What do you recommend?

[BobT]

I know this has been discussed before and I must admit that I didn't search real hard but maybe it would be good to talk about it again anyway.

I will be taking a weeklong fishing trip this spring and I am in the market for a second deep cycle battery for my boat just to make sure I have adequate power for the trip. I currently use a 105AH Stowaway and it works great. I could go with another one just like it but I have been hearing there are other battery types that might be even better such as gel cells or whatever.

Given the choice what would you guys/gals choose?

Thanks,

Bob

Edit: Thought I'd mention that I do not plan on connecting them together. My plan is to use one and then switch to the other when it gets low on power. I don't like to hook batteries in parallel because if one is week, it drains the other.

[Northlander]

I have always had good luck with Interstate batteries.

[Tom7227]

If you're going to a place that has 12 volt power and a solar panel you could rig up connections to that panel with a few feet of wire and some alligator clips. I've done it for my CPap rig when it slows down about Tuesday or Thursday of a week at a remote camp. It also works for the gel cells you may have in your depth finder.

[BobT]

Recharging at the end of the day won't be a problem.

I'm more concerned about having enough power to last through the day once on the water if I happen to use my bowmount a lot. Since posting this I have been doing a little net searching and it seems that the gel filled, spiral cell, sealed batteries, such as the Optima are about the best option but man they are expensive! I could buy three 105AH wet cells for what one of them costs and they only seem to come in 75AH at best.

Bob

[Coach1310]

Optimax

[Whoaru99]

Personally, I'd stick with the Stowaways or other conventional or AGMs.

Given the many years of life I've gotten from my "normal" batteries, I can't see how the much higher price of Optima, et al, are justified - because I seriously doubt they'll last price-proportionally longer.

[shamrock7]

We sell batteries and have not had good luck with the gel batteries. And since there is actually only about 2 main battery manufacturers, the actual brand of the battery doesn't make that much difference. Guarantee and post sale service should be your determining factors.

You really should try connecting your batteries. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised how your motor will perform. That drop in performance that you get as the battery voltage drops takes alot longer to effect you fishing.

[Superduty]

Trojans. Not cheap but worth it IMO.

[Hookmaster]

I bought some Cabela gels in 2000 and will be replacing them this spring. They were made by Exide then. I don't know who makes them now but I know they are cheaper than Optimas. I don't think the gels last longer per charge since that is dependent on the amp hour rating. But they last longer in terms of life span. In your case I would get a wet cell.