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Posts: 106
| I have a 24 volt trolling motor. I want to buy a onboard charger for the boat. I know I need 2 banks for the trolling motor battery. My question is should I buy a 3 bank and run the third one to the starting battery to. just wondering what everybody is doing. are you running a charger just to your trolling motor batteries or are you running a charger to all three? |
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Posts: 633
Location: Madison, WI | Get the 3. Plug in at the end of the day and never worry about if the main motor will start in a the morning |
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Posts: 410
Location: With my son on the water | I agree with Dan, if the three bank fits and you are able to run the wires easily get the three bank as it will ensure your starting battery is being taken care of. But if a three doesn't fit or you can't afford it you can pick up a battery tender that you could hook up at your starting battery for about $20 right now at Fleet Farm. So you have a few options.
It is almost the season  |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | moondog - 3/6/2016 11:46 AM
I have a 24 volt trolling motor. I want to buy a onboard charger for the boat. I know I need 2 banks for the trolling motor battery. My question is should I buy a 3 bank and run the third one to the starting battery to. just wondering what everybody is doing. are you running a charger just to your trolling motor batteries or are you running a charger to all three?
Yes, 3. |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Three. If they made a five-bank, I'd get it. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | there was a question on the 3 ... if one of the batteries is further away and the leads won't reach it, how do you deal with that. I think that was the case on one of my boats but can't remember, but splicing to a more distant battery is common and ok, correct? hopefully someone with more knowledge than me will answer this for the OP |
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Posts: 228
Location: Tinley Park, IL | Is there a problem of the big engine not putting enough charge back in the starting battery? Assume you are using your electronics all day. This is something I might want to address since my starting battery is in the stern and my TM batteries are in the bow. I do hit some HP-restricted lakes and electric-only lakes where I'll never fire up the big motor. Glad this topic came up. |
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Posts: 443
Location: Duluth, MN | I don't think i charged my starting battery once last year. But i run my electronics on their own battery. So yes a 3 bank...2 for trolling motor and 1 for the electronics battery. |
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Posts: 1168
| Definitely get the 3 bank. I have that on my boat and I also installed one of those Minn-Kota DC alternators to go along with it. Pretty slick set up and last year I think I only plugged my charger in once or twice all season. |
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Posts: 410
Location: With my son on the water | I agree 100% a three bank is the way to go if you can. However when I got my boat I placed the charger in the compartment for the 3rd battery in my Tuffy. The starting battery is in the back end of the boat and the cables would not reach. I am a very handy guy so I thought about cutting the cables and soldering extensions on. But then I checked with Minn Kota and they told me if I cut the cables the warranty on the charger would be void. (Really) But I said what the heck do it anyway, but then I priced what marine wire would cost and I was able to go to Fleer Farm and purchase a battery tender for less than the cost of the (wire, liquid tape, & heat shrink) So I accomplished what I needed to do.
I love this weather, |
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Posts: 1144
Location: Minnesota. | btfish - 3/8/2016 5:16 PM
I agree 100% a three bank is the way to go if you can. However when I got my boat I placed the charger in the compartment for the 3rd battery in my Tuffy. The starting battery is in the back end of the boat and the cables would not reach. I am a very handy guy so I thought about cutting the cables and soldering extensions on. But then I checked with Minn Kota and they told me if I cut the cables the warranty on the charger would be void. (Really) But I said what the heck do it anyway, but then I priced what marine wire would cost and I was able to go to Fleer Farm and purchase a battery tender for less than the cost of the (wire, liquid tape, & heat shrink) So I accomplished what I needed to do.
I love this weather, :)
Love it when it all comes together!!
To the O.P. -- hands down, get the 3 bank! |
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| Minnkota sells 16 ft cable extensions; don't know if they void your warranty:
http://www.minnkotamotors.com/Products/MK-EC-15-CHARGER-OUTPUT-EXTE... |
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Posts: 1716
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | Jeremy - 3/8/2016 5:30 PM
btfish - 3/8/2016 5:16 PM
I agree 100% a three bank is the way to go if you can. However when I got my boat I placed the charger in the compartment for the 3rd battery in my Tuffy. The starting battery is in the back end of the boat and the cables would not reach. I am a very handy guy so I thought about cutting the cables and soldering extensions on. But then I checked with Minn Kota and they told me if I cut the cables the warranty on the charger would be void. (Really) But I said what the heck do it anyway, but then I priced what marine wire would cost and I was able to go to Fleer Farm and purchase a battery tender for less than the cost of the (wire, liquid tape, & heat shrink) So I accomplished what I needed to do.
I love this weather, :)
The manual that came with mine said the warranty was void if you cut it behind the strain relief, but you could extend up to 15ft without warranty issues.
To the O.P. -- hands down, get the 3 bank! |
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Posts: 100
| esoxfly - 3/8/2016 12:20 AM
Three. If they made a five-bank, I'd get it.
Same here.
I run a 36 volt trolling motor and charge the main battery as well.
I'll be installing a 5th battery and a one bank Minn Kota charger over the weekend so I can separate my electronics battery and my starting battery.
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Posts: 100
| btfish - 3/8/2016 5:16 PM
I agree 100% a three bank is the way to go if you can. However when I got my boat I placed the charger in the compartment for the 3rd battery in my Tuffy. The starting battery is in the back end of the boat and the cables would not reach. I am a very handy guy so I thought about cutting the cables and soldering extensions on. But then I checked with Minn Kota and they told me if I cut the cables the warranty on the charger would be void. (Really) But I said what the heck do it anyway, but then I priced what marine wire would cost and I was able to go to Fleer Farm and purchase a battery tender for less than the cost of the (wire, liquid tape, & heat shrink) So I accomplished what I needed to do.
I love this weather, :)
I believe whoever you talked to at Minn Kota was misinformed. My 4 bank came with instructions on what to do if the batteries were further away than the wires reached - the important part was making sure the original ends and fuses were close the batteries. |
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | danmuskyman - 3/6/2016 2:11 PM
Get the 3. Plug in at the end of the day and never worry about if the main motor will start in a the morning
YEP! |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | jonnysled - 3/8/2016 7:30 AM
there was a question on the 3 ... if one of the batteries is further away and the leads won't reach it, how do you deal with that. I think that was the case on one of my boats but can't remember, but splicing to a more distant battery is common and ok, correct? hopefully someone with more knowledge than me will answer this for the OP
I'm still running the charger you installed. I've got two batteries in the back now and I spliced in heavy guage wire, and wired those two in parallel to charge them both off the charger in the console; which has the first three banks gong to the three TM batteries in there. |
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2 or 3 bank onboard charger