1 battery?

[mrdrh99]

So... Just starting with a Jon boat and wondering if I'm OK using 1 battery to power both trolling motor and lights and fish finder? I don't intend to use the trolling motor an overwhelming amount. I have a 24 group with 101ah. The other option is picking up one of the small 4.5 ah batteries for my lights and ff, will that even hold up a half day?

What do you guys have?

 

[TNtroller]

You can use just one battery but you could/might/will get interference on the FF when the TM is being run even for brief periods. You can get a small lawn mower battery for $25 that will power the FF & lights all day long without any issues.

 

[Hanr3]

You can use just one battery but you could/might/will get interference on the FF when the TM is being run even for brief periods. You can get a small lawn mower battery for $25 that will power the FF & lights all day long without any issues.

Pretty much sums up my set-up. One group 27 battery to run my trolling motor and not essential power needs, accessory outlets, cabin lights, live-well pump, etc. Riding mower battery powers my bilge pump, all around lights and ff. I keep the safety items on one battery, if the trolling motor drains my battery and I get stranded, without juice I cannot run my all around lights and may get run over. Yes, I have run my trolling battery way down, almost didn't make it back to the ramp, and didn't have enough juice to load the boat. Main motor died while on the lake, and I fought a 10mph headwind all the way back. I now carry an oar too.