Battery help

[Saxe Point]

My Walmart marine battery died at 2 years and 4 months [the Canadian Tire Energizer power pack saved us and got us going]. Two questions:

1. Is that about normal for battery life? It's the only battery I have in the boat. No electric downriggers, just a VHF, fishfinder and GPS.

2. Any recommendations on a replacement? Should I just go with a starting battery or a "dual purpose" starting/deep cycle? Any brand better than another?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Foxsea]

My Walmart marine battery died at 2 years and 4 months [the Canadian Tire Energizer power pack saved us and got us going]. Two questions: 1. Is that about normal for battery life? It's the only battery I have in the boat. No electric downriggers, just a VHF, fishfinder and GPS.
2. Any recommendations on a replacement? Should I just go with a starting battery or a "dual purpose" starting/deep cycle? Any brand better than another?
Thanks in advance.

We had a good discussion on batteries not too long ago that may answer your questions:http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum/showthread.php?18567-need-new-battery&highlight=batteries

My batteries usually last ~ 5 years. Kirkland (Costco) as good as any and best warranty. I use 2- one for starting and one deep cycle for house loads.
Are you maintaining the battery over the winter? I'd suggest that you install two batteries in any case, with a switch or management system. All the nav and com equipment and the bilge pumps need power - it's a safety consideration.

 

[adrianna3]

I got 9 years out of a Mastercraft battery. I was very diligent in maintaining it though. I have one Mastercraft and one of those green ones that are popular right now ( sorry, brain fart, can't remember the name). I alternate each trip out, and maintain regularly. Both are deep cycles.

Dave

 

[profisher]

I would think 5 years would be the average life to expect. Many will last longer a few years longer. I usually swap mine out at 5 years whether they fail or not. I don't need a dead battery surprise at 5am with people arriving for a long awaited for fishing trip.

 

[beemer]

My Walmart marine battery died at 2 years and 4 months [the Canadian Tire Energizer power pack saved us and got us going]. Two questions:

1. Is that about normal for battery life? It's the only battery I have in the boat. No electric downriggers, just a VHF, fishfinder and GPS.

2. Any recommendations on a replacement? Should I just go with a starting battery or a "dual purpose" starting/deep cycle? Any brand better than another?

Thanks in advance.

Seems like a short life to me. I personally would bring it back and ask for a replacement. Crappy Tire is giving a 7 year warranty on their house batteries, I am sure that these would have a similar one.

beemer

 

[Charlie]

My Walmart marine battery died at 2 years and 4 months [the Canadian Tire Energizer power pack saved us and got us going]. Two questions:

1. Is that about normal for battery life? It's the only battery I have in the boat. No electric downriggers, just a VHF, fishfinder and GPS.

You get/got what you pay for! If you got 2 years 4 months out of a battery that designed to last a year and had a one-year warranty – I would say you did good! If you got 2 years 4 months out of a battery that was designed to and had a three-year warranty – I would say you did bad!

2. Any recommendations on a replacement? Should I just go with a starting battery or a "dual purpose" starting/deep cycle? Any brand better than another?

Thanks in advance.

Buy from Wal-Mart, Interstate, and most of Sears if you look closely somewhere on the battery, it will probably say "dist. by Johnson Controls Group Inc." Take a closer look at Sears ‘Die Hard Platinum’! It will probably say “dist. By EnerSys” (aka Odyssey) and take a VERY CLOSE look at those two batteries, which btw... I would recommend to those who actually need a deep cycle (e.g. those electric downriggers running on those "kickers")!

DieHard Platinum Marine Battery - Group Size 34M (Price with Exchange)
Sold by Sears | Sears Item# 02850134000 | Model# PM-2
This product is available through a Sears distributor. To purchase this product please visit our International Distributors page
Reg Price: $219.99
Savings: $22.00
$197.99

Product Description
THE MOST POWERFUL AND RELIABLE DIEHARD PLATINUM MARINE BATTERY EVER!
3-year FREE Replacement Limited Warranty
880 Cold Cranking Amps – Provides power for RVs, trolling motors, marine accessories, and starting needs in all weather conditions, due to the use of 99.99% pure virgin lead plates and tin-coated brass terminals
135 Minutes of reserve capacity - Ideal for multiple electronic accessories.
Deep discharge recovery – Ideal for marine & deep cycle applications
Combination stud/post terminal design – for multiple connections
Longer off-season storage time – Ideal for boats
AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) construction - Provides mounting flexibility & guarantees longer service life
Worry and maintenance-free operation - High purity grade acid held safely in place by glass mats makes a non-spillable design that gives mounting flexibility
Military-grade construction & proven vibration resistance – Offers superior vibration resistance

Now, right on the same website, Sears has this advertised:

Odyssey Odyssey 34M-PC1500ST TROLLING Thunder Marine Dual Purpose Battery
Item# SPM6145168607 | Model# 34MPC1500ST-92595
$674.15
Additional $89 savings
Applied at cart

Go to the Odyssey website and you will see these Specifications:
Pulse (5-second) Hot Cranking Amps (PHCA) 1500
Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) 850
20Hr Nominal Capacity (Ah) 68
Reserve Capacity Minutes 135
Dimensions L x W x H (in) 10.85x6.76x7.82 Metric L x W x H (mm) 275.6x171.7x198.6
Weight (lbs) 49.5 Weight (kg) 22.4

ODYSSEY Marine Battery Model 34M-PC1500ST-M
(Group 34 with tin-plated SAE posts, 3/8 inch positive and 5/16 inch negative thread SS stud terminals)

Like an athlete that is both a sprinter and a long distance runner, the ODYSSEY Trolling Thunder/Marine Dual Purpose battery has both massive starting power and amazing deep cycling capability — up to 400 cycles at 80% depth of discharge. With twice the overall power and three times the life of conventional marine batteries, the ODYSSEY battery is ideal for trolling, starting, and for powering the many on-board electronic accessories common in today’s boats and recreational vehicles

They look the same, smell the same, because they ARE the same battery; made by the same company! Better yet, you can pay that $674.15, with the additional $89 savings applied at cart; or just buy it directly from the manufacturer (cheaper if you look around) for:
34M-PC1500ST-M
USD$ 348.80
Item is available.
Item # 0785-2050C0N0
http://shop.odysseybattery.com/prod...785-2050C0N0/7457.0.1.1.126.8430.0.0.0?pp=12&


In the end - All batteries are NOT created equal! Each is made per the requested specifications, and they sure in the hell are not priced the same, so know what you are getting and paying for!
http://www.odysseybattery.com/marine.html
http://www.trojanbattery.com/Products/Marine-RV.aspx
http://www.enersys.com/
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02850134000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

The GPS, Fishfinder will use a couple of AMPS, the VHF radio will use somewhere between 1.2 AMPS while just on and 5 AMPS while transmitting, so if trolling on the main, you really don’t need a deep cycle – just get a good marine battery.

I run with battery banks, as I overnight and run all sorts of goodies off my batteries draining them. Unless, you are going on extended trips and using that battery power reserve… The “MAIN” purpose (and only purpose) of running two batteries is to have a back-up battery, in case of a battery failure. You are running with a “power pack” which is accomplishing the same thing. IMHO – that is the correct thing you should be doing and you do NOT need the additional weight of any additional battery!

 

[Saxe Point]

Thanks to all. Charlie, I troll off a kicker that charges the battery.

 

[Charlie]

You are only using 2 (7 AMPS only while actually talking on the VHF) per hour. The kicker charging system will put that back. As you are not constantly draining the battery, you really don't need a deep cycle. Just spend a little extra money and buy a good marine battery, with a good warranty. FYI... a good battery should last 5-6 years or more. You can spend a lot of money and buy batteries that will last 10-15 years (e.g. I just replaced two (in a bank) of three 'Trojans' which I used very hard with constant draining and they lasted about 8 years. The third one (just the port start) is still going strong. The reason the two went bad was due to an "over-charge" aka - my stupid mistake!

 

[spring time]

I got a battery maintainer as it charges until full then it stops them when it need a charge again it charges great idea

 

[Saxe Point]

Things are little more complicated. Took the battery to Walmart to see what could be done from a warranty perspective. They put it on a battery tester/analyzer. Turns out it was not dead, but without enough cranking amps to start the battery. That is why my electronics worked and I could tilt the motor. But I could not start it. Next question is, why did do that? How does one test whether the alternator in their motor is working? (They are charging the battery up for me.)

 

[CIVANO]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzz7P3qNHcE

 

[combover]

what type of motor is it?
could be the starter needs attention, drawing more power is a common problem with fatigued starters.(clamp on amp meter would show amp load to crank service manual would show acceptable limits)
to test the charing system you can use a clamp on amp meter on the positive cable or simply start the motor and put a volt on the terminals and watch for increase in voltage this might take a few minutes but if it goes up it working. other than that use the service manual to check the charing components.
alot of motors charging systems and tach are connected if the tach works the charging system is fine.(tach uses alternator/stator pulses for signal)

 

[Saxe Point]

It's a 1998 90 hp Johnson 2 stroke. It can be a bit of a bear to start.

 

[combover]

pretty sure that motor uses the stator pulse as a tach signal. is the tach working?

slow cranking or not cranking could be as simple as dirty connections on the motor or battery check and clean both positive and ground connections.these motors use a rectifier/regulator if the battery was hooked up wrong even for a second it fries the rectifier but the tach wouldn't work.
i've seen corrosion creep into the actual wires as well check the condition of both battery cables for cracks and a "crunchy" feel could mean the cables are corroded they should be fairly soft to bend.the starter may be the fault but i would check these other possibilities first especially the condition if the connections on the motor and battery clean the terminals/ connection points and connectors with some sand paper and see if there is improvement.

 

[Saxe Point]

pretty sure that motor uses the stator pulse as a tach signal. is the tach working?

slow cranking or not cranking could be as simple as dirty connections on the motor or battery check and clean both positive and ground connections.these motors use a rectifier/regulator if the battery was hooked up wrong even for a second it fries the rectifier but the tach wouldn't work.
i've seen corrosion creep into the actual wires as well check the condition of both battery cables for cracks and a "crunchy" feel could mean the cables are corroded they should be fairly soft to bend.the starter may be the fault but i would check these other possibilities first especially the condition if the connections on the motor and battery clean the terminals/ connection points and connectors with some sand paper and see if there is improvement.

Thanks! You must be a mechanic! You're helping me diagnose this online!

Tach works fine. I'm getting the battery back (charged) tomorrow. I'll let you know what my tests reveal.

 

[Saxe Point]

Here's the update. WalMart charged up my battery. Cleaned up all connections to the battery, hooked everything up and headed out today. My Lowrance fish-finder can show volts, so I set it up to do so. Motor started great of course, with a newly charged battery. Running the 90 main it would jump up from 12.4 (not running) to 12.6-12.8. Running my kicker (Yamaha 8 four stoke HT) it showed the same but then really slowly crept up to 13.4 volts. I'm not sure if this means anything. Does this mean both the main motor & kicker alternators are working?

 

[profisher]

Yes it is charging.

 

[Hook'Em Hard]

If your boat has been sitting for most of the winter and you did not charge your bettery up before your trip then the problem was probably the battery sat and lost most of it's charge. Been there done that.

It's always a good idea to charge your battery up before you take your boat out if you have not used it in awhile - especially over the winter when it is cold out. Some guys pull their batteries out of the boat and bring them inside and put them on a battery tender over winter. I don't go that far but I do give it a charge if it has been sitting for a couple of months.

 

[tedgeller]

The voltage regulater maybe faulty on main motor. It should charge close to 14 volts. Once charged on kicker. Does voltage drop while running on main? If it drops to 12.6-8 that is not enough!
Ted

 

[Saxe Point]

The voltage regulater maybe faulty on main motor. It should charge close to 14 volts. Once charged on kicker. Does voltage drop while running on main? If it drops to 12.6-8 that is not enough!
Ted

It does drop from 13.1-13.4 when the kicker is running to 12.6-12.8 when the main is running. Is that a tough/expensive fix?