Battery question for you trollers

[M R Dux]

My wife and I are fishing a small tournament Saturday from 7-2. I plan on pulling cranks all day. My question: I'm currently using 2 Series 29 Wal Mart deep cycle batteries on my Terrova 80 and have not been running them down in 5+ hours of pulling at 1.7-2.0. I have an extra pair of deep cycle batteries that I'm putting in the boat as back-ups. I have wiring to run both sets of batteries in parallel. Would I be better off to go ahead from the start and run them parallel or wait to see if I should see my main batteries start to fade before hooking the back-up set up?

[wilbur]

Thats a toss up Doug. If you run out you can always use main motor. This way you dont have to carry extra bats and worry about charging later.

[Rees Guide]

If it were me I would go ahead and put them in parralel, you wont have to worry about them then and worry about catching fish during the tourney. Tourney day needs so be simple, enuff will happen without stacking on another possibility. Good luck to yall!!!!

[M R Dux]

Thats a toss up Doug. If you run out you can always use main motor. This way you dont have to carry extra bats and worry about charging later.

Bill, I thought about putting my trolling plate on the Yamaha but my wife has never trolled with the big motor running. I think the batteries are my best option.

[doggone]

you have a given amount of amp hours in each battery. If you run down two and then switch to the fresh two,or run all four should give you the same total amp hours.....or the same amount of trolling time at a given level. And I am pretty sure I'm right on that.

[Toad Frog]

Doug let me know what ya figure out cause I'm gonna put on a extra set when we go to shelbyville in a few weeks,,besides I think pulling cranks with the trolling motor catches more fish,,,I was gonna just put 2 quick disconnects on mine and when one set got weak pop the door open and plug right into the fresh ones,,,good luck,,,,

[dallman]

I'm using 4 in parallel I am good for 8 hours on a much heaver boat or so I think. I would go ahead and put them in parallel and be done with it. If you want to stay with two batteries in the long run I have looked at the 12 volt golf batteries at sam's they are rated at 155 amp hours. for people that run two batteries it is the same as having three batteries. I would imagine it would take care of any future problems.

Don

["G"]

The 80 lb. Terrova is a 24 volt motor.....it takes two 12 volt batteries wired in series to be 24 volts.....4 batteries wired in series is 48 volts so not gonna work....ok..if you wire in parallel no matter how many batterys you get 12 volts so thats not going to work for a 24 volt motor. I think you are confused.....I think your two batteries are wired in series not parallel

[strmwalker]

The 80 lb. Terrova is a 24 volt motor.....it takes two 12 volt batteries wired in series to be 24 volts.....4 batteries wired in series is 48 volts so not gonna work....ok..if you wire in parallel no matter how many batterys you get 12 volts so thats not going to work for a 24 volt motor. I think you are confused.....I think your two batteries are wired in series not parallel

G,
I thinks this is what he has in mind,

[Ranger R61]

I would use 2 batteries at a time. If one set is older or in weaker condition it can put a drain on the better set. I used to run 1 old and 1 new in parallel and did not see much increase in run time from just the 1 new.