Battery wiring?

[Kylersk]

On my boat, the trolling motor has it's own batteries (24V) and everthing else is run off the starting battery. I assume this is the proper way?

After spending the evening trolling around the lake, listening to talk radio, and having my graph on, I noticed later (after about 3 hours) that my starting battery seemed pretty low. So I fired up my main motor and let it idle for a bit to give it a little more charge.

Is this normal?

Bad Battery?

The starting battery is about 2 years old, while the trolling motor ones are brand new.

Thanks in advance.

[harvey lee]

My first question would be does your main motor has a alternator thats working to charge the motor battery when running? The other things hooked to the main boat battery will run your battery down. Was the battery fully charge before you went out? Have you check the level of fluid in your battery to make sure its full?

if the battery fluid level isnt full then it may be just that. I would check the level of the fluid and if not full, fill it up and fully charge it. Then I would have it tested to see where its at for battery power. At 2 years old, the battery should be good to go yet.

I have the main motor battery hooked up by itself and two other batteries to run the trolling motor and assc.

[Surface Tension]

If your going to run accessories off the boats starting battery then you should go with a deep cycle battery. Even though you have a charging system on the outboard, it isn't enough and you'll also need to charge that battery after a day on the water.

Let me go into that more. Using a deep cycle for your starting battery is the lesser of two evils if your running electronics with a long and slow draw. Using a starting battery for that purpose will shorten the life of that battery much sooner.

If after 3 hours and your noticing a low battery. Then your either not charging it after each use of the battery is on its way out. When its time to replace it get a deep cycle.

[Kylersk]

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If after 3 hours and your noticing a low battery. Then your either not charging it after each use of the battery is on its way out. When its time to replace it get a deep cycle.

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Yeah, I wasnt charging the starting battery at all. I figured my main motor (115 merc opti) would do all the charging. It's now on the charger....

How many hours should I be able to run accessories on my boat? I'd hate to spend the day in a spot, then come time to leave, have a dead battery and unable to start my motor.

[wplatehunter]

I just put a new 24volt trolling motor on my boat and bought another battery to run my accessories off of. I now have four batteries in the boat, but I should never have a dead cranking battery after fishing all day. This is one way to avoid that problem. Good Luck.

[PierBridge]

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I assume this is the proper way?

After spending the evening trolling around the lake, listening to talk radio, and having my graph on,

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Not really if want your motor to start, starting battery's are made for starting "cranking amps" not for running stereos, lights and Sonars thats what deep Cycle battery's are for.

[Valv]

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... So I fired up my main motor and let it idle for a bit to give it a little more charge.

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If you let motor idle it won't charge battery much, the alternator (rectifier) on 2 stroke outboards is not same as automotive, you should run motor a little faster to help charging. 4 strokes have standard alternators, and they will charge at idle.

[Kylersk]

Ah, I didnt know that.. Thanks Valv!