trolling motor battery placement

[Markv]

Hi All,

I'm planning on installing a Minn Kota Terrova Trolling motor on my 22LSR. Going with a port side bow mount, like some have done. Sounds like Spot Lock works fine in this mounting configuration based on other people's experiences. Question I have is around battery placement. My boat is a quad lounger, and my dual batteries for the starter and stereo are in the corner of the quad bench behind the driver seat. The weight of those and the driver on one side does cause a slight lean that balances out when my wife sits on the other side. I'm worried about the placement of another 150lbs from the dual 12v batteries the trolling motor needs.

The easiest option is to have them placed in the front corner seat on the port(left) side of the boat. But that's a permanent addition of 150lbs of weight up there. Might help balance out the other battery weight, since they are in opposite corners. Other option, which would cost more, is to place them in the rear port stern quad bench(opposite the house/starter batteries). That would keep the weight in the back but add install complexity.

Where did you guys put your batteries for the trolling motor. For those that put them in the front, how is that working out? For those of you with side mounted trolling motors, any regrets?

 

[Remediation]

I went with lithium batteries this year. The battery is 50% as heavy and 200% more powerful. Ours are in the battery compartment on the starboard side at the front fence and never had a balance problem. I would want the cable run as short as possible.

 

[Potomacbassin’]

Weight aside, charging is also another consideration at least for.

If I ever get around to installing it my plan was to have them (or one lithium) at the bow seating since I slip the boat bow first and closest to the shore power. For charging-on-the-run the plan is for a Yandina product to interface with my ACR so the engine alternator will charge the trolling batteries once the cranking and house batteries have sufficient charge. Going to be a bit of wiring spaghetti.

 

[lakeliving]

All 4 of my batteries are under my lounger in the back. It’s a sslx model with the wide lounge so it’s not totally all to one side.

 

[Rssuttle]

2021 SSX with terrova trolling motor. I use a 60ah Dakota lithium battery only 16lbs and installed under front seat by the entrance. It’s portable in Minn kota box and fits perfectly. I mounted the Minn Kota on the front bow and use it when fishing mainly but normally leave it off when taking friends and family. I mounted the Bluetooth puck out of the way of foot traffic on front platform. Good luck with your project

 

[Markv]

2021 SSX with terrova trolling motor. I use a 60ah Dakota lithium battery only 16lbs and installed under front seat by the entrance. It’s portable in Minn kota box and fits perfectly. I mounted the Minn Kota on the front bow and use it when fishing mainly but normally leave it off when taking friends and family. I mounted the Bluetooth puck out of the way of foot traffic on front platform. Good luck with your project

How many hours do you get out of that 60ah? I noticed they make 24v batteries up to 60ah, which is appealing. Instead of charging at the marina slip, I could take it home and charge it. It's light enough to carry too. I'm not too excited about having two 70lb batteries taking up storage space and adding weight, especially during the summer months when the boat will be used mostly for family cruising and anchoring.

 

[Economy Mike]

I currently have a couple of lead acid trolling batteries up front although I see a lot of bass boats with them in the rear, so there must not be too much deterioration over the cable run to their bow-mounted trolling motors. I have also been looking at the LiFeP04 lithiums in 12 and 24 volt models for weight reduction, longer life, etc. and have seen both in 100ah and greater, but have read where subjecting them to winter temps can damage them. I could take them out for the winter but that's when the fish would really start biting, right? Still trying to decide.

 

[Markv]

I currently have a couple of lead acid trolling batteries up front although I see a lot of bass boats with them in the rear, so there must not be too much deterioration over the cable run to their bow-mounted trolling motors. I have also been looking at the LiFeP04 lithiums in 12 and 24 volt models for weight reduction, longer life, etc. and have seen both in 100ah and greater, but have read where subjecting them to winter temps can damage them. I could take them out for the winter but that's when the fish would really start biting, right? Still trying to decide.

I think Minn Kota recommends upping the guage from 8 to 6 if running 24v batteries from the back of the boat. I'm thinking of trying out a 24v lithium 60ah battery in a DIY battery box with handle, that I could carry to/from boat and charge at home. That would alleviate the cold charging issue, and I could keep a better eye on it(lithium swelling and fires scare me). I don't deal with strong currents, just some windy days on the lake. I'm guessing I could get by with a single 60ah 24v, which weighs around 30lbs. Not a big deal to carry to the dock when I wanna fish.

 

[Rssuttle]

How many hours do you get out of that 60ah? I noticed they make 24v batteries up to 60ah, which is appealing. Instead of charging at the marina slip, I could take it home and charge it. It's light enough to carry too. I'm not too excited about having two 70lb batteries taking up storage space and adding weight, especially during the summer months when the boat will be used mostly for family cruising and anchoring.

I went with lithium batteries this year. The battery is 50% as heavy and 200% more powerful. Ours are in the battery compartment on the starboard side at the front fence and never had a balance problem. I would want the cable run as short as possible.

I talked to someone at Dakota before I bought my battery. You should call them and ask if it will work. I’ve used my 12v terrova on and off all day. Never ran out of power but I’m not running it all day long. According to what I read on the 24v terrova at 30%-40% your about 6-7 amp hours which would translate into about 10hrs constant use. Someone mentioned cold weather and I looked it up. -20 and up so cold isn’t an issue. I wouldn’t buy anything but lithium personally. The lithium battery will run full power output until it quits. Your other deep cycles run at 85% and slowly keep getting less power until it crawls. Lithium is by far the better choice either installing it or using it portable like I’ve done.

 

[tinkertoy]

Hi All,

I'm planning on installing a Minn Kota Terrova Trolling motor on my 22LSR. Going with a port side bow mount, like some have done. Sounds like Spot Lock works fine in this mounting configuration based on other people's experiences. Question I have is around battery placement. My boat is a quad lounger, and my dual batteries for the starter and stereo are in the corner of the quad bench behind the driver seat. The weight of those and the driver on one side does cause a slight lean that balances out when my wife sits on the other side. I'm worried about the placement of another 150lbs from the dual 12v batteries the trolling motor needs.

The easiest option is to have them placed in the front corner seat on the port(left) side of the boat. But that's a permanent addition of 150lbs of weight up there. Might help balance out the other battery weight, since they are in opposite corners. Other option, which would cost more, is to place them in the rear port stern quad bench(opposite the house/starter batteries). That would keep the weight in the back but add install complexity.

Where did you guys put your batteries for the trolling motor. For those that put them in the front, how is that working out? For those of you with side mounted trolling motors, any regrets?

I like my setup:

 

[chris288]

hey guys, we have a 23L been looking at a terrova or ulterra, will a 55lb motor work with my toon ?

 

[Potomacbassin’]

Depends on what you're trying to do? A 55lb 12v isn't going to hold you very well in high winds or current, but if it's just for occasional repositioning you should be fine. Just verify your shaft length and that the motor will be adequately submerged for both normal running and pitching waves.

I'm personally going to try and install a 100+ lb thrust as I do a lot of tidal fishing.

Ulterra might cause problems on occasion with the auto deploy, but supposedly MK has worked out those problems. The newer Ulterra Quest model looks to completely change the design and looks sweet, but very pricey. No 55lb option.

A Terrova doesn't have auto deploy but will be more reliable and cost significantly less.

 

[chris288]

thanks, mostly interested in spot lock, jogging around @ locations and fishing shorelines on our local lake, it tends to get windy, i usually start up wind and drift the shoreline bass fishing. dont like the idea of constantly starting and stopping my 250sho all day long. small movements within an area and staying on a spot with spot lock.

 

[Potomacbassin’]

I considered getting power poles because at least here on the Potomac we fish large milfoil beds, so you can literally stay in one 50x50yd area all day and sack em. But more recently I've been fishing main river areas that all less "fields" of grass and more long, narrow patches so I need to move quite a bit.

I also do catfishing and striper fishing in the colder months so spot lock would be a lot better for my back than pulling up a 10lb anchor in 50ft of water all day.

In your situation, money being no object I'd get the Ulterra Quest 24v, with lithium batts. Shaft length could materially impact how much bow area you lose when stowed so I'd measure it all out and go with the least length necessary without cavitating the prop.

I'm not sure how much longer I'll keep my current boat so a smaller investment (Terrova) and lead acid batts are probably in my future.

 

[chris288]

I fish on candlewood lake I'm CT. they killed all the weeds and introduced grass carp. the fishing has deteriorated badly, I fish miles of shoreline and have mostly played the wind drift game, but constantly starting and stopping the outboard all summer is not ideal. I'd love it if a single 12v 55lb with a lipo battery would be sufficient.

 

[Potomacbassin’]

If you get waves and current like Champlain you might want to consider a 24v setup, just for the fact that the motor won't work as hard and you should get a little more trolling time out there. Pontoons are giant sails out there and if you spot lock and wind is stiff it's going to drain that battery quicker so the better efficiency of the 24v could be meaningful. Also the newer brushless TMs will be much more efficient than brushed but there is a cost premium to deal with.

 

[Compromise2]

I have a 24v Terrova mounted on a Toon Troll mount front and center. The batteries and onboard charger are located in port side seat storage. The weight up front is a real issue for us. No issues if just the 2 of us but when entertaining or fishing with a group, the captain needs to be carefull not to nose dive boat because people always gravitate to front seats.

We are on a 2,000 acre northern Wisconsin Lake, so big waves are not a problem but coming off plan or running into wake boats can be interesting. I also believe if we invested in tritoon, things would be a lot different. Either way, I will be switching to single 24v 60ah battery this year.