You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
best battery and charger for trolling motor
- Thread starter alfe
- Start date
Ok so I have settled on the C-tek 5amp charger for a 102 ah raylite deep cycle battery. FINAL QUESTION I SWEAR. would this be sufficient to charge a battery that is going to mostly likely be completely drained during use, considering that the charger is only a 5 amp charger? Has anyone got experience with this? the guy I spoke to at the shop I went to seemed confident that it would but wasn't the most convincing guy.
Limpopoking
Sealiner
My advice would be to never completely drain your battery. When your motor starts running noticeably slower, stop using it.
When I first got a sneaker motor for my little dingy, I bought two 55Ah deep cycle batteries and I'd use one to go up river till it started running out of steam, and the other to come back down. I never ran them flat though. It was easier on carrying, charging and lekker to know that when one battery ran down, I still had one full one to fall back on. That was about 12 years ago and I am still using one of those batteries in my current boat.
When I first got a sneaker motor for my little dingy, I bought two 55Ah deep cycle batteries and I'd use one to go up river till it started running out of steam, and the other to come back down. I never ran them flat though. It was easier on carrying, charging and lekker to know that when one battery ran down, I still had one full one to fall back on. That was about 12 years ago and I am still using one of those batteries in my current boat.
When you fully discharge the battery, you are running a risk to destroy it to a point of no return.
If you want to play it safe, add a little voltmeter to the system. Once it hits 12V (I'd say 11.8V max) it would be a good time to stop using the motor on that battery.
http://www.4x4direct.co.za/meters/6936-panel-mount-round-volt-meter.html
http://www.4x4direct.co.za/meters/6938-volt-meter.html
If you want to play it safe, add a little voltmeter to the system. Once it hits 12V (I'd say 11.8V max) it would be a good time to stop using the motor on that battery.
http://www.4x4direct.co.za/meters/6936-panel-mount-round-volt-meter.html
http://www.4x4direct.co.za/meters/6938-volt-meter.html
Agree with Necrovis
The voltage of a battery is a good way to determine the state of charge. Here's a rough guideline off the net:
State of Charge / Voltage
100% 12.7 – 13.2
75% 12.4
50% 12.2
25% 12.0
Discharged 0 - 11.9
If your battery is reading 0 volts, chances are the battery experienced a short circuit. If the battery cannot reach higher than 10.5 volts when being charged, then the battery has a dead cell. If the battery is fully charged (according to the battery charger) but the voltage is 12.4 or less, the battery is sulfated. Sulfation is the natural by-product when the battery discharges. Naturally, re-charging the battery will reverse the sulfation crystals and turn it back into electrolyte, ready to produce power again. But if a battery sat, uncharged, severely discharged, and/or drained for extended periods of time, the sulfation will increase in size and harden onto the plates. This covers the surface area of the plates, removing the chemicals needed to produce power. Sulfation decreases the potential to reach a full charge, and it self-discharges the battery quicker than normal. At this point, charging alone will not restore the battery to a healthy condition. The majority of replacement battery purchases occur when the original battery has reached this point.
The voltage of a battery is a good way to determine the state of charge. Here's a rough guideline off the net:
State of Charge / Voltage
100% 12.7 – 13.2
75% 12.4
50% 12.2
25% 12.0
Discharged 0 - 11.9
If your battery is reading 0 volts, chances are the battery experienced a short circuit. If the battery cannot reach higher than 10.5 volts when being charged, then the battery has a dead cell. If the battery is fully charged (according to the battery charger) but the voltage is 12.4 or less, the battery is sulfated. Sulfation is the natural by-product when the battery discharges. Naturally, re-charging the battery will reverse the sulfation crystals and turn it back into electrolyte, ready to produce power again. But if a battery sat, uncharged, severely discharged, and/or drained for extended periods of time, the sulfation will increase in size and harden onto the plates. This covers the surface area of the plates, removing the chemicals needed to produce power. Sulfation decreases the potential to reach a full charge, and it self-discharges the battery quicker than normal. At this point, charging alone will not restore the battery to a healthy condition. The majority of replacement battery purchases occur when the original battery has reached this point.