Verado PS / trolling amp draw

[Mitch210]

Got my new rig just after Labor day last fall, 2012ranger 620, 250 verado and 9.9 kicker attached to big motor. I knew the power steering system drew 20 amps/hour but figured starting the big engine up every hour and a half was no big deal, in order to keep the battery for the ps system juiced. Wrong, p.i.a.

A friend suggested that I should use the bow-mount to steer the boat when pulling plugs and just have the kicker pointed straight ahead and just providing push. He says the ps system will draw minimum amps when the steerign wheel is not being turned and I won't have to worry about battery charge. I'm very skeptical for a couple of reasons:

1) I think that the kicker only puts back 6 amps/hr when running, even if the ps system wasn't being used to steer, it's still drawing something. (the ps system and electronics are run off the same battery, the 250 has it's own stand alone battery)

2) If #1 isn't a concern, have any of you trolled using the kicker just for push and the bow mount to steer? I've got 3 big agm batts for the terrova, just not sure how well it will manuver a heavy boat being pushed by a kicker.

I'm thinking right now, I'll get rid of the attached kicker and get a tiller model. Battery problem absolutely solved then. But the bow mount steering still sounds like a good idea for the graph up front. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

[Papascott]

A lot of people use a terova to steer and for auto pilot and their kicker for forward thrust. If you want to do this with your current set up I believe you will need to unhook the battery isolator that turns on the P steering when ever the kicker is running. Tge kicker will charge the battery fine for just live well and electronics. with the PS not running you shouldn't have any issues.

I know quite a few people that are running 5 agm batteries with their verado powered rigs. 3 for their bow mount and one starter and another back up starter off a guest switch.

[REW]

Mitch,
If you currently have a kicker that is steered by turning the big motor, you can disconnet it and use several different steering mehods.

You can use an electric steering syste, or you can use a stick steering system.

Either one, will take care of your heavy current draw from the big motor power steering.

Good luck
REW

[REW]

Mitch,
You might install the Panther electro steer.
This would let you steer the kicker from anywhere in the boat.
Then, if you also install a troll master on the kicker you can control the speed of the kicker from anywhere in the boat.




http://www.marinetechproducts.com/pages/ElectroSteer

http://www.marinetechproducts.com/pa...ollMasterHome/

Then, when trolling shut down your Verado and don't worry about battery power.

Good luck
REW

[Eric_CO]

I've got the same setup basically and we trolled off and on for 8 - 9 hours yesterday. I bet I ran the big motor about 20 minutes during that time just running from spot to spot (small lake). Livewell pump on auto most of that time too. I have the dash 1197 sonar hooked up to the bow mount trolling batteries.

My 29 series wet cell from Wal Mart held up fine. It was showing 11.4 volts when it got really low towards the end, but everything was working fine.

What size battery and how old is that you are using for your house battery (non cranking one)?

2009 621, Verado 300, 9.9 Pro Kicker. Fished all last year with the kicker pushing the boat and controlled the steering with the I Pilot. If you have not tried, it is very effective and relaxing. When pulling plugs in the dark close to shore, and wind pushing you in, it allowed you to focus on the fish with no worries of where you were going.

[Mitch210]

Thanks for all your inputs. REW, I'm calling marinetech this pm and I think I may go with the t5. My dealer says the "kit" to make my pro kicker a tiller is like 1300 bucks! ****, that's half the cost of the motor new.

Eric, that last battery was put in without my input (I thought the kicker was going to be rigged to the agm starting batt, turns out the fifth batt was put in and they put in an Interstate. Again, I thought wth and went with it. It would be tempting to try to go with the agm for the p/s and electronics and leave everything as is, but honestly the panther system looks good.

[sdlabman]

I had the same issues, drawing too many amps from the hydro steering. Until I dedicated a single battery to the kicker, with its own 2 bank charger. Problem solved.

Oh, for what its worth, try not to crank on or load up the steering when making turns, this alone puts a huge draw on the battery.

[REW]

http://www.cabelas.com/boat-steering...6-001b2166becc

[Hogslammer]

On our Ranger when the kicker is running, so is the power steering pump even though the Verado is turned off. The alternator on the kicker just doesn't even come close to keeping up with the amp draw from the power steering pump so therefore our low battery problems. I don't believe that Mercury or your dealer want to install a switch to turn off the power steering when the kicker is running, but that would certainly help with the amp draw but would make it very difficult to steer the boat without the electro steer or bow mount trolling motor. We had the dealer install the 5th battery per Mercury's instructions to solve the battery issues and unfortunately that hasn't worked out to our satisfaction. We've also had problems with the isolaters failing, so obviously we've had some issues to deal with. I dont't know about the rest of you, but I just don't like hearing that that we just need to get used to firing up the 300 Verado for 20 minuntes to charge the battery back up when it's getting low on juice.

In my opinion, I don't believe that Mercury properly engineer the Verado/kicker system because of the excessive amp draw from the power steering. Don't get me wrong, the power steering is nice, but I'd much prefer to have a hydraulic steering system and a slightly harder to turn steering wheel. Love the Verado except for the power steering battery draw and if we had to choose all over again, would have gone with the Yamaha. If anyone have a proven fix with wiring diagrams to support, I'd love to see them.