Bass Boat Starting Battery

[CarlWBL]

Quick question...

My dad recently boat a used bass boat. The cranking battery is not holding a charge as it is 8 years old. Should he replace it with a cranking battery or a Deep cycle marine battery? It will be starting a 150 yamaha and running 2 sonar units.

Thanks!

Carl

[Craigums]

I thought thats what cranking batteries were for, starting up the engine

[olski]

Cranking or duel purpose.

[Cecil]

I would do cranking and move the locators to another battery.

[mamohr686]

If you have an onboard charger for your cranking battery, then a dual purpose like the Interstate 27MXHD will work fine. It has major cranking power and more reserve than most deep cycle batteries. Last time I checked they ran about $90. It's still a little risky if you have some high powered sonar/gps units and you don't do a lot of running with your outboard. Your electronics and livewell pumps can take a surprising drain on a battery.

If you have room for an extra battery for electronics, that is the way to go. You will eliminate any potential for interference in your depthfinder. If you forget to leave on the depthfinder, you can still start your outboard with the seperate battery. The downside is the space, and you must have at least a 3 bank charger for your TM batteries and depthfinder battery.

[Wayne Ek]

Mamohr, I thought you were down in Texas this week... Back to the post. I just had an additional cranking batter put in my Ranger, so now I have 5 batterys in the rig. Running graphs and pumps all day without running had me jumping the battery last year. I'm currently running a 4-bank charger and the guys at Central Marine feel that by charging just one of the cranking batteries and then having the main engine charge the other I should be just fine... if not a will need a new 1-bank charger.

[Juan Grande]

I agree with Cecil. Move the sonars to the deep cycles. My sonar was rigged to the starter battery when I bought the boat and it would draw the juice way down if I was using the troller and didn't start the outboard much.