Charging trolling battery

[Bruce Stenman]

For some reason the deep cycle trolling battery at the bow is not wired into the charging circuit with the starter battery for the outboard. I want to be able to re-charge the trolling battery at the end of each day's use (so it will last longer) while on the road.



I could carry a long Y-adapter and a 25' extension cord and a battery charger, but as an alternative I am thinking of running a couple of 8ga wires to the starter battery along with an in-line isolator (so the trolling motor does not drain the starting battery) and having the outboard's alternator.



Third option I am considering is installing a batter charger in the same compartment as the trolling battery though the compartment is not properly vented and so I would need to use a much more expensive seaked AGM battery instead of the current FLA type battery.



Interested in how others have approached this.

 

[Jeff Darby]

If it is a single battery with a plug on the trolling motor you could just buy another plug and charge the battery through the plug on the boat. Just unplug the trolling motor and plug in the new plug that can be connected to the charger

 

[Chris Droke]

I have not seen a trolling battery wire into the charging circuit of an outboard. I could be wrong but the outboard only charges the cranking battery unless you have some sort of aftermarket system installed.