cant figure it out

[Strike_King 609]

i bought 3 new batterys 2 trolling and a starter i also bought a XPS 3 bank 15 amp charger. I fished for 4 days without having to charge it. I plugged it in thrusday night. I checked it before we left today and the XPS said go fish meaning that it was fully chargered. I get to the lake turn on the bow mount trolling motor an it tells me that its fair not good. it lasted for about 2 hours but really had no power. Its a 75lbs thrust my question is did i hook it up wrong i know that i had to connect the battery backwards to get the 24volt trolling motor to work. However i didnt hook the battery charger up that way it has 3 plugs so i just hooked the post to the neg on all 3. Am i suppose to hook it up the same way i hooked the trolling motor up? this is 2 time this has happen everything is less then a month old i have only been out about 10 times. thanks for any advice

[Safebet]

1st, make sure that the 2 trolling motor batteries are hooked up properly to make 24v. for your trolling motor.

This is how the 2 batteries should be connected.
1. you will connect a cable (preferably with a safety disconnect as a part of the cable: you can buy them at your local marine dealer) one end on the + post of battery #1, and the - end on battery #2.

Then you will hook the red + wire from your trolling motor to the + post on battery #2, and the - or black wire from your trolling motor to the - post on battery #1.

When charging, I remove the safety cable between the two batteries and then hook up my charger, bank #1 to Battery #1 and Bank #2 to battery #2.

Be sure that you get one of the (I call them safety cables) that goes from the + on 1 battery to the negative on the 2nd battery. It will keep you from ruining batteries or equipment in the event you hook up something wrong.

Hope this helps. You probably already know all this, but it doesn't hurt repeating. Sometimes, I think I am doing something one way, when actually, I'm doing it another. Comes with old age, I guess.

[rodnreel]

I suggest charging the batteries after every outing. Don't wait until they're fully discharged to start charging them. I keep the jumper between the two trolling motor batteries attached even when I'm charging and haven't had a problem.

[nofearengineer]

Like Rod'n'reel says, charge them immediately when you get home.

There continues to be this old story that just won't go away out there about batteries having "memory" and needing to be fully discharged before you start charging them.

Lead-acid batteries, AGM included, DO NOT HAVE MEMORY. Period. Though a deep cycle battery is more resistant damage from being deeply discharged, it is always better not to.

[Strike_King 609]

thanks for the help guys i took it all apart today and found that the charger was bad i called pro marine an there sending me a new unit out tomorrow thanks again

[nmanley]

Sometimes a search will help you on wiring connections. A picture is worth a lot more than a boat load of words.

http://www.cabelas.com/story-123/wie...ring+101.shtml

[Captmikestarrett]

I too would suggest isloating the two deep cycle batteries. I use a simple switch and have marked it charge and run.



My pro mariner did the same thing and I got it replaced as well. Installed the switch and use it and have had the charger for two years now.

Capt Mike