Need new battery for boat...are marine batteries required??

[prc03sx195]

I need to replace the starting battery in my boat, 4.3L I/O Mercruiser. It has two posts for each pos/neg for the bat cable and aux wires. Are there specific maring type batteries I need to buy or will an automotive battery with two posts each work as well? Can I get one of these at walmart or does it have to be at a specialty shop? Thanks
The one that is in there has 500 CCA and 650 CCA and it was put in in 07.
paul

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Need new battery for boat...are marine batteries required??

You need a marine battery - they sell them at wallmart

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: Need new battery for boat...are marine batteries required??

Marine type batteries typically have two post styles. The threaded posts are stainless steel and resist corrosion so thats what you use for the least amount of problems. There are marine starting batteries, marine deep cycle batteries and marine combo start/deep cycles. The most common today are the combo batteries. A resonably good quality battery should be considered since a boat and an airplane are not unlike in that not being able start the motor could mean sudden death.

I'd recommend a good quality Group 24 combination starting/deep cycle with 650 CCA and an RCA of at least 60 minutes. My personal favorite lately are the Interstates. These are the upper end of the the Lead/Acid batteries whose manufacturing is managed by Johnson Controls. There are other batteries but it's likely that you'd be hard pressed to find a battery out there that Johnson didn't play a role in manufacturing. I won't go as far as to say they actually make them.