How much does it cost to charge trolling batteries?

[bh54lf]

hey guys,

has anyone figured out how much it costs to charge trolling motor batteries? I know this is tough to nail on the head but lets say we have 3 29 series deep cycles, avg amp hours. are we talking 2 bucks per full charge (from dead) or 15?

we all think about the expense of gas but what the real expense of the trolling motor/electronics?

Thanks,
Brian

[Tokugawa]

Depends on what the rate is from your utility. My rate is about $.07/kWh.

If it takes a +12V, 15A charger 10 hours to charge a battery, that would be 1.8 kWh. Assuming a 70% efficiency in the charger, then you've used 2.57 kWh from the utility. That is 17.99 cents @ the $.07/kWh rate.

Batteries are waaaaaay cheaper than hydrocarbons, but the energy density is also a lot lower.

[j-fox.4]

Might consider looking into these - http://www.lithionicsbattery.com/marine.html

I'm sure they're ridiculously expensive - I haven't even seen a price yet, but they're supposed to fully charge within an hour to an hour and a half. Lithium weighs a fraction of what the standard batteries weigh and last just as long if not longer. They're also supposed to have a 15 year lifespan.

Something to consider if you're worrying about cost of charge, although overcoming the initial investment might be a push.