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Posts: 385
| I'm in the market for some new deep cycle batteries for the boat. I had my heart set on the Trojans until I saw the AGM31s cost around 200 bucks a piece. Any other good maintenance free batteries out there? I get tired of checking waterlevels on the flooded cell batteries.
Thanks |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Believe it or not, the Wal-Mart brand Everstart are excellent batteries for the buy! Plus, if something happens to them when your on a trip or just have a problem with them, all you have to do is take the bettery back and they will exchange you for a brand new on the spot, no questions asked! Don't get me wrong, Trojans and Optimas are great but why buy something for that price when these batteries will do all you need and MORE! |
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| Fleet Farm batteries are great, in my experience. I just picked up a maintenance-free starting battery there and love it, especially for the price. I didn't check for a maintenance-free deep cycle, but I would bet they've got those as well. I use the regular (water) deep cycles on my winter boat and they work great. |
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Posts: 743
| Matt, call your local Gander Mountain...they can order those trojans for you...and if you can wait one or two weeks, you dont have to pay shipping. they will just add your order to thier next order!!! and your big heavey batteries will come on thier next shipment!
Gander charges $150 each..so $300 for two of them.. Better than $400!!
Gander IS the hook up on expensive Trojan batteries for sure!
tomcat
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | I would not suggest an everstart battery. The first one I bought leaked acid all over the carpet in my boat when I set it down. It also wrecked my jacket and a pair of pants. I got a replacement and it lasted 5 months. What a deal. My jeep came w/ one in it and when it died it could not even be jumped.
Thats what happens when you buy the cheapest you can get I guess. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Schuler, it all depends on what model you get! I didnt mean the cheapest battery they make. But then again this arguement is no different than an arguement about what outboard motor is the best. I know plenty of people that have used these batteries with total success, including myself, everyone has there opinions. It's all about your preference and what you like. Just remember, replacing Trojan or Optimas won't be as easy and as quick if something goes wrong. Just my .02.
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Posts: 401
| Hey Matt.
I buy the cheap ones. I am sick of paying big money for batteries that still die like the cheap ones. I just buy new ones every year and then I do not have to worry.
I was told by the owner of a local battery store that batteries are not made to take the pounding they get when fishing big water. If I fished small lakes I might think about spending more but I fish Leech and Mille Lacs to much.
Just my two cents.
Keith
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | I bought the Wal-Mart Everstart batteries and used them very hard for 4 years, fishing a lot of big water like Mille Lacs and Leech. They performed great, no problem at all. My next set of batteries were Trojans. Again, they've performed great. But the next time I buy batteries I'm sure I'll be going back to the Everstart. I haven't noticed a difference in performance between the two. The only difference I've noticed is the price tag.
Aaron
Edited by AWH 11/29/2006 4:55 AM
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Posts: 385
| Very interesting comment from guys. Keep them coming. My whole thing is finding a good maint. free battery. Any of the forementioned brands make a closed cell battery?
Tom, thanks for the info. about Gander Mtn. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Matt, I believe all these batteries that have been mentioned here all maintence free. |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | If you can find Dekka Marine Masters, get em'!! They are cheap and worked awesome for me for 4 years of pounding. I now am running Walmart Everstarts. I bought them this spring, and just replaced one of them due to a bad cell. They replaced it for no charge, and no questions asked, but it makes me skeptical of the quality, and worries me as I like to take long trips with no Walmarts in sight... |
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Posts: 5874
| If you are around Milwaukee, look for Remy Battery. They sell batteries made by Johnson Controls, and they are a great value. I've been using them since the 80's, and I always got at least 4 years out of them. They also usually have Optima batteries. Last pair I bought was Trojans from Gander. They seemed to have plenty of reserve. Can't tell you how long they lasted is that boat was sold, and the batteries were only a year old. |
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| Cheapest place that I found for the Trojan battery was Batteries plus here in MN. |
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Posts: 385
| I found also that Batteries Plus has the best price on them around me. I found a good deal on the Deka batteries as well. I might give them a try. Thanks |
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Posts: 676
Location: Wisconsin | I have the Cabelas AGM batteries on my boat and they are excellent. I did some research and they have the highest amp hours and cranking amps of any of the batteries on the market. I am not sure who makes them (I think Trojan), but I looked at all the battery manufacturers and these were the best for the buck. I like them for the cold weather operation and I run alot of accessories on my boat and needed some heavy duty bats. Good fishing! |
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Posts: 58
| I have been running Delco Voyagers for ages. The ones on my boat right now are 6 years old and going strong, and I fish often, hard and long. The biggest key to a long deep cycle battery life is a proper charging cycle. I use Minn Kotas smart chargers. |
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Posts: 1438
| FYI
Everstart and the Farm and Fleet batteries are made by the same company....Johnson Controls. Same as Remy Battery apparently. Interesting. If that's what you're looking for it would come down to price. Farm and Fleet will match price from WalMart, they did for me. I've run mine two summers now and absolutely no problems. Guest charger on mine.
October of '05 the 29's were about 70 a piece.
Edited by theedz155 12/16/2006 5:50 AM
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Posts: 20211
Location: oswego, il | Battery Service Corp in Bensenville has Trojans and their own line of batteries as well as optima. I bought one from their own line and it held up well and I sold it with my old boat and it went another season afte that. I bought from them after going through two neverstarts and my buddy did two in the same year. Farm and Fleet batteries are the same as I found out after buying one from them. So far so good on that battery but it has not yet had a ton of use. I will keep my fingers crossed. |
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