Trolling motor

You know the drill..

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parker23
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:41 pm
Location: Longneck, Delaware

Trolling motor

#1 Post by parker23 » Tue Jan 08, 2019 8:51 am

I have a 22 foot 2 pontoon pontoon boat looking for some advice on a saltwater trolling motor
1996 180CC off shore 125 Force [sold]
2000 1801CC Parker 115 yamaha [sold]
2008 2320SL Parker sport cabin 250 yamaha four stroke [sold]
2018 22ft Aurora Manitou 115 E-tec

riplipper
Posts: 280
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 8:00 am
Location: St Augustine, Florida

Re: Trolling motor

#2 Post by riplipper » Tue Jan 08, 2019 5:05 pm

You will want an 80 lb 24 volt at minimum...you really should not need more than that unless you fish rivers with a lot of current.
Brand is up to where you can get the best service if needed. Motor guide, Minn Kota and Rhodan are the three big names out there.
Features and benefits are up to you and your budget.
I am the guy at the boat ramp that gives you dirty looks when you are a complete idiot and too stupid to know it.

Oldchuck
Posts: 72
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2018 10:19 am
Location: Central Florida

Re: Trolling motor

#3 Post by Oldchuck » Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:00 am

Riplipper is correct in looking at a 24 volt system.
It will require two 12 volt batteries however your range will be almost doubled. Yes, one 12 volt battery will power the 80 lb trolling motor but it will eat up your battery fairly quickly especially if you are over 50% power which you will need in any current or wind..
There is a lot on line about how much voltage a given motor uses and the time expected from different battery pack.
There is also on various forums about the different brand motors..But, like outboards, service like Riplipper stated is a major consideration.
For me, a 24 volt system would be a no brainer unless the operation expected in less than a couple of hours without charge.

boocat
Posts: 269
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 8:09 am
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Trolling motor

#4 Post by boocat » Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:07 am

Maybe not keeping in the spirit of the thread but I've never heard of an 80lb 12 volt trolling motor. I think about 55lb is as high as you can go on 12 volt. As far as the original question. Yeah, I think 80lb would do well , maybe not so much in high wind but then who's out there anyway? A 68 lb does great on my 18ft with group 27 batteries.

Oldchuck
Posts: 72
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2018 10:19 am
Location: Central Florida

Re: Trolling motor

#5 Post by Oldchuck » Wed Jan 09, 2019 3:51 pm

Bobcat,
I believe you are indeed correct. Would not be much sense in operating a 80 lb on a 12 volt system and do not believe any maker makes it. I was just thinking about power drain and was not thinking i through. Some folks may look at lesser power 12 volt systems on a pontoon to save a few bucks and was thinking an 80 was an excellent choice.
i guess I was thinking the OP may be looking at all types of motors and possibly looking at something like a 55 and trying to point him into what Riplipper suggested.
Again, you are Correct..

boocat
Posts: 269
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 8:09 am
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Trolling motor

#6 Post by boocat » Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:24 pm

yeah, 55 no bueno

parker23
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:41 pm
Location: Longneck, Delaware

Re: Trolling motor

#7 Post by parker23 » Thu Jan 10, 2019 5:38 am

I think I'm going to go with the Minn Kota trolling motor 80 lb thrust 24 volt saltwater now I'm looking into batteries with a hundred plus amp hours
1996 180CC off shore 125 Force [sold]
2000 1801CC Parker 115 yamaha [sold]
2008 2320SL Parker sport cabin 250 yamaha four stroke [sold]
2018 22ft Aurora Manitou 115 E-tec

boocat
Posts: 269
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 8:09 am
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Trolling motor

#8 Post by boocat » Thu Jan 10, 2019 6:33 pm

maybe group 29? I'm good with group 27 lead/acid,, Optima too rich for me.

boocat
Posts: 269
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 8:09 am
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Trolling motor

#9 Post by boocat » Fri Jan 11, 2019 4:31 am

Might as well start looking at chargers too. I went with 2 onboard chargers instead of one big one for my 3 batteries.. It just seemed to be easier than trying to find one big space for one big charger given my limited storage.

Oldchuck
Posts: 72
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2018 10:19 am
Location: Central Florida

Re: Trolling motor

#10 Post by Oldchuck » Fri Jan 11, 2019 6:17 am

I agree with Bobcat in that an on board charger is very beneficial. That was one of my favorite options for my boat. Just come back into the slip and plug her in and all my batteries are always at 100%. I have one that will charge 4 batteries but as Bobcat said it is twice the weight.
Getting good batteries can pay for themselves over the years especially if they are good dedicated deep cycle batteries. I have group 29 and 30 but that is personal choice. However good batteries are not cheap but if you do the research you get what you pay for most of the time..

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Marc K
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Location: Eustace, TX

Re: Trolling motor

#11 Post by Marc K » Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:46 am

boocat wrote:
Fri Jan 11, 2019 4:31 am
Might as well start looking at chargers too. I went with 2 onboard chargers instead of one big one for my 3 batteries.. It just seemed to be easier than trying to find one big space for one big charger given my limited storage.
And it offers some redundancy too. Lose one charger, you can jumper to the other batteries until you get a new one. Using two chargers can also be an advantage if a person wants to use two different kinds of batteries at some point.

Marc
Big and ugly but we love our 1999/2000 Crest II DL with a Yamaha F115

parker23
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:41 pm
Location: Longneck, Delaware

Re: Trolling motor

#12 Post by parker23 » Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:55 am

I can't charge my batteries on the boat I was told that the corrosion and the electrifying of the metal with a pontoon boat that I need to take the batteries off the boat to charge them there's no electric at my boat slip anyways I'm going to put the system where it'll be easy to take the batteries out as far as the battery I don't know what a group 29 and 30 is but I was told that I needed to have at least 105 amp hours and a deep cycle battery for this system to work for what I need
1996 180CC off shore 125 Force [sold]
2000 1801CC Parker 115 yamaha [sold]
2008 2320SL Parker sport cabin 250 yamaha four stroke [sold]
2018 22ft Aurora Manitou 115 E-tec

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Marc K
Posts: 743
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:35 am
Location: Eustace, TX

Re: Trolling motor

#13 Post by Marc K » Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:31 am

boocat wrote:
Thu Jan 10, 2019 6:33 pm
maybe group 29? I'm good with group 27 lead/acid,, Optima too rich for me.
Selection of battery brand and type, is strictly dependent upon the specifics of the application and the user. Professional/tournament fishermen have very different needs than a recreational user like me. A pair of good quality wet cell Group 27's makes perfect sense.

Optima's are a lead-acid AGM battery, but not a very good one anymore. Now, they won't last more years than good quality wet batteries that are treated nicely and not cycled too deeply.

For deep cycle lead-acid designs (Wet/AGM/Gel) batteries, always compare the battery weight - no magic can replace lbs. of lead.

Good AGM's can offer many advantages, but the primary reasons for paying bigger $$ for AGM's is to get more deep cycles, zero maintenance and rapid charging. Some expensive AGM batteries can go down to 10% to 20% remaining charge 500 times - and can be recharged to 80% in one hour......which MOST of us don't need and don't want to pay for. For many people, it would be like buying a 1 ton flat bed truck specifically to go buy a carton of eggs :biggrin2

Most recreational users like me will have their batteries die of old age at 5-9 years before wearing them out from deep cycles. But, then I have customers who need the high end feature set and don't think twice about the cost. No such thing as the "best" selection.

Marc
Big and ugly but we love our 1999/2000 Crest II DL with a Yamaha F115

parker23
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:41 pm
Location: Longneck, Delaware

Re: Trolling motor

#14 Post by parker23 » Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:33 am

Marc so what battery do u recommend I am going to use trolling motor every day I need battery that will hold up for every day uses I'm going to buy Minn Kota Riptide SF 80lbs thrust 24 volts
1996 180CC off shore 125 Force [sold]
2000 1801CC Parker 115 yamaha [sold]
2008 2320SL Parker sport cabin 250 yamaha four stroke [sold]
2018 22ft Aurora Manitou 115 E-tec

User avatar
Marc K
Posts: 743
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:35 am
Location: Eustace, TX

Re: Trolling motor

#15 Post by Marc K » Fri Jan 11, 2019 6:56 pm

Parker,

For the last 12 years, I have been a master distributor for high end expensive (Lifeline and FullRiver) true deep cycle AGM's, so I am not up on flooded (wet) batteries. Because the stuff that I deal with professionally is expensive, I am hoping that the good folks here will tell you what they have used to get many years of good deep cycle performance at a decent price.

In projecting battery selection/performance/life, you will need to estimate how you will be draining your batteries. Power usage at less than full throttle is FAR from linear. A good rule of thumb for modern trolling motors is that they will use 1/4 of the power at 1/2 throttle. Trolling at 1/4 throttle may draw only 1/10 of full throttle amps per hour.

Examples of two very different profiles that radically impact battery selection:
"My trolling motor draws 40 amps per hour running wide open. I will run it wide open for 3hours per day, so that's 120 amp hours total consumption and I will do that every day of the year."
Or
"My trolling motor draws 30 amps per hour running wide open. I will run it at 1/2 speed continuously for 5 hours per day, so that's 38 amp hours total consumption and I will do that every other weekend during the summer."

Read the trolling motor manual and understand the characteristics of your trolling motor before investing hard earned money in batteries! A typical 12v Group 27 deep cycle battery will be rated at 100-110 amp hours. Notice that Boocat is happy with two group 27 batteries.

Do you recognize the wisdom in his selection?

Marc
Big and ugly but we love our 1999/2000 Crest II DL with a Yamaha F115

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