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I've bought a couple of house brand batteries from my local marine supply house and been disappointed in their life span. My current one is starting to not hold a charge after being replaced under warranty in July. I've been using a "starting" battery, not a deep cycle. I keep the boat in the water with plugs in so the bilge pump gets a workout during extended or heavy rain. The only other draw on the battery is from the LED's on my Blue Sea Switches. Each of the four LED's draw 10 Miliamps. (no I don't have a battery switch, but plan on putting on in at this point)

My questions are: Any thought about Starting versus Deep Cycle versus Dual Purpose batteries? Any specific brand of battery people recomend? Also any thoughts on the constant 40 Miliamp draw on the battery? The boat gets run often, it's not sitting unused for more than a few days at time... but I am wondering if the constant low level draw is screwing up the battery's ability to take a charge...

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The cheapest one you can find, Walmart works just fine, as none of them last more than a few years, no matter how much they cost.

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I've had 2 Optimas fail prematurely. I just buy Walmart batteries now. Have you looked into using a solar panel charger? I ran a group 29 deep cycle on my 30' sailboat for 3 years. That was the only source of recharge. It ran the automatic bilge pump, stereo w 4 large speakers, cabin lights, nav lights, and instruments. I run my Montauk a lot but I still run a line to a solar panel I have mounted on my garage.

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I use this type;

http://www.trojanbattery.com/Products...ne-RV.aspx

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I use a marine starting battery 500 CCA I got at pep boys. Os held up for two seasons now but I am not putting the strain nor the demand on it that you are. I think you'd be better off using a Deep cycle battery.

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I use optima's. Never a problem so far. Gotta love a battery that can be installed in any direction.

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My last Whaler battery is still going strong after 4 years. It is a starting battery not deep cell. No battery switch eitherI think the secret to battery life is using a Battery Tender. My boat and motorcycles live with a Battery Tender plugged in whenever they are at the dock or in the garage. I seem to always get at least 5 years or so before I replace and I replace before they die! LL

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I run 2 and buy them out of phase (not at the same time) so they have different life spans and are never dead together (in theory).

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Regardless of the brand, you need to get one that has a high number cranking power and deep cycle

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I've been using 2 of the Cabela's AGM batteries (Group 24 and 27) for a year and haven't seen a sign of any problems. They get beat hard on my trolling motor and stereo/starting/lighting/sonar system. I nearly kill them and they charge back up to go another day. I use one of the Pro-Mariner dual battery chargers on board.

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I use a "Starting/Cranking" battery for everything, the only "L.E.D." draw I have is for the bilge pump indicator light, I run a bilge all summer, VHF, Sonar, light's, much the same set up as you have, I get about 5-6 years out of a battery. I always buy it from my dealer (outboard service in Freeport), as mentioned above make sure that you have enough "Cranking Amp's". I've used "Deep cycle" and "Deep cycle/startng combo.", I've had the least amount of trouble with just the "Starting" battery from the dealer, I guess they just know what I need. Do you have a volt meter on the battery ? should be charging "about" 13.8 volts while running. I'll check the manufacturer of my battery when it get's light out and post it, last time I did a "night check" under the tarp, a police car pulled into my driveway with a LOT of question's as to what I was doing out there under a tarp with a flashlight in the early hours. "Ya got I.D." ?

Hint: It's cheaper to buy at a discount store, or from an auto part's store BUT, I always go to the dealer at least every 2 month's to buy something. It return's money to your local economy, and if something does go wrong with your motor, and it need's service, you are on a 1st name basis with your dealer, NOT a stranger that he can barely remember.

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Thanks guys. I always try to use the local guy because he's a good resource, a nice guy and on most items he's less $ than my nearby West Marine. But he carries a limited selection of batteries in stock and I haven't had good luck.

In any event I pulled the battery, trickle charged it for 24 hours, put it on both a NAPA battery diagnostic tool and a load tester and it passed all tests. It's a wet cell, maintenance free starting battery with 650 CCA. It's back on the boat and I will check this evening to see how it's holding up.

My depth recorder voltage meter shows 12.8 at idle and runs up to a steady 13.6-13.7 above idle so I don't think it's charging issue with the motor. I run a depth recorder, VHF radio, nav lights, and bilge pump, and those four little LED's on the switch panel.

I've asked everyone I know that knows anything about batteries, electronics, etc about that steady 40 Miliamp draw from the switch lights and no one thinks it's a problem based on 100 amp hour battery but I still wonder if it's an issue.

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My Battery is marked "Powermaster" Heavy Duty Marine starting battery. I doubt it's the L.E.D.'s too but, try and see if the battery work's ok without them (if you can). Batteries will weaken when it's get's cold, and we've had some pretty good rain too lately. What size auto bilge pump do you have, I run the 500 gph wired in direct to the float switch (circuit protected by an in line fuse).

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RuleMate 500, which is spec'd to draw 2 Amps. We did have torrential rains Saturday night into Sunday morning and the boat was dry so I am sure the pump was working overtime. So I wasn't surprised to find the battery low, just surprised that it didn't seem to be taking a charge. I will see this evening if it's holding.