My trolling motor battery tender went out...in my 2006 Nitro 482

[GHPhotography]

I am thinking of replacing it with a battery charger instead...your opinions and comments welcome....
Looking at single bank charger Minn Kota 106D. Do I need a two bank and run one set of the cables to the cranking battery also. The battery tender up front with the trolling motor battery and there is no charger for the cranking battery. I thought I didn't need a cranking battery charger since the alternator charges the battery when going down the lake.

 

[AirForce]

Not knowing how you fish and don't know what kind of batteries you have but if you have large batteries and you have a lot of accessories on the cranking battery, you do indeed would be best with a onboard charger of sufficient size to properly charge those batteries. This will ensure a longer battery life. If these are something like the Sears PM1 or PM2, then that litle piddly charger isn't gonna do squat for it and soon the battery won't recovery and you'll be dead on the water one day.

One on another forum, raves about the trollbridge without taking in account the outboard, how that person uses the outboard (long runs, or short runs which puts more drain on the starting battery with the overload of accessories without sufficient battery size).

So what battery do you have for a trolling motor, what is its current voltage 6 hrs of no charging? Same for starting battery. I seem to gather that you have the TM battery up FRONT?

Also keep in mind to have the TM unplugged when charging the TM battery and Mercury even recommends unplugging the cable from the starting battery when using an external charger because of the sensitive electronics on newer motors. Don with European Marine hangs out on the BBC and is a wealth of info. Wished we had him over here.

 

[GHPhotography]

Great info...I do now keep the TM unplugged and that helps.
I fish usually every other Friday on Lake Austin and run from one end of the lake to the other, and its a long lake.
The TM battery is up front. I don't have anything except the cranking battery and the light and electonics hooked up to the Cranking Battery. My TM battery is an Interstate.
I can't leave the TM battery hooked up all the time because I keep the boat in an uncovered space and have to run the extension cord across the parking lot.

 

[GHPhotography]

Jumped off and replaced my TM battery tender today, with a Minn Kota 106D 6 amp battery charger today. Installed it and works great! $87.99 at Academy plus tax.

 

[buzzbuster]

I don't think you will be disappointed with your purchase.