# Maintenace free deep cycle battery



## 0331grunt (Nov 21, 2012)

My wife is getting tired of me comming home with acid holes in my clothes. What is the best Maintenace free deep cycle battery for trolling ?


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## TNtroller (Nov 21, 2012)

Don't know IF there is "a best" maintanence free battery or a BEST (acid filled) battery. Everyone has their opinions based on personal experience as to which is the best. After purchase maintance is the determining factor IMO. I've used walmart batteries for years in my boat, with no issues. The cranking battery was made 5/06, still in the boat and cranks the 60 just fine. The TM battery gets used more, and usually lasts me 3+ years, which I consider normal with the use it gets.

Sounds like you need to change how you handle batteries, mabe use some rags, plastic bags etc., to protect your clothes if have to handle 'em that much. Possibly get a battery box if you have to remove the battery due to personal circumstances, which could protect your clothes to some extent from the acid. Sealed batteries can still develop a leak, or may have some acid residue on the exterior case from production handling.


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## wihil (Nov 27, 2012)

Any AGM battery would be a huge upgrade over a standard wet cell IMO. Pricey, but worth it. Pick your poison, I've got friends that swear by Optima/Interstate/Cabelas/Diehard.


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## PATRIOT2 (Nov 27, 2012)

One's about as good as another . . . I go with the Autozone Dual Purpose deep cycle and the key seems to be keeping it on a float charger ($4.95 Harbor Freight) after the recharge after every use.
P.S.
If you don't do any trolling but just starting and running there is a true LIFETIME battery available from CycleGear. You can return it for a new one, no questions asked, no receipt required. Many sizes available. Maybe you have a store near you. The size pictured will start a 40HP motor at least.


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## nlester (Nov 28, 2012)

Optima has worked well for me. Tough price tag but I would probably do it again. I am not locked into the Optima and will probably shop around next time. In the mean time, I have probably paid for the difference above the price of a wet cell battery by what I have saved in jeans and shirts.

I am on my 6th year for my trolling motor battery. I put it on charge when I get home. My charger cuts off automatically but I usually drop the charging to 2 amps to finish up the charge. I have a float charger but I usually only use it for my fishfinder 7amp battery. I go out often enough that I don't worry about them discharging between uses.


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## russ010 (Nov 28, 2012)

nlester said:


> Optima has worked well for me. Tough price tag but I would probably do it again. I am not locked into the Optima and will probably shop around next time.



I used Optimas for 2 years... I'm not disappointed by them, but I wouldn't run out and buy them again either. I have recently upgraded to Odyssey Trolling Thunder batts, and HOLY SMOKES do they work awesome, but for $300 a pop, they better. I only agreed to pay that price when I saw their warranty - no one else stands behind their battery like they do. 8-10 year run time, with a 3 or 4 year full replacement (not pro-rata)...


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Nov 28, 2012)

Optimas have worked well for me. I did have to take one back after 18 months, it was replaced no questions asked. I mainly use my trolling motor for bowfishing and more so than not I run at least one of my batteries down to zero charge every weekend spring through summer.


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## Bugpac (Nov 28, 2012)

Ill stick to my 50.00 agm ups batteries, never liked optima never will, would buy new ups batteries first.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Nov 29, 2012)

Not sure how you can not care for a proven battery....maybe not the price. 

I'm especially hard on batteries. It's nothing for me to run 2 fully charged batteries to zero charge in a day during the spring and summer and do it at least once or twice a week at minimum. Some weeks 3 or 4 times. My experience is cheaper batteries do not hold up long doing that.

For normal wear and tear, you don't need a high dollar battery.


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## Charger25 (Dec 1, 2012)

What ever battery you get I highly recommend what PATROIT2 stated about the float charger. It will make your battery last much longer. Years ago I had a solar charger that did the same thing. After using the TM I'd top off the battery on a charger,then hook up the panel. I kept the battery inside the shed and the panel hung on the outside on the north wall. whenever I needed it I "knew" that it was topped off and ready whenever I was. Just my 2 cents.


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## Bugpac (Dec 1, 2012)

Running them dead is what hurts them the most, every time you cycle a battery to less than 40 percent your doing damage.


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## cva34 (Dec 8, 2012)

I am fan of Maintence free /AGM batterys...Pricey but they repay you in reliability/not corrodeing up Battery connections/or compartments there in and if turned over still work and do not make mess. Optima blue and Die Hard marine Platinum(best warrenty) have been good to me...cva34


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## xbacksideslider (Dec 11, 2012)

Bugpac said:


> Running them dead is what hurts them the most, every time you cycle a battery to less than 40 percent your doing damage.



Ditto that. IMO, a good reason to go 24 volt, less likely to pull them down that far.


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## nlester (Dec 11, 2012)

What do you call dead? Before I got my outboard for longer trips, I have pulled a battery way down using the trolling motor but even when the motor is barely pushing the boat, the battery was still above 10 volts. It is not like hooking a light bulb upto the battery so that you pull it down to nothing. I am going into my 4th year on that battery. I charge it when I get home and keep it that way, I think that is the most important thing you can do for the battery.


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## Bugpac (Dec 12, 2012)

Every time a battery cycles over 40 percent discharge it does damage, less you go to dead, less damage, longer life.


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## Bugpac (Dec 12, 2012)

10.5 is 0 percent charge, 12.2 is around 50 percent, 12.7-9 is 100 percent.


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