Any advice on having an on board trolling battery charger

Post by **Mr.J.** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:00 pm

What's better or what advice would you give for either adding on a charger for the trolling motor battery or would you go with a solar charger or any other option?

My boat will be parked on the water and if I can keep my trolling motor battery on board instead of taking it home with me, well obviously one less heavy thing to lug around.

Can it be hooked up to the starting battery charger easily?

Post by **zoomer** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:11 pm

i have installed a few onboard units... the easiest is a 40 amp unit made for RV trailers.. which will charge 1, 2 or more batteries however these are expensive yet very useful....actually called a converter
GL. zoomer

Post by **Jale** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:24 pm

Just installed one in my boat Mr J. Already love it.

I hated after a days fishing having to get out the deep cycle charger in the dark and hook it up, then do the same thing the next morning when switching it to the other battery. sometimes in the rain.

Now i just plug it in to the extesion cord and that's it!!!

Got a 2 bank 10 amp Guest brand new on ebay delivered for about$ 70 canadian..excellent deal..they retail around here for around $175.00.

If you have power readily available where you are docking it, I would highly recommend one!!

Joe

Post by **Mikey** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:40 pm

what jale said Mr.J

Post by **Aaron Shirley** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:47 pm

I got an onboard Guest 3 bank charger about 8 years ago, and I still use it today. I wouldn't be without it. It charges two deep cycles and keeps the starting battery topped up. The nice thing is, it never burns out the batteries like some inexpensive chargers do. Nomore lugging batteries around, just plug it in and you have juice the next day.

Aaron

Post by **M.T. Livewell** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:49 pm

I use this plus a CT automatic charger when I get home to top things off.

http://www.dualpro.com/productframeset.htm

M.T. Livewell

Post by **Mr.J.** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 5:02 am

Thanks

Interesting no one has mentioned solar charger.

Does this mean a solar charger isn't worth considering?

Post by **Mikey** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 5:11 am

Mr.J. wrote:Thanks

Interesting no one has mentioned solar charger.

Does this mean a solar charger isn't worth considering?

No experience with them to be honest Mr.J.....what happens at nite or on cloudy days hehehe!!!

.....does it require sunscreen????hehehe!!

Post by **Graembo** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:15 am

You can't go wrong with Guest or Dual Pro....just pick the model of each that suits you and go hunting.....the solars aren't 'there' yet
with onboards you just plug it in when you get home and forget about it

G

Post by **jj-da-fisher** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:34 am

I will tell you what I did (cheap) its the Scot in me I can't help it.....
I went to crappy tire and got 2 of the small chargers 12.99 ea on sale. They are the type of chargers that you use over the winter (trickle). Then I hooked one to each of my batteries I only have 2 batteries in my boat. Then I just plug them in they are not water proof but they are bolted on the boat in a place that stays dry. Then I just plug them both in at the end of the day and I ready to go the next day no worries.
cheers JJ

Post by **duggyjo** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 10:30 am

Hi do not forget about a Minnkota on board, they are very nice units.
Before you buy any make sure that when the battery is fully charged that the charger shuts off completly, most go to a trickle charge status and this could boil a battery if left for any extended length of time. Ten amps per battery is nice but 5 will do the job. A new 5 amp be battery charger should charge you batteries full in about 5/6 hours after a full day of fishing.
Thanks
Duggyjo

Post by **Wall-I-Guy** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 7:11 pm

Great thread Mr J,

Just some of the info I was contemplating

This seals the deal pour moi

Post by **Mr.J.** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 7:14 pm

Everything I have read is excellent advice but I think I may have dropped the ball on this question.

My boat will be parked at a marina without electrical hook up so I have only one choice, take the battery home and charge it there or....

have the battery charge along with the starting battery, if at all possible, while running the boat, or go solar, which sounds pretty good to me, at least in theory, and if I can make it so the solar panel doesn't walk away on me.

Post by **fishforfun** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 7:32 pm

Mr J Solar panels for charging batteries and wind gennies are very popular around my marina. They charge us $15.00 a foot for hydro! Fine if If had a 30' Searay with fridges, ice maker, hotwater and air conditioning, but us sailors have a couple of batteries and 1 or 2 outlets for a light or coffee maker. Needless to say we look at other options. I'll be there this weekend if I see someone who uses solar I will ask for you. Don't need to myself trolling all day keeps my batteries topped up

Post by **M.T. Livewell** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:43 am

The solar charger should work if you leave it from weekend to weekend.
But c'mon who ya fooling, you'll be fishin at lot more often than that.

M.T. Livewell