Speaking of Batteries

[CrappieLips]

What kind? How old? How much? on your 24volt trolling motors Batteries
I'm running Two Duralast 29 group DCM 210 min. reserve cap. Batt.$69.00ea
For 4 years now. But it's about time to replace them Has anybody gotton better perforfance for a better price or should i go buy the same

[Moose1am]

Ask me that question in another 4 years and I will tell you if the Blue Top Optimas last for a good 6 years. I am on my second season with my Optima's.

The optima cost me about 200 bucks for the deep cycle and almost that much for the cranking blue top optima.

I am going to have to get 6 years out of them.

What kind? How old? How much? on your 24volt trolling motors Batteries
I'm running Two Duralast 29 group DCM 210 min. reserve cap. Batt.$69.00ea
For 4 years now. But it's about time to replace them Has anybody gotton better perforfance for a better price or should i go buy the same

[CrappiePappy]

but, I have used about five 12V batteries over the life of my current boat ... bought new in 1984. All but one year, I've used a Stowaway Deep Cycle Marine Battery (850 cranking amps/120min reserve cap) ... that one year I had a Die Hard Marine Battery (and it died hard). The other 4 were used for about 5yrs each ... used to start the 50hp or 70hp motors that I've had, run all the electronics & pumps, 27 to 38lb thrust trolling motors, and even some added light systems (blacklights, spotlight, 12V submersibles, etc). I've used a meter to check the charge level, after each use ... then calculated the time to bring the battery back up to full charge (with my 10amp Schumacher charger). I've kept the battery's water level at full, with distilled water (topped off BEFORE recharging). I only used the one battery - because I had to remove it and carry it in, each time I brought the boat "home" (I've lived in apts for most of those 20yrs), to charge it up. And that way I could keep them out of the heat/cold, keep them charged up and cleaned up, check the water levels, and test the cells. For a $70 battery to pull that kind of duty, and still last for that long ... I've got no gripes about them. If you can find those batteries for that price, and get that many years of service ...... well, you do the math ...LOL!! ...luck2ya ...cp

[unknown 5]

I am on my first season with a Optima Blue Top. So far, so good.

[Barnacle Bill]

Ask me that question in another 4 years and I will tell you if the Blue Top Optimas last for a good 6 years. I am on my second season with my Optima's.

The optima cost me about 200 bucks for the deep cycle and almost that much for the cranking blue top optima.

I am going to have to get 6 years out of them.

What size did you get Moose? Like Crappiepappy, I've had good luck with Stowaways but I'm thinking of trying the Optimas. I don't think I can wait 4 more years to see how you do. LOL

[Moose1am]

I get the Optima Model Numbers mixed up. It the smaller of the two deep cycle blue top. D34M 950 or something. Hell let me go out to the boat and look it up to make sure I get this right. I got mine last spring or the spring before that. Will have to check the receipt but it's not easy to find and I am not going to dig in my monthly visa receipts as it would take me a year to find it. LOL I got it at an auto parts store. One of the big national chains. If you get one get the biggest deep cycle that Optima makes. Especially if you use the trolling motor all day long and over 100 days a year.

I fished from Noon today until around 6 pm and I was using the Highest Setting most of the day. I just stuck the battery charger on the battery a few minutes ago.

I might mention that the SAM's Wholesale Warehouse also sells a battery that looks similar to the optima. In that the cells are round cylinders inside the battery box.

Man I got fish to clean and it's raining out side. I fished in the rain off and on all day long today. I don't mind the rain but it's hard to keep my eyeglasses clear. I did find a pocket in my frogg togg top so that was a pleasant surprise.

I am tired as I fought that 15 mph to 25 mph wind all day long.

I found a new line that I like a lot. It's a Berkley Vanish type line and it's very hard to see. I got the 6lb type. I also leaned to tie a dropper loop knot so that my hook will be out away from the main line about 4". I think that helped me catch some fish today that I would not have caught. My jigs didn't do as well as the minnows today.

This line is stronger than my 6lb iron silk line and will pull the#4 hook off the stumps without breaking. I have to watch out as it almost cuts my hand. LOL

Also there was not a lot of memory.

I still have a problem with line wrapping around the tip of my rod. Even with my old cabelas rod (6ft) I have to watch out for the line getting caught on the tip.

What size did you get Moose? Like Crappiepappy, I've had good luck with Stowaways but I'm thinking of trying the Optimas. I don't think I can wait 4 more years to see how you do. LOL

[unknown 5]

I bought my Optima at a place called Battery Specialists. It only cost me around $180. They must have a chain but I don'y know if it is national or not. SC3DM is the part number on my battery, it didn't have a model number. I do know it is the biggest blue top battery Optima makes. So far, I haven't run it completely down yet but I plan on doing alot of fast trolling in the near future. That will put it to the test!