and where as I was down to .8 mph at 10:00 AM last week today at 10:00 I was still running 1.3 mph. Quit at 10:00 with 7 crappie, largest 1 lb even, and 1 cat, still trying to learn to use those boards. The 2 biggest did come on the boards, I sure have a hard time telling when I have a fish on. A friend has 2 Interstates that check good, going to try them next time. Had some real FUN as I was getting ready to come home, got a hook past the barb in my left pointing finger and my right sleeve at the elbow, had to cut on my finger to get it out after a lot of twisting and turning to cut it loose from my sleeve. Yes, I was alone.

[herb]

Steve, I'm not sure what brand boat you have, but I used to have an Alumacraft Phantom with the that run/charge switch. When set on charge, the front trolling batteries would get a charge from the outboard when running down the lake as well as getting a dual charge when the charger was hooked up at home.

[SteveJ]

Steve, I'm not sure what brand boat you have, but I used to have an Alumacraft Phantom with the that run/charge switch. When set on charge, the front trolling batteries would get a charge from the outboard when running down the lake as well as getting a dual charge when the charger was hooked up at home.

I have an old 1989 Astro bass boat with a 115 Merc. Don't think it would charge off my outboard.