Is anyone out there running a lead acid commercial cranking group 31 battery in a tournament boat? I've seen a few people recommend these batteries which usually have around 1000ca and 190min reserve. My question is how do they hold up to a full day with electronics running and livewell pumps running continuous? How long are these batteries lasting? Thanks in advance.
Stick to an agm
Im running a NAPA #7237 (which has 950 CCA, they also sell one with 1125 CCA, #7235) for the past year and Im very happy with it... never even gets weak even if im running graphs and livewell pumps all day without moving.
2021 Phoenix 920 Elite / SHO 250
Bullet 21XD / 250 XB (Gone to a great home in LA)
"There is no such thing as a bad day fishing!"
Do you have any experience with the flooded cell commercial batteries?Originally Posted by snodogg
Thank you.
I've never run anything but lead acid batteries. The one I have now is a group 31 with 1000 cca and 180min. reserve had it for 3yrs going into the 4th year now. Not one problem. It's a custom spec battery built for Pro-guide Batteries. I'm sure there are others out there like Deka and Trojan.
Thank you, the ones I've been looking at all seem to have similar specs, they probably all come from the same supplier.
i have a diehard pm1 going on 6 years now
I run one of the wet cell commercials as my cranking battery. Right or wrong, I follow the advice not to run an AGM on my Mercury with a stator. I'm guessing this is why you're interested as well. The one I have in particular is a Duracell group 31 commercial from Sam's Club, but it's just a rebadged Deka....both made by East Penn. Works very well and only cost $100 to boot. NAPA has the same battery as well as one with even more impressive specs (the first and second ones mentioned by J Risco above, respectively). O'Reilly Auto also has it under the Super Start name. I'm not sure how this is different for you living in Canada, though.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
Have you had any issues running all your accessories all.day roughly running the big motor? There is am east penn factory direct sales office an hour away from me.
I think it would be cheaper to deal with Sam's Club if you have one.
None. 2 years with it running livewells, graphs (HDS 7 gen 2 and 9 gen 3) and other incidentals like nav lights, a phone charger, and so on. I figure I'll be a happy camper if it lasts me 3 seasons for roughly 1/3 the price of the most popular AGMs out there, and I see no reason to believe this season will be its last. To be fair, I'm also not running oxygenators, a Hydrowave, four 12" inch graphs, a stereo, etc. like some guys do.
I do put it on the charger after every trip, just like I do with my trolling motor batteries. I think that's SOP for any battery, though, and I'm not sure if it's really necessary either way.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
Sabby, I am going into year four with my rebadged 31 commercial Deka. It was Sherman Truss (Sherm's Marine) who introduced me to the idea of using them in my bass boat a few years ago. My previous boat also had a commercial battery for cranking. Like Drew mentioned, at 1/3 the price of a high quality AGM, if it only lasted two seasons I would be happy. A rebadged Northstar 31 AGM here in the Toronto area is about 550 dollars after tax. Crazy.
2019 BCB Classic
Merc V8 200 4S
Is your rebadged deka an agm or flooded cell? Looking at the price I would likely run these batteries for 2-3 years and change them. Fwiw you can get a legitimate northstar agm for 400+tax Canadian in Woodbridge. The thing is I can buy a 31 commercial for 130+tax, so that northstar would have to last three times longer to justify the price difference.
Thanks, I have a similar setup, really appreciate the feedback.
I also have the same duracell commercial 31 group battery as Drewflu and use it for my 2000 mercury 200 efi. Runs the the pumps livewells, etc all day and have not had a problem. I got it for that same reason because of the stator on these engines.
Colorado State University Bass Team
2000 Viper Cobra 201D, 200 merc efi
This is what my partner and I are using. Great for your application. Not sure why people are so hung up on AGM's. they are lead acid batteries with fiberglass matting between the plates. Commercial grade batteries are made to take the abuse of dump trucks, cement mixers etc. That's rough and bumpy usage.
Check the numbers on this battery.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NBE7234
Mine is flooded, and is a Napa Canada rebadged commercial Deka. I had my dealer install it April 2015 when my rig was new, but, if I had to buy another one, there are other places that sell the same or similar Deka battery for much less. Your price of 130 dollars sounds great. I take good care of my batteries and get good life from them, and see no need for an AGM.
That Northstar AGM that you refer to, is it a 31 series? At C Tire, I see the 24 series at 400, the 27 at 450, and the 31 at 480 (all plus core charge and HST).
2019 BCB Classic
Merc V8 200 4S
The Northstar is a 31. Total battery has them, you add them to cart to see the price.
What is he deal about agm and starters that is mentioned above? Was going to get a Duracell agm and two lead acid batteries for the boat but may just stick with three lead acid batteries if the agm will cause problem potentially.
1995 Ranger 487VS / 1998 Mercury 200 EFI
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