Mobile battery charger

[mpriest]

I have a bass boat that we take to Lake Powell several times a year. It runs off two marine batteries. The main battery is wired to the 135 Mercury two stroke outboard to be charged when running. The second battery is for our trolling motor and is not connected to any charger. We usually spend 3-5 days on the water camping up lake and our trolling motor battery dies the first day leaving us with out it. Does anyone have any suggestions on a portable battery charger that will help maintain the charge? Possibly a solar one? Wiring the two together is out of the question as I don't want to drain the main battery be stuck out there. Any advice would be great.

[bigorange]

There are some small solar chargers designed for travel trailers that is think should work fine. Sorry I don't have a specific one to recommend but they're out there.

[yotebuster]

Solar will help but it won't keep up with the drain on it while you're fishing all day. I would look into getting a solar charger and atleast one if not two extra batteries to charge while fishing. Be aware that a solar charger won't bring a battery back from completely dead so you will have to rotate them before they are dead. Another option would be a small inverter generator to leave at camp to charge another battery while you're out fishin. This would probably be a little more expensive but would definitely work and also have other applications during hunting trips etc.

[CouesPursuit]

I recommend a couple different battery options to increase your on-board capacity if your boat has room for them.

 

Get another 12v or even 2 more 12v deep cycles and wire them up in a parallel sequence. This is in addition to and separate from the main 12v that runs the boat and appliances.

 

Another option is to get the full size 6v batteries that are used in golf carts, wire two of them in a series sequence to make 12v.

 

Agreeing with Yotebuster, solar trickle chargers aren't going to cut it unless they are topping off an already decently charged battery and they can sit on the charger all day back at camp while not being used. I wouldn't want to leave a generator back at camp, especially one that's running, just me.

[Str8Shot]

Here you go ... http://www.amazon.com/MinnKota-MK-3-DC-Triple-Alternator-Charger/dp/B001PTHKK8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459958902&sr=8-2&keywords=marine+dc+charger#Ask

They also make a 2 bank for a little less ... If you run with your outboard enough between trolling spots it will keep them up around 100% ...

 

As coues32 said I would get a second battery for trolling as well.... We also carry on the boat with us a Noco jump pack, just incase for emergency starting of outboard.

[PRDATR]

Don't you have a portable generator and charger you can take?

[mpriest]

At banks for the input guys. The inverter from Str8shot seems like the best option coupled with a second battery. We usually go up with three guys and don't really have space for a generator and extra gas for it with our camping gear. We're already packing light with the weight limit on the boat.

[trphyhntr]

I've used a solar charger and it worked on my hunt last year

[longshooter]

Take a look at optima blue top gel batteries. I've gone 2-3 days on a single charge before.

[mpriest]

Take a look at optima blue top gel batteries. I've gone 2-3 days on a single charge before.

I'll look into them. The battery I have is still good so I'll check them out when I need a replacement

[Str8Shot]

Optima Batteries are good But The only thing that really matters is the Reserve capacity of the Deep Cycle , The Draw of you Trolling Motor and How you are using your trolling Motor ... If you are trolling a lot and dealing with waves and wind an Optima will drain just as quick as Other deep cycles. The main things to think about ...

 

Make sure you use Marine batteries ... Built to take the vibrations and abuse of running a rough lake.

Two Deep Cycles For those who Troll a Lot with separate Starting Battery

Good Trolling Motor 12/24 or 24 volt Newer digital Trolling motors are way more efficient and get you more out of your batteries

DC alternator Charging system So running your Outboard keeps all batteries charging and topped off

Maintaining and charging At home and off the lake via traditional charging ( an on-board AC charging system makes this easier as well)

A good Emergency Jump pack ( just in case )

[dmoto]

Any thoughts on upgrading your trolling motor batteries? We had similar situations when a group of us would do a cast and blast up near Long Lake years' back. We'd be there fishing and duck hunting for a few days and never had an issue. Didn't bring a generator, but did use a 15W solar charger at the end of the day to top off the trolling batteries. My setup for the trolling motor/batteries were two Deka Intimidator AGM group 37's run in parallel to power a 12V Minn Kota 55# trolling motor. Windy as heck up at Long in the fall, so I was on the trolling motor all day. Got done fishing in the afternoon and hooked up the solar charger. Worked great.

 

If you're fishing for longer periods of time, I would suggest keeping the solar charger on the troller batteries while fishing. But definitely think about upgrading to an AGM battery (or batteries in parallel) for the trolling motor. They last much longer than a standard wet-cell deep cycle. Granted some AGM's can work for a starter battery too, but you have to ensure the CCA's are large enough to turn over the outboard. Deka AGM's can also be used as a starting battery. I've used them for starting batteries as well as trolling motor batteries in my old tri-hull with a 50HP Johnson and also currently in my Champ 181 with a 150 Evinrude.