I'm going to be in the market for a new battery to use for my starting battery and to run my electronics and pumps. I have one older Lowrance unit at the bow, a new Helix 9 Mega at the console, and then the bilge and aerator pumps. The motor is a 1999 Merc 175 EFI. I want to stay with a lead acid battery for now, so what's a good battery for this? Do I need to stick with a deep cycle marine battery?
First, Mercury recommends you not use a deep-cycle with this battery because the long charging time can cause voltage regulators to overheat and fail.
I disagree with their logic. It's not the type of battery that causes the overheating, but the kind of use. Using these motors with limited charging systems in boats with modern electronics is what causes the problem, so a deep-cycle is as good as anything else.
An Everstart Maxx 29 makes a fine starting battery for the EFIs. Plenty of reserve to run your electronics and aerators. Just be sure to keep it fully charged between trips to minimize the load on the outboard charging system.
If you don't have room for the 29, get a battery with as much RC as you can fit. The EFIs are fairly easy to crank, so that's usually not an issue with them.
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
nothing else matters.
I run a 150 Yamaha SHO, would the Everstart Maxx 29 work for the starting battery? I would need it to run two Helix's and pumps.
The Starting battery I have now is the Interstate 24M-XHD that came with the boat. It was new last year and never had any problems but was wondering if the Maxx 29 would be better?
4 Buck, that 24 series battery in your boat is small, especially with the Birds that you have, and knowing the pumps will be running. Plenty of cca's for you with that Interstate , but the reserve is only 135, and your engine requires a minimum reserve of 160. The Everstart Max 29 is too shy on cca's for you.
2019 BCB Classic
Merc V8 200 4S
I have used smaller batteries than the XHD on an EFI with no problems at all.Originally Posted by catdude28
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
nothing else matters.
I am confused, I cannot find the cca's for this battery all they list is the mca's as 845. On their description it says they don't measure cold cranking amps because it is a marine battery, wouldn't that be the cca's? My manual says minimum mca's is 770? Wish I wasn't so dumb when it comes to this battery stuff!!!
Well it looks like the Exide 31MDC might be a better choice then?
Nobody measures MCA. It's a made up number. It's almost always calculated as CCA*1.4=MCAish. They usually take some liberties so the number sounds real. 845MCA would be about 600CCA.
Since MCA isn't a standard test, they could print 1000MCA on the side and nobody could do anything. CCA has a standardized method of measurement, so it is more trustworthy.
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
nothing else matters.
680 cca's
770 mca's
160 reserve
These are all minimums for your engine. Ideally they should be exceeded for your accessories.
2019 BCB Classic
Merc V8 200 4S
They list the Exide at 725 cca and 205 rc. My manual states I need 680cca and 160 rc.
Not much leeway on cca's with that Exide. It's a deep cycle battery. The older Yams only required around 500 cca's for starting, and you could get away with a deep cycle. With your SHO I would stick to a starting battery with at least 850 -900 cca's.
2019 BCB Classic
Merc V8 200 4S
Well then maybe I will just stick with the Interstate that is in there now. I am just worried I will end up with a dead battery running everything with the motor shut of because of the reserve it has. Very hard to find the right battery without spending $300.
Lots of choices for a wet battery for 125-150 dollars that will work for you. Here are a few:
Interstate 31-MHD 950 cca's 195 RC
Interstate 31-XHD 1000 cca's 195 RC
Deka (P)MF 1131 950cca's 175 RC
Deka (P)MF 1231 1000cca's 185 RC
Deka Marine Master M6 840 cca's 182 RC
Many of the above are commercial/fleet batteries that work very well in the marine environment. Many of us (including myself) use these truck batteries.
If you want to spend more and have an AGM charger, this rebadged Deka AGM from O'Reilly with 925 cca's and 190 RC would work.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...0056&ppt=C1980
2019 BCB Classic
Merc V8 200 4S
Are all these truck batteries maintenance free? Just looked at a Exide that had 1000 CCA and 200 reserve but no way to add water?
https://www.samsclub.com/sams/durace...lp:product:1:3
[QUOTE=Fireball;8239150][url]https://www.samsclub.com/sams/Duracell
Only has 650 cca. A truck battery might be the way to go for me. The Exide I looked at didn't have a way to add water, wondering if that is with all truck batteries?
Check under the label sticker, that is where many caps that screw in are hidden.
[QUOTE=4 Buck;8240811]
[QUOTE=4 Buck;8240811]Maybe you were looking at the Exide Megacycle 200, which is an AGM and does not take water. All four of the truck batteries that I mentioned are wet batteries and have to be topped up periodically. Same for the Deka Marine Master.
2019 BCB Classic
Merc V8 200 4S
[QUOTE=Fireball;8240996]Check under the label sticker, that is where many caps that screw in are hidden.
Yep, I bet that is what is going on!
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