Battery for 12V 54lb motorguide trolling motor

[Jiggah]

Duracell Ultra BCI Group 31M Deep Cycle Marine & RV Battery - SLI31MDC at Batteries Plus Bulbs

Does anyone have experience with this battery? Richard Gene told me this is a good one. I just got a 54lb thrust trolling motor motorguide to go on the back of my jon boat.

Next I will be searching for a decent fish finder with DI for around $300.

[Jiggah]

The battery has 105ah which I read on the Motorguide PDF is what is needed. The trolling motor is FW-HT model, which I believe is a few years old. It reads that it is 12V, Kwatts 0.34, Kilos 9.40.

They recommend a 50 amp manual reset circuit breaker #MM5870. Do you all run one also or just hook it directly to the battery and go fishing?

I am sorry if some of my questions seem dumb to you all, but this is my first rodeo doing this. I just don't want to run out of juice with my kids on the water.

Another question; do you recommend an on-board portable battery charger I can connect to it to keep it charged up? I have the Battery Tender 800 for home.

[Snubby]

It's a good battery, yes. You will want to install a circuit breaker. You will also want another small designated battery for your fish finder. If your using the trolling motor as the primary means of powering the boat I wouldn't venture out to terribly far until you figure out run time on a full charge. You may possibly need two 12v batteries ran in parallel if you plan on making longer runs from the ramp. Another thing to take into consideration is since you mention kids and I'm talking about more batteries is the total weight capacity for the vessel, you do not want to exceed that.

[Jiggah]

Thanks. The lakes I fish are small. If we break down, they'll come out and get you. I was planning on getting 2 batteries (1 being a back up like a group 29M) in case the Group 31 gets low. I was going to get a small battery for the ff too.

[Jiggah]

I'm curious; why the circuit breaker though? I been out with a few people and they just hooked the TM directly to the battery and we were fine. I'm just curious what this is needed for?

[Snubby]

I'm curious; why the circuit breaker though? I been out with a few people and they just hooked the TM directly to the battery and we were fine. I'm just curious what this is needed for?

It's a safety mechanism just like with all electronics. Protects your motor in case of something happening, you never know you could accidentally manage to arc the the positive and negative terminals accidentally. I have ran a 12 volt TM hooked directly to a battery as well. The breaker is just cheap insurance, if your not worried about possibly messing up the trolling motor then you could chance it.

[Jiggah]

A friend of mine gave me this Motorguide 54lb thrust for free. I am planing on getting the Garmin Striker 5 SV, as I am into DI. I like to see what's under me as I dip trees a lot of fish structure. I don't do too much trolling jigs and minnows. I like to tight line off the side of the boat too. But mainly the trolling motor will be full speed only for about an hour or two just to move me from spot to spot, and then of course on the way back to the ramp. Mostly I'll be still fishing. I don't mind buying a small battery for the fish finder, but I am reading I need a arsonal just to fish LOL. Thank you for your input. I've asked questions before and not really gotten anything back.

[Snubby]

A friend of mine gave me this Motorguide 54lb thrust for free. I am planing on getting the Garmin Striker 5 SV, as I am into DI. I like to see what's under me as I dip trees a lot of fish structure. I don't do too much trolling jigs and minnows. I like to tight line off the side of the boat too. But mainly the trolling motor will be full speed only for about an hour or two just to move me from spot to spot, and then of course on the way back to the ramp. Mostly I'll be still fishing. I don't mind buying a small battery for the fish finder, but I am reading I need a arsonal just to fish LOL. Thank you for your input. I've asked questions before and not really gotten anything back.

Your welcome. And I don't think Garmin has a sv unit in a 5" model. My advice would be looking into a 7" unit that has side image, down image and basic 2d sonar. You could run this unit in split screen and utilize 2 of the 3 options on one unit. Keep an eye out in the classifieds, used smaller units are selling cheap. A lot of folks even unloading 9" Garmin units to upgrade to 12 inch.

[oldgoat188]

Hook it up and go fishing. Your over thinking this. Just fuse the locator

[Jiggah]

Thanks guys! I am an over-thinker for sure! Lol ... I just don't want any problems.

As for this fish finder though, I am looking at this Garmin Striker 5DV. It looks cool. I don't know how to read SV haha.

If you know anyone who is selling one for a good price, let me know please! I am searching refurbished ones too.