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Topic: Battery Power on Your Pontoon

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TxToon
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Posted: 09/01/2009 at 11:02am \| IP Logged

Hello Everyone...

I have bracket locations for 3 batteries on my Pontoon. The 2 positions near the engine are (I assume) for the motor battery and I assume a backup battery (empty currently). The other battery is under the drivers seat and powers accessories, radio, a small icebox, other items that may be plugged into the 12 V plug ins, etc.

I'd like to get your opinion on the following:

1. I want to put in the third battery just to have a backup for the Honda 225 4 Stroke. However, the electrical harness only cuts the power on and off to the one battery for the motor and I have seen other boats that have a switch to change from battery 1 to battery 2 and charge both when running. The battery under the seat is charged at the slip via 110 AC.

2. Do they make a harness that would allow switching back and forth between all 3 batteries? So that the other two are charging while one is running?

3. Should I keep the accessory battery completely separate from the other two batteries if I put in a different wiring harness to allow to switch from battery 1 to battery 2 (or possibly battery 3)? Or should I try to put all 3 on a wiring harness and do they even make one for all 3 batteries?

4. What kind of battery would you guys recommend for the motor and the accessory? I have no idea how old these batteries are in the boat and just want to make sure that I have some good cranking power when I'm 10 miles away from the boat slip.

5. I have noticed that the accessory battery loses power sometimes after a couple of hours playing the radio. Just wonder if there is a way to charge this battery while driving the boat from location to location.

Anyway, lots of questions and I am not very handy with matter such as this.. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Any suggestions or matters that I have stated incorrectly above, please correct. I have thick skin and I am trying to learn.

Thanks!

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David
Allen, Tx
Iraq War Veteran, Tikrit 2004
Lake Texoma
Covered Boat Slip with Hydrohoist Lift
2003 Premier BoundryWaters 270
Tri-Toon
225 Honda 4 Stroke

Wildcat Dude
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Posted: 09/01/2009 at 11:32am \| IP Logged

I have 3 batteries on my boat, and I have this setup http://www.ezacdc.com/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=112. That's just for the starting battery and accessory battery. Nothing but the motor is on the starting battery and the VSR doesn't allow the starting battery to drain below a safe starting point. Once the motor is running again and starting battery reaches a certain charge point, then it'll begin to throw juice at the accessory battery. My 3rd battery is just for the trolling motor and it gets charged whenever I put in the onboard charger. Next year I may decide to put in a 4th battery just to operate the electric anchors as they do take a lot of juice. That EZACDC web site is part of PontoonStuff websites. I also did my wiring a little different in which I installed two distribution lugs (buss bars) http://www.ezacdc.com/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=124 one for power, one for ground under the console, with 14ft of 4ga wire coming from the rear seats area (accessory buss bar) to make my wiring of grounds/power a little easier for me.

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Charles - Smyrna, TN
93 Voyager 20ft
1984 Johnson 115HP
68-77 USAF SP-K9
Vietnam - DaNang 69, Tuy Hoa 70
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TxToon
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Posted: 09/01/2009 at 1:16pm \| IP Logged

Thanks Wildcat...

Can you recommend good quality batteries?

Best regards

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David
Allen, Tx
Iraq War Veteran, Tikrit 2004
Lake Texoma
Covered Boat Slip with Hydrohoist Lift
2003 Premier BoundryWaters 270
Tri-Toon
225 Honda 4 Stroke

Wildcat Dude
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Posted: 09/01/2009 at 1:27pm \| IP Logged

I've heard good stuff about Optima batteries, but I tend to be a cheapie and just go to wally world and get my marine batteries there for a 1/4 of the price. Now if I was to ever get a brand new 4 stroke then I'd get one of those.

Edited by Wildcat Dude on 09/01/2009 at 1:28pm

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Charles - Smyrna, TN
93 Voyager 20ft
1984 Johnson 115HP
68-77 USAF SP-K9
Vietnam - DaNang 69, Tuy Hoa 70
Retired Police Detective 94
www.EZACDC.com
www.backtoboating.com
www.boatingseats.com

rickdb1
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Posted: 09/01/2009 at 2:02pm \| IP Logged

I agree with WCD. While the Optima batteries may be good, the standard wet cell lead acid marine batteries are a good deal with a proven track record. There's no proof anywhere I have seen that says an Optima will last longer than any other battery, so my money is on the less expensive ones. I've used Walmart batteries for years and never had one give out unless it was my fault and I left something on overnight and killed it. Good thing about Walmart is that they are almost everywhere and usually never question returns. Just make sure that you get one with the highest cranking amps your wallet can afford or at the very least, one that exceeds the minimum recommended cranking amps for your motor.

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Rick

2007 Bentley 200 Cruise
Merc 90 HP 4 stroke
St. Louis, Mo.

VaGent
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Posted: 09/01/2009 at 3:06pm \| IP Logged

I've personally had 2 Optima batteries that went bad after 9 months use. NEW they cost me $159.99 PLUS tax each. They tried to tell me it was because my alternator wasn't working right. YEAH RIGHT!!

After I showed them the receipts were I had bought the alternators from THEM 2 days after buying the batteries they decided that yeah just maybe the Optima batteries WERE bad after all. I've heard several other people talk about the Optimas NOT holding up lately as well. Anyway what Rick stated above I agree 100% with. I was TOLD when I bought the Optima batteries I would NEVER have to buy another battery ever. Well guess what? They LIED.

I have two Interstate batteries I am using in my trucks & one is over 6 yrs old & the other is maybe 4 yrs old & I have never once had either one of them to fail me yet. And I am still using the orginal alternators that came on them. NOT saying Optimas aren't good batteries but from my personal experience they are no better then the ones from Wally World, NAPA or anywhere else. But they sure do COST a lot more. I'll stick with the old tried & TRUE batteries myself.

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Les
1986 Rivera Cruiser 24ft
1987 Johnson 70hp VRO w/T&T
Virginia
Boating, fishing & camping

TxToon
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Posted: 09/01/2009 at 5:00pm \| IP Logged

Thanks Guys! I appreciate the insight.

Best regards

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David
Allen, Tx
Iraq War Veteran, Tikrit 2004
Lake Texoma
Covered Boat Slip with Hydrohoist Lift
2003 Premier BoundryWaters 270
Tri-Toon
225 Honda 4 Stroke

briankinley2004
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Posted: 09/01/2009 at 8:44pm \| IP Logged

I have had good luck with the Interstate Deep Cycle batteries both in my boats and RV's. Seems like they last several years on average.

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89 Tracker Party Hut rebuilt & modified for 2009
115HP Mercury Opti-Max
"Guns don't kill people the government does"--Rusty Shackleford

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Franman
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Posted: 10/28/2009 at 5:07pm \| IP Logged

I found a marine starting battery with 1000 cca for $100.00 at Autozone this fall. So far so good, for the money it looks like a great deal.

Franman
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Posted: 10/29/2009 at 9:38pm \| IP Logged

Sorry, make that Advance Auto parts.

tsfelt
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Posted: 11/03/2009 at 6:42pm \| IP Logged

Hey Folks,

Just a thought regarding Optima batteries. I formerly worked for Johnson Controls Inc., and for those that don't know it (I didn't until I started working there) JCI is the worlds leading manufacturer of batteries...all types. Optima batteries have the exact same design and technology as any other type of battery, including those sold at Walmart, Autozone, Advance Auto Parts, and dang near everywhere else.

They simply repackaged the internals into the cool 'six-pack' shape they have, but are identical in every other way. I guess it just shows that packaging is half the sale.....

As far as I know, Interstate batteries are the only U.S manufacturer of batteries, but when it comes down to it....all the technology is the same.

Oh, as an aside....Johnson controls also manufactured the interior of your car....regardless of the make or model. That includes headliners, door panels, dashboards, seats, and trim pieces.

The strange thing is, I do HVAC (Heating & air controls), and they are pretty big in that dept. also. I never realized that the HVAC business is just a small part of JCI.

Tim

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briankinley2004
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Posted: 11/03/2009 at 8:20pm \| IP Logged

Thanks for the info Tim. I am in construction and thought Johnson Controls was strictly HVAC. Interesting information.

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89 Tracker Party Hut rebuilt & modified for 2009
115HP Mercury Opti-Max
"Guns don't kill people the government does"--Rusty Shackleford

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