Hey all,

 

Do you guys recommend using battery boxes for holding bigger batteries for electric trolling motors? And if so, is it better to build your own or buy one of those manufactured ones like the Minn Kota (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PTHKMG).

I read briefly that you probably want this for the SLA batteries but it may not be necessary for LiFe4PO and AGM batteries.

Better just to go with the latter? 

Get the MinnKota box - I have one and it does make a difference.

 

No splashing of water on the battery

Aux-port 1 connects to USB sockets to power my camera/tablet

Aux-port 2 runs my fish-finder

 

My charger can plug into one of the aux-ports instead of having to use clamps or such on the main terminals

5 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Get the MinnKota box - I have one and it does make a difference.

 

No splashing of water on the battery

Aux-port 1 connects to USB sockets to power my camera/tablet

Aux-port 2 runs my fish-finder

 

My charger can plug into one of the aux-ports instead of having to use clamps or such on the main terminals

 

I saw one by Newport Vessels and read some reviews about the plastic melting from the terminals overheating, particularly when the motor is run on high. Have you experienced anything like this with the Minn Kota box?

Three years now and my MinnKota box is just fine.

I had a MinnKota box for my battery when I fished out of a Pelican Bass Raider.  I had no issues with it other than the top didn't seem to fit snuggly.  I liked being able to easily charge my battery without having to disconnect anything.

 

If I were outfitting another one like it, I'd go with the same box.

2 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Three years now and my MinnKota box is just fine.

Great to know. I'll look into that one! Do you run SLA batteries?

1 minute ago, Jeremy Lee said:

Great to know. I'll look into that one! Do you run SLA batteries?

Yep - 75AH deep cycle...this one

BTW

23 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Get the MinnKota box - I have one and it does make a difference.

 

No splashing of water on the battery

Aux-port 1 connects to USB sockets to power my camera/tablet

Aux-port 2 runs my fish-finder

 

My charger can plug into one of the aux-ports instead of having to use clamps or such on the main terminals

 

BTW: how did you connect the USB to charge off the AUX port? Does it use a standard car DC plug?

Just now, Jeremy Lee said:

BTW

 

BTW: how did you connect the USB to charge off the AUX port? Does it use a standard car DC plug?

Both Aux ports are standard car cigarette lighter ports - so just an adaptor.

 

I have mine wired to a switch panel where I mounted a bare dual-USB socket. You can see the switch panel below and slightly to the right of the fishfinder. Top switch powers the fishfinder, bottom switch powers the USB socket which is under it.

The battery itself is under the fore-seat. Wiring from the aux-ports to the switch panel runs under the gunwale, wire for the TM runs through the gunwale.

Agh, I just read a number of reviews on Amazon about the parts used not being suitable for saltwater use. I would plan on using this around saltwater as well as freshwater. Some reviews do say these parts are replaceable so I suppose I could deal with it...

If you get this box, right as soon as you get it, open the back up and put some locitite on the nuts that hold the cable to the connecting bolt that goes through the top. Bafflingly, it has no locktite on it so the nuts eventually rattle loose. The charge test will show charged, but you'll get no power. 

Don't ask me how I found out

 

Other than that, it's been fine, and I'm about 100 trips in. It's a box with a circuit breaker and a testing light, not that complicated. If you crank the thumbscrews down too hard eventually it'll strip the plastic out a little. Don't do that. 

 

30 minutes ago, txchaser said:

If you get this box, right as soon as you get it, open the back up and put some locitite on the nuts that hold the cable to the connecting bolt that goes through the top. Bafflingly, it has no locktite on it so the nuts eventually rattle loose. The charge test will show charged, but you'll get no power. 

Don't ask me how I found out

 

Other than that, it's been fine, and I'm about 100 trips in. It's a box with a circuit breaker and a testing light, not that complicated. If you crank the thumbscrews down too hard eventually it'll strip the plastic out a little. Don't do that. 

 

 

Thanks for the tip! I saw a video from a reviewer on Amazon showing this issue! Sounds like an application of dielectric grease and or Corrosion X  around the terminals and exposed metal parts might be in order... and possibly swapping out some of the nuts with SS ones. I saw one review that mentioned how the display/read-out got splashed and was ruined. Are there small spaces where the display is that would allow for water intrusion? I'm wondering if it would make sense to apply some silicone in those areas.

 

Oh, I've also heard of people drilling holes in the bottoms of these battery cases to allow water to drain out if they get submerged. I'd be scared of the battery leaking and spilling out though!

1 minute ago, Jeremy Lee said:

I saw one review that mentioned how the display/read-out got splashed and was ruined. Are there small spaces where the display is that would allow for water intrusion? I'm wondering if it would make sense to apply some silicone in those areas.

Mine's been rained on a zillion times with no issue. Probably can't hurt to silicone it though. 

I've been using NOCO battery boxes for years. Ten or fifteen bucks where finer things are sold: Walmart, BatteriesPlus, etc.     I have 2 group 31 boxes exposed on the deck of my 1648 and they're holding up perfectly after 7 years.

 

https://no.co/products/storage/snap-top

Yes, use a box. If nothing else it will keep it from short circuiting if something falls on top of it that contacts both terminals.

Thanks all, I think I'm gonna go with a Camco box - planning to use a group 29 battery (12v100ah) and the Noco boxes in that size are hard to find at least on Amazon haha. The Camco box is $10 and looks to be more or less the same thing. 

What size terminal posts am I going to need for the trolling motor connections btw? M10s?

 

I figure I'll just go real simple and eventually add a 12v DC adapter and USB plugs at a later time. Am I going to need a 60amp fuse too?