# Need battery for Mercury 40HP wont anything work ?



## sdanville

I need a new battery for a 1995 Mercury 40HP. I will not be using a trolling motor so see no reason to buy a deep cycle. In fact I dont see a reason to have a marine battery. But I am no rocket scientist.
Seems to me I can buy about the cheapest 12V Car battery Wal-Mart or Auto-zone offers and I should be good to go. Cant imagine this 40HP has much displacement or high compression. 

Any reason I cant go cheap ?


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## double trouble

go to costco. 40 bucks for a good johnson controls battery that should last 5 years.stay out of wal mart. exide junk.autozone also has johnson controls batteries but only some models.you have to ask.


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## sdanville

Why didnt I think of that. I am a member of Cosco and it is only 5 miles from my house. Just paid $55 last week at autoZone for my wifes Silouette. Longest battery installation time ever.


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## Jason Adam

You only need a deep cycle if you will be draining the battery down below 70% of its full charge when you go out. Otherwise, and starting or Dual purpose will do.


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## FREEPOP

Keep an eye on the cranking amps and make sure the new one has at least as many if not more than the old one.


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## Hunt4Ever

double trouble said:


> go to costco. 40 bucks for a good johnson controls battery that should last 5 years.stay out of wal mart. exide junk.autozone also has johnson controls batteries but only some models.you have to ask.


FYI, Johnson Controls makes the batteries for Walmart and Sam's club.


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## frenchriver1

Anyone have a good price for the Blue Top Battery? Seems like everyone is about $160-170... Even a few bucks lower in that range would be a help...

If the Blue Top is for cranking, do they manufacture a marine deep cycle?


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## limige

stick with a deep cycle unless your going to keep a trickle charger on it whenever it's out of the water..
it will die prematurly otherwise.


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## Burksee

limige said:


> stick with a deep cycle unless your going to keep a trickle charger on it whenever it's out of the water..
> it will die prematurly otherwise.


I'm not trying to being a smart *** but may I ask why? A battery used to start a boat motor shouldnt have to be any different than one for a car, truck, tractor, lawn tractor, etc. or should it? My impression was a deep cycle battery was only needed if it was going to discharged and recharged on a regular basis, such as ones used in electric golf carts or even one used for a trolling motor.


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## Jason Adam

Burksee said:


> I'm not trying to being a smart *** but may I ask why? A battery used to start a boat motor shouldnt have to be any different than one for a car, truck, tractor, lawn tractor, etc. or should it? My impression was a deep cycle battery was only needed if it was going to discharged and recharged on a regular basis, such as ones used in electric golf carts or even one used for a trolling motor.


Thats exactally right(and what I said above...  ) Whiel were on the subject of batteries, if you have more than one, replace them at the same time with the same batteries. Dont mix battery types, or old and new on the same circuit.


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## kbkrause

Before your purchase the battery check to see if your old system was using the wingnut connections (as opposed to just the posts), it'll make it easier to switch batteries if you have the same type of connections.


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## Burksee

kbkrause said:


> Before your purchase the battery check to see if your old system was using the wingnut connections (as opposed to just the posts), it'll make it easier to switch batteries if you have the same type of connections.


Although you can buy battery's with these already on them I'll tell you a little story. Years ago I worked at a car dealer, I'd bring home battery's from work for the folks pontoon boat. These were ones that were replaced in a car or truck because of charging system issues and most of the time once they were properly recharged worked fine. The were top post batterys, for about 5 bucks I bought the clamp on terminals from Murrays that had the stud w/wing nut on them, They were the cats meow! Always had a good connection!


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## WoodTick007

If you only using the battery to start the 40hp, a fish finder and battery storage space is limited. I would suggest a motorcycle battery. I used one on my 35hp Evinrude and it works great!!


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## QuakrTrakr

WoodTick007 said:


> If you only using the battery to start the 40hp, a fish finder and battery storage space is limited. I would suggest a motorcycle battery. I used one on my 35hp Evinrude and it works great!!


WHAT!! A motorcycle battery has very low cranking amps. They are designed mainly for warm weather use! I wouldn't want to be on the water trusting something that small. You better have a GPS that used internal batteries and a VHF that's rechargeable to call the Coast Guard. Well, maybe if I was using it in the family pond.:lol:


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## sdanville

i decided to use a marine battery because of the wing nuts..
purchased from Cosco..

But if I did go with a cheap battery or motorcycle battery... I wouldnt worry., my 1995 Mercury 40HP came with an emergency pull starter rope. Still new in the package.


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## SalmonSlayer

sdanville said:


> i decided to use a marine battery because of the wing nuts..
> purchased from Cosco..


Where is Cosco??? I need a new battery for my 85hp Johnson!!


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## sdanville

SW side of Grand Rapids is where I go.
4500 Block of Wilson Ave in Grandville.

You have to be a member or go with a member. Its like Sams.


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## sdanville

I have not figured out how to edit my post --- but wanted to update my post that had errors.

I didnt know how to spell costco. I wrote Cosco. And I said I was going there to buy my battery. I did in fact go there to buy...But it wasnt so. The only 2 boat batteries they had with the wing nut posts were over $100.00. Not a typo this time..they were over $100.00.

I have my reciept from auto Zone June 2004 ( same type 40 HP )
$39.99 for a Marine Start Battery with the Wing Nut Posts.

I want to re-submit- I am going to autoZone for my Marine battery.


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## waterfoul

The over $100 batteries at Costco must be Johnson Controls Optima batteries. In my opinion, these are THE BEST batteries on the market today, and I'm not saying that because I work there (which I do) or because I get mine at a substantial discount ($80 delivered to my front door step is substantial, isn't it??). I have had a blue top for 6 years now... started out life in my Baja as a starter battery... it now resides in my fishing boat (for 2 years now) and still takes a full charge and holds it as long as it should. It's used for starting and to run my fishfinder. I'm hard on batteries... and this one has been great. I figure spending the extra cash saves time, hassle, and money in the long run.


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