SELECTING THE CORRECT BATTERIES
SELECTING THE CORRECT BATTERIES
The motor will operate with any lead acid, deep cycle marine 12 volt battery/batteries. For best results, use a deep cycle, marine
battery with at least a 105 amp-hour rating. Maintain battery at full charge. Proper care will ensure having battery power when
you need it, and will significantly improve the battery life. Failure to recharge lead-acid batteries (within 12-24 hours) is the
leading cause of premature battery failure. Use a multi-stage charger to avoid overcharging. We offer a wide selection of chargers
to fit your charging needs. If you are using a crank battery to start a gasoline outboard, we recommend that you use a separate
deep cycle marine battery/batteries for your Minn Kota trolling motor. For more information on battery selection and rigging,
please visit
minnkotamotors.com
.
CA
UTION
Refer to “Conductor Gauge and Circuit Breaker Sizing Table” in the previous section to fi nd the appropriate circuit breaker or fuse
for your motor. For motors requiring a 60-amp breaker, the Minn Kota MKR-19 60-amp circuit breaker is recommended.
WARNING
Never connect the (+) and the (–) terminals of the same battery together. Take care that no metal object can fall onto the battery
and short the terminals. This would immediately lead to a short and extreme fi re danger.
Using DC or Alternator Chargers
Additional Accessories Connected to Trolling Motor Batteries
Your Minn Kota trolling motor may be designed with an internal bonding wire to reduce sonar interference. Most alternator
charging systems do not account for this bonding wire, and connect the negative posts of the trolling motor batteries to the
negative posts of the crank/starting battery. These external connections can damage connected electronics and the electrical
system of your trolling motor, voiding your warranty. Review your charger’s manual carefully or consult the manufacturer prior to
use to ensure your charger is compatible.
Minn Kota recommends using Minn Kota brand chargers to recharge the batteries connected to your Minn Kota trolling motor, as
they have been engineered to work with motors that include a bonding wire.
Significant damage to your Minn Kota motor, your boat electronics, and your boat can occur if incorrect connections are made
between your trolling motor batteries and other battery systems. Minn Kota recommends using an exclusive battery system
for your trolling motor. Where possible, accessories should be connected to a separate battery system. Radios and sonar
units should not be connected to any trolling motor battery systems as interference from the trolling motor is unavoidable. If
connecting any additional accessories to any trolling motor battery system, or making connections between the trolling motor
batteries and other battery systems on the boat, be sure to carefully observe the information below.
CAUTION
Please read the following information before connecting your motor to your batteries in order to avoid damaging your motor
and/or voiding your warranty.
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
fit
SELECTING THE CORRECT BATTERIES
The motor will operate with any lead acid, deep cycle marine 12 volt battery/batteries. For best results, use a deep cycle, marine
battery with at least a 105 amp-hour rating. Maintain battery at full charge. Proper care will ensure having battery power when
you need it, and will significantly improve the battery life. Failure to recharge lead-acid batteries (within 12-24 hours) is the
leading cause of premature battery failure. Use a multi-stage charger to avoid overcharging. We offer a wide selection of chargers
to your charging needs. If you are using a crank battery to start a gasoline outboard, we recommend that you use a separate
deep cycle marine battery/batteries for your Minn Kota trolling motor.
