Cranking battery

[Old Hooker]

I need to get a new cranking battery for my boat. The one in it is a unknown make and has a sticker on top that says MAR 05, so it's life is about over. It still works, but I have a feeling it will die soon. So my question. Should I get a standard battery or a deep cycle? Do they make a deep cycle/cranking battery? The trolling motor battery was put in about six months ago, so no worrys there. It's a Duralast deep cycle, which is the same as a Diehard, both of them are made at the same plant by Exide. The new cranking battery will probably be a Duralast as well. What do I need? Thanks. Jim

[bamabassman]

if it were me and IF i could afford it. i would gt a jell battery, expensive i know. but well worth it. one i am gonna get all jell batteries. one day................

[nobass]

you need to get a deep cranking one for the crankinf motor. the morer cranking amps the better.

[bassboogieman]

I've gone to AGM batteries, no more wet cell for me. No maintenecce, take a charge quickly and it will last through a days fishing with no problem. I use Cabela's (size 27)and like them. The AGM are dual purpose so you can use them for trolling motor or cranking. BPS also has their brand of AGM also, but I have no experience with them. They are about twice the price of a wet cell, but IMO well worth it, and finding them on sale is a bonus.

[flfireman]

May switch to Optima's here shortly. Local dealer selling factory blems at half price, might take advantage of it.

[jdw174]

I use the Optima Blue Top batteries, one for cranking, the other two for the TM. They recharge quickly and so far no problems.

[carolina-rig-01]

I am getting ready to buy a new cranking battery myself. The one that came with my boat is a no name battery in the first place but is too small to boot. It is only 850 CCA and I need at least 1000 CCA for my 225 Etec HO. I am most likely going to go with an Odessy over the Optima. I have a couple tourney partners who have had terrible luck with Optimas the last few years. Odessy batteries I believe have a 5 year free replacement and I know that the Optimas only carry an 18 month warranty.

To answer your question you can get a dual purpose battery that will be fine for a cranking battery or you can just get a cranking battery. Whatever you do make sure it is a marine battery that has the regular post as well as the post with threads. You can get the adapters that go on the regular post so you can connect all your wires but that is one more connection to have to worry about. Like was mentioned above, the more CCA's the better.

[nofearengineer]

A word of caution on the Cabela's AGM batteries. They were tested by Mercury Marine (along with a bunch of other mfrs.) and it was found they did not live up to their advertised ratings. However, they do get a lot of positive reviews.

C-Rig...I am very surprised to hear that an E-Tec requires such a high CCA rating. Are you sure it isn't just an MCA of 1000? That was one of the things that it supposedly did better than the Optimax; i.e. everyone was complaining about the Opti needing 800 CCA Who knew?

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

A word of caution on the Cabela's AGM batteries. They were tested by Mercury Marine (along with a bunch of other mfrs.) and it was found they did not live up to their advertised ratings. However, they do get a lot of positive reviews.

C-Rig...I am very surprised to hear that an E-Tec requires such a high CCA rating. Are you sure it isn't just an MCA of 1000? That was one of the things that it supposedly did better than the Optimax; i.e. everyone was complaining about the Opti needing 800 CCA Who knew?

1000 CCA is the recommended battery for my motor. It doesn't need that much to turn her over and get her started but when you are running 2 graphs, aerators, ect. and still needing to start her several times through out the day, that is when you will need all of those CCA's.