Am I Asking Too Much of a Starting Battery?

[Chief Brody]

Interstate has their new EFB marine batteries https://www.interstatebatteries.com/...ies/deep-cycle

2yr warranty for an extra $30 seems worth it to me

[JR19]

When I started this thread my thoughts were to just attach everything to the starting battery but got to thinking it could get really crowded. I will still start out with a Group 31 AGM cranking battery. I read elsewhere about using a Blue Sea fuse block to consolidate and fuse the wiring to the electronics. I found a 6 terminal one on Amazon with a ground hook up that looks like it would work. After that I'm not so sure what else to do. I'm thinking I would mount the fuse block close to the battery and use 2 gauge cables to connect it to the battery. On the positive cable I would install a 50 amp circuit breaker with a cut off so I could completely kill the power. The fuse block would have the appropriate sized fuses. I will use 8 gauge wire to the LS box. Doing it this way would make it easy to add a lithium battery just for the electronics if it becomes necessary. The RT198P I have on order has a bunch of room under the back hatch that will let me have that option.

That part seems fairly straight forward, I think. I know I will have a provided power source in the console for that unit and probably one in the bow for one up there. Since I will have 2 93's on the bow I'm one hookup short. It is probably not a good idea to have 2 running off a single source. Is it best to just skip the factory provided power source and run separate wiring for each of the 93's? By that I mean all 3. I have no idea at this point how easy or difficult it is going to be to run wires in this boat so hopefully that is an option. This is making my brain hurt.

I would install a custom wire harness...Some will say its not necessary and just about everyone says they are overpriced but the bottom line is they do work. Plus if your worried about adding a bunch of wires to your battery with a custom wire harness all your adding is 1 hot and 1 ground wire no matter how many devices you have.

Currently there is three different places that make them that I am aware of. Sonar Pros, Sea Clear Power and The Bass Tank. With Sea Clear and The Bass Tank harness you will have to make some splices. With the Sonar Pro harness you can order one and make a couple splices or you can order one with the factory plugs already solder/heat shrink onto the harness or you can send them your plugs and they will solder/heat shrink the plugs. It really depends on what route you want to take. I chose the Sonar Pro harness because I wanted my plugs solder/heat shrink. Plus if doing it that way the Sonar Pro harness is simply plug and play.

If buying any brand wire harness it isolates all the units to one circuit so there is far less chance of electrical interference. Plus they are now on the appropriate size AWG wire to carry the load without voltage drop. Now you will need to buy a disconnect and a short jumper wire (with the appropriate AWG size) to go from the disconnect to the battery. Typically you will mount the disconnect within 18 or so inches from the battery.

here is some links...and I will share a picture of what a Sonar Pro harness looks like and my disconnect install.

my personal choice...https://sonarproselectronics.com/

https://seaclearpower.com/

https://thebasstank.com/product/the-...tallation-kit/

Here is the disconnect I used. I went to a local electrical supply store and got the correct type/size wire and connectors and build my own jumper wire. You can buy a disconnect with a jumper wire already attached if you don't want to make your own jumper wire...

https://www.amazon.com/Ampper-Batter...3851420&sr=8-3

https://sonarproselectronics.com/sho...d-wire-harness

here is the harness and what my wired disconnect looks like...

[jtrac]

JR19, thanks. I didn't know there was such a thing. Gives me something else to research.

[grout-scout]

my buddy loves his. I was planning to replace mine this spring.
can you elaborate on your comment ? Great to get other perspective
thanks

For you and FC, I had a 3 year old exide mega 31 (same that FC is using) before and it was a beast of power, especially for the cost. When charged, it’d show 12.6 on the graphs and over the course of the day it’d drop to 12.0-11.9v. That’s with 2 - 12’s with 1 lss module. Did very well for the age.

Now 2 - 2.5 years in with the napa. I added a 122 and lvs32. Using only this setup (LS combo), I can drop the napa to 11.6 in 2 hours. The other day I was down to 11.4v and it still started my merc, but no way that it would handle all 3 12’s that I have.

3 options I think about.

1. napa for cranker only and add a 30 amp lithium, cost about $500.

2. Buy an exide 31, North Star x2, etc. $250-$400

3. buy a 100-125 lithium, cost $1,000-$1,200

I struggle with what to do.

[JR19]

JR19, thanks. I didn't know there was such a thing. Gives me something else to research.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I respect others but here is my take...this is the best option along with a good quality AGM with 200 or more minutes of reserve power, if we are talking about your average weekend angler. Now if your a guide, touring level pro or someone who spends multiple days on the water on regular basis I would recommend a dedicated wire harness but a lithium battery with the appropriate amount of reserve run power.

I have mentioned my suggestion before and got slammed about how the wire harness is overprice and not necessary. It really as simple as this...they do work in regards to helping supply power to multiple high amp draw units but since its a niche market that does not have huge numbers the price will be high.

Now as for you Blue Sea fuse block it will work but it also needs the correct size wire ran from the device to the fuse block. I actually also have the Blue Sea Fuse block with a Humminbird 997, two Minn Kota Talons and two Lowrance 520's on it. In the picture I posted with the disconnect if you look in the top left corner you can barley see a red wire and you also see a red wire in the bottom left corner. This is the power wire to my Blue Sea fuse block. I also have it own its own separate run with its own disconnect. I chose not to put my Livesope on there because I wanted it to be isolated from all other accessories. The way I done it might be overkill and more costly but I can assure you voltage drop, dull picture, slow processing speed and a low voltage alarm when I crank my motor is not an issue. Everything on my boat but my trolling motor is running on a 4 year old Deka 31 AGM.


https://www.amazon.com/Deyooxi-Circu...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[TOUCH OF CLASS]

I just run this problem solved
https://ibb.co/6sfJdJ0

[jtrac]

I have looked closely at the tool battery set up with a SeeLite cradle. I have a DeWalt drill and impact driver set but my largest battery is 4 amp hour. I would need to spend the money for a larger battery. My concern is I would forget to charge it when I got home. I like the plug and play convenience of charging the batteries by just plugging in the charger after backing the boat in the garage. I did order the fuse block today so I think that is the direction I will head. I will try it with the AGM and see how it works. A 30 or 50 amp lithium would be my fall back.

Speaking of chargers I was looking for some info on the charger my boat will have. It is a 6X3 Real Pro by Pro Charging Systems. When I was looking at their website it said that veterans may be eligible for either discounted or free stuff from them. I thought ok, try it and see what happens. I'm dating myself but I gave them my service dates and a little write up about my Vietnam service as they requested. I had an email a few hours later and was asked to call a gentleman at the company. He said if I would pay shipping he would send me one of their Professional Series Dual Pro 3X15 chargers. He did tell me it would be a certified remanufactured one but my thoughts were who cares. So, for $31 I got one of their best chargers that looks like a new one. I'm going to give it a try in my new boat.

[JR19]

I have looked closely at the tool battery set up with a SeeLite cradle. I have a DeWalt drill and impact driver set but my largest battery is 4 amp hour. I would need to spend the money for a larger battery. My concern is I would forget to charge it when I got home. I like the plug and play convenience of charging the batteries by just plugging in the charger after backing the boat in the garage. I did order the fuse block today so I think that is the direction I will head. I will try it with the AGM and see how it works. A 30 or 50 amp lithium would be my fall back.

Speaking of chargers I was looking for some info on the charger my boat will have. It is a 6X3 Real Pro by Pro Charging Systems. When I was looking at their website it said that veterans may be eligible for either discounted or free stuff from them. I thought ok, try it and see what happens. I'm dating myself but I gave them my service dates and a little write up about my Vietnam service as they requested. I had an email a few hours later and was asked to call a gentleman at the company. He said if I would pay shipping he would send me one of their Professional Series Dual Pro 3X15 chargers. He did tell me it would be a certified remanufactured one but my thoughts were who cares. So, for $31 I got one of their best chargers that looks like a new one. I'm going to give it a try in my new boat.

and my take from this is thank you for your service

[aero320]

The problem will be at the end of the day when you try to start the big outboard. You need a backup starting battery with a selection switch. I was on the lake at sunset on a Sunday evening. Got ready to head home and the big motor (225 Optimax) would no turn over. No combination of the two starting batteries or two Group 31 deep cycle trolling motor batteries would turn the outboard over. The only light had was my iPhone. I’m always carry a Jump-N-Charge with me now.

[TroyBoy30]

i ran about the same on a single 100ah relion lithium with no issues

[electritek]

Spot on!!!!

A good quality 31 AGM with 200 or more minutes of reserve run power would be what I would want for a cranking battery. You can use the biggest and best AGM out there and your pissing in the wind if you don't have adequate wiring to support those three units and the Livescope black box. It's really as simple as ohm's law...as volts drop, amps will increase. If you don't have the wiring to carry voltage efficiently its going to lose voltage and that is when issues like dull picture, slow to process picture and an alarm when cranking the motor will arise. Some will buy a new battery to mask low voltage issues only to find 6 months or a year later when their new battery gets a little wear that the problem has arose again. It takes a good quality battery with high reserve capacity AND appropriate size wiring, being wired so they do not share power with other devices and are on their own independent circuit with a fused link near a disconnect. If we were talking about wiring a flasher and a couple 2D sonars this would not be an issue. Were talking about high end electronics with GPS and processers similar to a mini computer or smart phone. The demands of todays electronics are a lot more complex than what a lot people give them credit for and need to have proper supply (battery and wiring).

[ampdreamer1]

If really worried use 2 batteries in parallel for all electronics and engine. Atleast that way they will get a charge from the alternator when running. Also if you can afford it powerpole charge to equal out all the batteries plus then your alternator is also charging your trolling motor batteries.

[grout-scout]

I just bought another napa 7234, to see if my first one was just a dud. If it still is subpar, I’ll throw it in my tractor or add a lithium for the electronics only. The specs on it seem really good for the price, hopefully the first was just bad.

[puhlw]

Check out X2 battery at Batteries plus.

These are top of the line. Made by northstar. Not that it matters but they have a cool video of the battery having a hole shot through it and still functions.

When you first pick one of these up you will know they are different/better. Must weigh 10lbs more than my last battery.

[TOUCH OF CLASS]

I have looked closely at the tool battery set up with a SeeLite cradle. I have a DeWalt drill and impact driver set but my largest battery is 4 amp hour. I would need to spend the money for a larger battery. My concern is I would forget to charge it when I got home. I like the plug and play convenience of charging the batteries by just plugging in the charger after backing the boat in the garage. I did order the fuse block today so I think that is the direction I will head. I will try it with the AGM and see how it works. A 30 or 50 amp lithium would be my fall back.

Speaking of chargers I was looking for some info on the charger my boat will have. It is a 6X3 Real Pro by Pro Charging Systems. When I was looking at their website it said that veterans may be eligible for either discounted or free stuff from them. I thought ok, try it and see what happens. I'm dating myself but I gave them my service dates and a little write up about my Vietnam service as they requested. I had an email a few hours later and was asked to call a gentleman at the company. He said if I would pay shipping he would send me one of their Professional Series Dual Pro 3X15 chargers. He did tell me it would be a certified remanufactured one but my thoughts were who cares. So, for $31 I got one of their best chargers that looks like a new one. I'm going to give it a try in my new boat.

the one thing is you can bring 6 mice batteries and they weigh 3 lbs total