Car battery for marine starting battery???

tealboy · 06-22-2003, 07:15 AM

I went to Walmart to get an Ever Start Marine starting battery and the employee talked me into buying a car battery, stating they are essentially the same, but the warranty on the car battery is much better. I think the car battery has free replacement for the first 24 mos and 72 mos pro-rated.

Is there a problem with using a car battery in the boat?

adkfreeridex · 06-24-2003, 10:14 AM

it may have the same volts/amps, but what a marine battery has that a car does not is cranking amps, these allow the battery to have enough juice for trolling motors and excestive starting and stopping of the main engine, a car battery will run outa kick after a crank or two. Anyone else correct me if this is wrong. Hope this helps,
bob

Jeepnut · 06-24-2003, 10:38 AM

I' ve also heard that marine batteries are made to handle a little rougher ride than car batteries. All that bouncing around on choppy water is apparently not good for the internals of a car battery. I' m no expert. Just something I read in a fishing magazine a while back.

model722 · 06-24-2003, 02:36 PM

I think Jeepnut is close. I personally wouldn' t worry about it chances are you won' t have a problem and if you do, then I quess you' ll never do it again

I' ve been using car battery' s in my boat for over 10 years no problems so far and I' m only on my 2nd battery. I' m not sure where you live, I live up north so I don' t get to use my boat as much as some one from the south.

M.Magis · 06-25-2003, 01:06 PM

I think Jeepnut is right, but I was thinking it was the ride in the trailor that beat them around so much. Either way, I don' t think you' ll cause your engine any problems.

JoshKeller · 06-25-2003, 03:46 PM

Deep cycle marine batteries can be run completely dead without damage. Car batteries can not

seadog · 06-25-2003, 06:10 PM

I' am with josh on this one

Big Country · 06-25-2003, 07:57 PM

Using a car battery to start your outboard is absolutely fine. Especially if your outboard has a good sized alternator.

Using a car battery for your trolling motor is NOT good.

As Josh Keller pointed out, car batteries are not deep cycle, and completely draining them with greatly reduce the life of the battery.

I use a car battery to light up my merc., and use three deep cycles for the trolling motor.

JoshKeller · 06-26-2003, 01:50 AM

Its basically a voltage issue. Im unsure of what voltage outboards are designed to run on, but Deep cycle batteries can provide voltages of under 1 - 24 or so without damage. Car batteries begin to damage at over 16 volts and under 12. If you have an alternator to keep the battery charged to 14.4 volts (standard), then your fine.

3.5mag · 06-26-2003, 05:27 PM

I hope you are talking about two deep cycles running in parallel. Because you are not going to get 24 volts out of one. It would explode first. Any 12 volt begins to damage at 16 volts,be it car battery or deep cycle. Deep cycles are designed to constantly be discharged to zero and fully charged, without memory. (although they all seem to keep a memory). Car batteries will work fine as a cranking battery as long as it has a good amount of cranking amps. Spend a little more and get the higher amperage. And try not to run too many accessories on the craking battery, unless you have a heavy duty. And one last thing, an alternator is supposed to run about 14.4. It does that to keep the battery charged and run all electrical items in the outboard. If your battery is holding 14 or more you are going to run into problems .