Trolling Motor/Battery?

[PetePalmieri]

I know this topic has been beaten pretty good, but I couldn't find the answer.

Can the Lenco's be installed and charged directly from the engines altenator or any 24v system for that matter?

I keep my boat in the water and don't have access to electric, I am trying to figure out what my options are if any for charging, outside of pulling out the batteries and bringing them home.

Thanks

[RogerStg]

There is a product called a stealth charger that will accomplish this. Unless you will be making long runs, you may need to remove the batteries from time to time to fully charge them. Also, you should use AGMs for this application because they take a charge faster.

[Poppr]

How big is the main engine and how tricky is it to install a new alternator/generator?

When I had my 24V system installed I asked the question to several local boat dealerships and was told I should stay away from any system that tries to charge the trolling motor batteries off of the main engine. The logic they used was that the alternator/generator on the main engine was not designed to provide a sustained output to try and recharge trolling motor batteries off of either short runs or long runs of the main engine. That alternator provides a higher output for a starting battery recharge not the slower lower voltage charging for a deep cycle trolling motor battery/s. I could do it if I wanted to but they advised that I would probably be looking for another alternator/generator before too long.

Not sure what the “stealth” system mentioned in the other post is but there are also solar powered trickle chargers on the market that may fit your desired application. Definitely not for quick charging but might do the trick if you only use the boat a few times a week/month. Saw a couple of the guys who stored their boats at the facility I was using go with that method for maintaining a charge on their battery. Mounted them on the roof of the facility and ran the wires to clips located inside the “garage”. I did find a stealth system at www.stealthcharging.com but again, I am leary of using any alternator/generator combo for anything but it's intended purpose. Definately don't want to burn out my auto electrical system to power my boat while towing or not providing a sustained slow charge to my boat batteries when that is what the manufacturer calls for.

BTW even if you had power at your on the water facility it would be risky to leave a boat unattended for any period of time and hope the charger worked properly and did not cook the battery and or start a fire on your boat. Most facilities on lakes I used in Oklahoma would not allow that type of operation in their powered marinas. Facility insurance did not include owners’ major mistakes and if it was purchased would drive the cost of the slips beyond the reach of what most folks would reasonably expect to pay.

Just my .02 and good luck with whatever system you go with.