Replacement battery?

[Snead]

The battery in my boat gave up the ghost the other day so I 'm in need of a replacement. I was thinking of getting an Optima D34M but am having a hard time justifying the $175 cost.

I only have the main motor, lights, fish finder/GPS and two downriggers to power. Is the Optima worth it or are there others out there that would be just as good for a little less money?

[HntnFsh]

Trojans.You can get them at the local Ifish sponsors.I think about $75 They go on sale regularly.excellent battery.

Do a search,ton of info on batteries.

[Slayer]

I recently had a thread on here about buying a new battery and it seem to be the consensous was Trojan batteries were the best bang for the buck

[croation2]

do a search on "battery" and you'll get a wealth of info and opinions from all of us! There are a couple good threads.

[Walleyer]

Trojan,stay away from expensive AGM batteries,what you need for you application is good old fashioned lead-acid battery,AGM,(absorbed gel mat)are rough service batteries.Trojan batteries are in all our scissor lifts at work and we abuse them daily

[SeanD]

Make sure the battery will work as a starting battery. I wouldnt run a deep cycle for a starting battery.

[ICHTHYDEMON]

Originally Posted by Walleyer

Trojan,stay away from expensive AGM batteries,what you need for you application is good old fashioned lead-acid battery,AGM,(absorbed gel mat)are rough service batteries.Trojan batteries are in all our scissor lifts at work and we abuse them daily

Of all things,I'd consider a boat a place where a rough service battery would excel.

[chucks electric]

hello, I'm new on this board, but i am a marine electrician. the general consensus is Trojan batteries are a good choice. just about any battery is a good battery if it is maintained and charged properly. the battery should be selected for its main purpose, engine cranking or deep cycle. the difference in the two batteries is the plate thickness cranking batteries have thinner plates that will discharge at a higher capacity and recharge quicker. deep cycle have thicker plates that discharge at a slower more controlled rate over a longer period of time. the two batteries should be isolated as well as their loads. an automatic charge relay should be used to combine the two only when a charge voltage is present and disconnect when it is not. when wired properly an agm battery is a good choice, as it does not need servicing no acid induced corrosion at terminals, and will not vent unless it is over-charged. hope this helps you make a more informed decision.

[Snead]

Thanks for the help guys. I did a search and read the discussions on this all the way back to 2001 and have a much better understanding of the battery system than ever before. Ideally I would love to have a two battery system (starter and deep cycle) but my Super Vee is just a 16' center console so room is an issue as is weight. I have relocated the single battery I have from the transom area up to the center console and don't really want to put the 60 lbs of a second battery back there again...small changes in weight on this boat make a big difference in performance. Sooooo, I guess I'll stick to a single battery. I know I need a marine starting battery but I am wondering what sacrifice, if any, I would be making by getting one of the new combination starting/deep cycle batteries?

[Pilar]

Buy it in the spring if you are storing your boat. You will get another 6 months on it. Made in April 2007 vs made in September 2006.