Charging Troller Motor Batteries While Underway

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Author Topic:   Charging Troller Motor Batteries While Underway

Marsh posted 08-10-2005 08:14 PM ET (US)
Is it possible, or advisable, to wire trolling motor batteries such that they receive a charge from the outboard engine's alternator while underway? Would this place an undue burden on the alternator, or put the main engine battery at risk? I have three batteries: two for the trolling motors and one main, and a 2005 Merc 115 4 stroke.
Thanks,
Marsh

Robob2003 posted 08-11-2005 02:56 PM ET (US)
I did quite a bit of research before putting a Minn Kota Riptide on my Sakonnet.
Everything I read on both battery and trolling motor websites seems to indicate that trolling batteries (deep cycle) should be charged soon after use to a full charge in order to insure a long life.
It's also recommended that a separate charger be used.
Have fun trolling,
Bob on Tampa Bay
Cicada posted 08-11-2005 09:56 PM ET (US)
Marsh,
It's possible and probably isn't much different than wiring a house battery.
"Electrical" in the reference section is a good place to start. Also check the earlier threads here for an overview.
If you need the power the power is there to use it. You need to make sure you isolate the batteries to protect the main. At that point you're getting into isolators or vsr's. BEP Marine or Yandina are a couple of manufacturers that make devices to handle your requirements, some come with with switches in a prepackaged unit at a reasonable price.
http://www.yandina.com/c100Info.htm is a link to a vsr that references additional battery banks.

Paul
jimh posted 08-11-2005 10:21 PM ET (US)
It is hard to generalize about the charging capacity of motors or how well they are provisioned to charge more than one battery at a time. Check the owner's manual of your Mercury motor for information about isolated battery charging outlets.
If there are not dual battery charging outlets available, then you will have to connect the batteries in parallel to charge them. My general feeling is that connecting batteries in parallel for charging is not optimum.
junerscuner posted 08-11-2005 10:56 PM ET (US)
I have a charging system you are looking for.It will charge the cranking battery first to 13 volts , then switch
to the tolling batteries.check out this site www.stealthcharging.com
Marsh posted 08-13-2005 02:44 PM ET (US)
Juner:
What a small world!!! The stealth charger company to which you reffered me is located less than 12 miles from where I live!!!
Wierd!

I'm going to check them out next week. Thanks for the tip.
Marsh

BTW, I'm a former Saints season ticket holder, Who-Dat!
Marsh
junerscuner posted 08-15-2005 03:22 PM ET (US)
Marsh when you go to stealth charging Talk to Nancy or Danny they are good people.Had a promblem this weekend,got boat back from 20 hr check had dead trolling battewries. Come to find out I had wired wrong.Danny walked me through the whole thing . Ithough I had a bad battery. Stealth Charging great customer service.
juner
where2 posted 08-18-2005 10:45 PM ET (US)
Stealth charging has great product too...
For over a year we have had one installed on our 25' BW Frontier at work to charge the 24v batteries that power the hydrographic depth finder (the depth finder uses 24v DC or 110v AC, and 24v DC is much easier to come by on the boat). We were worried about how to easily charge the 24v system without complicated switching when I stumbled across the Stealthcharging system. It works as advertised, it is user installable (if you follow the instructions), and as junerscuner notes their staff is quite helpful if you have questions.
I give it a thumbs UP.
jimh posted 08-26-2005 08:33 PM ET (US)
[Changed TOPIC as part of a general overhaul of TOPICs in this area.]

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Author	Topic: Charging Troller Motor Batteries While Underway
Marsh	posted 08-10-2005 08:14 PM ET (US) Is it possible, or advisable, to wire trolling motor batteries such that they receive a charge from the outboard engine's alternator while underway? Would this place an undue burden on the alternator, or put the main engine battery at risk? I have three batteries: two for the trolling motors and one main, and a 2005 Merc 115 4 stroke. Thanks, Marsh
Robob2003	posted 08-11-2005 02:56 PM ET (US) I did quite a bit of research before putting a Minn Kota Riptide on my Sakonnet. Everything I read on both battery and trolling motor websites seems to indicate that trolling batteries (deep cycle) should be charged soon after use to a full charge in order to insure a long life. It's also recommended that a separate charger be used. Have fun trolling, Bob on Tampa Bay
Cicada	posted 08-11-2005 09:56 PM ET (US) Marsh, It's possible and probably isn't much different than wiring a house battery. "Electrical" in the reference section is a good place to start. Also check the earlier threads here for an overview. If you need the power the power is there to use it. You need to make sure you isolate the batteries to protect the main. At that point you're getting into isolators or vsr's. BEP Marine or Yandina are a couple of manufacturers that make devices to handle your requirements, some come with with switches in a prepackaged unit at a reasonable price. http://www.yandina.com/c100Info.htm is a link to a vsr that references additional battery banks. Paul
jimh	posted 08-11-2005 10:21 PM ET (US) It is hard to generalize about the charging capacity of motors or how well they are provisioned to charge more than one battery at a time. Check the owner's manual of your Mercury motor for information about isolated battery charging outlets. If there are not dual battery charging outlets available, then you will have to connect the batteries in parallel to charge them. My general feeling is that connecting batteries in parallel for charging is not optimum.
junerscuner	posted 08-11-2005 10:56 PM ET (US) I have a charging system you are looking for.It will charge the cranking battery first to 13 volts , then switch to the tolling batteries.check out this site www.stealthcharging.com
Marsh	posted 08-13-2005 02:44 PM ET (US) Juner: What a small world!!! The stealth charger company to which you reffered me is located less than 12 miles from where I live!!! Wierd! I'm going to check them out next week. Thanks for the tip. Marsh BTW, I'm a former Saints season ticket holder, Who-Dat! Marsh
junerscuner	posted 08-15-2005 03:22 PM ET (US) Marsh when you go to stealth charging Talk to Nancy or Danny they are good people.Had a promblem this weekend,got boat back from 20 hr check had dead trolling battewries. Come to find out I had wired wrong.Danny walked me through the whole thing . Ithough I had a bad battery. Stealth Charging great customer service. juner
where2	posted 08-18-2005 10:45 PM ET (US) Stealth charging has great product too... For over a year we have had one installed on our 25' BW Frontier at work to charge the 24v batteries that power the hydrographic depth finder (the depth finder uses 24v DC or 110v AC, and 24v DC is much easier to come by on the boat). We were worried about how to easily charge the 24v system without complicated switching when I stumbled across the Stealthcharging system. It works as advertised, it is user installable (if you follow the instructions), and as junerscuner notes their staff is quite helpful if you have questions. I give it a thumbs UP.
jimh	posted 08-26-2005 08:33 PM ET (US) [Changed TOPIC as part of a general overhaul of TOPICs in this area.]