Trolling Motor Battery ?

[NJBassin]

I have a small 10ft. plastic bass boat. The trolling motor and battery are about 2-3 years old, but I can only get about 1 hr. on the water before the battery goes dead, even after charging the battery all night. The charger sparks when I tough the leads together, so I do not think its the charger, but it seems awfully soon for the motor or battery to be dead. So i was wondering if you guys have any tips for checking what is wrong or have any ideas about what it could be.

If it is the battery, do you guys have any suggestions on a good and preferably cheap battery?

Thanks

[halibaitor]

My firsts guess is that the battery you are using isn't a Marine battery. Regular car batteries are cheaper, but you sure don't save money by using them. The problem arises when the battery is discharged.

The Marine batteries are made a little different. They will go through a deep discharge with no damage. When you do that with a normal car battery it is damaged. After a few deep discharge cycles, the battery life gets really short...

Sorry to tell you, but there is no such thing as a "good cheap" marine battery.

[drinva]

For what you're using it for, go to Wal-Mart and get the big yellow MAXX deep cycle battery: $68 I believe it's a 29 series? I've had one a few years and it's done very well for the cost.

Couple things about deep cycle batterys: try not to run them completely dead, charge them with at LEAST a 10amp charger quickly as possible. Keep the water levels up if it's not a gel battery.

These things will make a fair battery last a long long time. I run that battery above on a 55lb trolling motor all day as needed and never have been let down.

DR

[LetemGo]

I had the exact same problem. I tried many things, but I ended up buying a new battery.