trickle charging for a trolling motor

[scuro]

Do u all do it, what is the best and easiest way to do it?

[lape0019]

I charge mine with a minnkota charger after every use during the summer months. During the winter, I throw the charger on the batteries for a few hours every month. I don't see a reason to trickle charge them but others here use battery maintainers which I guess would be the same thing...

[Roblin]

If your batteries aren't the maintenance free type, you should check the water occasionally. Constantly charging your batteries will cook off some of the electrolyte and ruin it over time. Use only distilled water. The water from a dehumidifier works well.

[ShawnD]

After my outing, I back the boat up into the garage and hook up a charger to each battery (3) leave them on 2amp charge and by the time I wake up the next day they're full.

[loophole]

A fellow at Total Battery once told me that recharging a battery after using it was the best way to prolong the life of the battery. Conversely, not charging a battery often enough is a sure-fire way of shortening the life of the battery. Every Saturday morning through the winter I head to the basement and rotate the chargers over all my batteries. The two batteries I sold with a small fishing boat this year were dated 2006 and 2007 and still in great shape.

[MLR]

I just picked up one of these from total battery. I like the fact that it will regenerate deep cycle batteries. It's like it was made for trolling motor batteries. Optima blue tops are not cheap and I am hoping this keeps them in top shape for a long time.

http://smartercharger.com/2012/01/new-c ... -features/

[cja]

do you mind me asking what they cost roughly

[scuro]

I thought the whole point of a trickle charger was that you can leave it on a battery if it will not be in use over an extended period of time. Is it not true that with large car like batteries the life of a battery isn't depleted like small rechargeable batteries by keeping it fully charged? With such large batteries thy can lose 1% of their charge per day....the danger is letting the charge get to low to the point where it can't be recharged. Forget about your batteries at some point over the winter and they could be cooked. So wouldnt a trickle charger that you left on the battery all winter be best?

[MLR]

do you mind me asking what they cost roughly

I paid 82 bucks plus hst

[FishToLive]

not the same model but might do for some people....
http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Elec ... 08A02.com1

[Lunker Larry]

Charge after every use and keep an eye on the level in the battery. I have a Total Battery Big Red that I took from my boat here at home and now use for the trolling motor on my pontoon boat at the cottage. Got it in April 2004 and it is still going strong. Put all my batteries on charge once a month over the winter.

[RJ]

Minn Kota 3 bank Charger on the Lund. Plug in every time I get home. Left them plugged in all winter in the boat and come spring had no issues at all.

RJ

[Moosebunk]

My understanding is, trickle chargers are meant for maintaining a charge either by constant or interval-like charges but not recommended for recharging used or dead batteries. That's what battery chargers are for, and if using the batteries often, recharging at higher amperages (6-12) is recommended, then trickle 'em if inactive for any length of time.

[smitty55]

Here's a decent link to batteries and charging. http://www.solar-electric.com/deep-cycl ... l#Starting
And the post it came from. http://forums.iboats.com/electrical-ele ... 35371.html

Cheers

[scuro]

My understanding is, trickle chargers are meant for maintaining a charge either by constant or interval-like charges but not recommended for recharging used or dead batteries. That's what battery chargers are for, and if using the batteries often, recharging at higher amperages (6-12) is recommended, then trickle 'em if inactive for any length of time.

Thats how I now understand it.