Minn-Kota battery size

D

daveredmon

New Member
Greetings--

Wondering if I can downsize to a motorcycle or garden tractor battery to power my 30" shaft / 30 lb thrust Minn-Kota. I use the Minn-Kota getting in and out of the cove where I launch. I know it's not as strong as a deep-charge marine battery, but I'm wondering whether a tradeoff would be beneficial in terms of lighter weight (and maybe lower cost). The main question seems to be whether there would be a loss of power and how long might a smaller battery last? I use a trickle charger.

Dave in Kansas
 
I have the same trolling motor and used it once with a lawn tractor battery. I used it on race day when there was almost no wind. It lasted, I'm guessing, nearly an hour. Not much power, but I wouldn't expect much from the small motor and small battery. I tried staying out of the top speed to conserve battery power. I found a small battery box at West Marine, I couldn't find one anywhere else (I tried Home Depot, Lowes, and a couple of motor cycle shops).

The small battery worked just fine the one time I used it. I guess it's good that I haven't needed it on any other occasion. I do not have a motor mount and I left the motor attached to the transom. I did find that the mainsheet caught on the motor a couple of times.

-Robert
1989 Capri 14.2
1984 Catalina 22
 
I used to have a small deep cycle battery that I used on a john boat for fishing and it worked great for a three to four hour fishing trip.
 
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