The caveat is that a trolling motor is nothing without a reliable power source. Having the best trolling battery can make the difference between a hassle-free trip and a headache on the water.If your current batteries interrupt your time on the water, it may be time to upgrade. This is often the case with conventional lead-acid, AGM, and other lithium battery technologies. You need a deep-cycle lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) battery built for trolling motors and other marine applications. Look no further than LBS for the best lithium marine batteries to keep your trolling motor running all day without fail.
What to Look for in Your Lithium Trolling Motor Battery
The first thing you want to keep in mind is the requirements of your trolling motor. Trolling motors typically have three voltages: 12v, 24v, or 36v. You will either need a battery with the same voltage or multiple batteries that can be linked to meet the motor’s voltage requirement.
If you use two batteries, ensure they are both new – never mix old and new batteries, and never mix different kinds of batteries when linking them into a set.
You’ll also want to keep in mind the max amp-draw of your motor. It should always be less than the max amp-draw of your battery (also referred to as continuous discharge rate). Essentially, your engine has a maximum amount of power that it can demand from a battery, and a battery can only deliver a certain amount of power at a time. If your battery can’t provide enough power because its max amp draw is too low, you won’t get the power you need to run your trolling motor at full strength.
Once you know the requirements for your trolling motor, you can narrow your search with primary consideration given to weight, price, and amp-hours.
Amp Hours
Amp-hours (Ah) determine the total use your battery can get out of one charge, though the specific hours and minutes you get depend on the amp-draw of your motor.
For example, if you have a 100 Ah battery and your motor has an amp-draw of 25 amps, you will get about four hours of continuous use at top speed. Generally, if you plan to spend all day fishing, you should have a battery with double the capacity of your motor’s max draw.
So, if your motor draws 25 amps, you should have a 50 Ah battery. If you are more of a half-day motorist, then a battery with the same amp hours as your motor’s max amp draw should be fine.
Weight
Weight isn’t going to be too divergent when it comes to lithium batteries, as they are generally much lighter than other batteries. You’ll never be too encumbered, regardless of the brand. Still, some models are more lightweight, and you might be willing to pay more to take on that lighter load.
Cost
Cost is always the deciding factor when looking at batteries and can be prohibiting for many purchasers. Lithium batteries are expensive compared to other options. As always, however, the higher the quality, the higher the cost. Factors like increased voltage and amp-hours or decreased weight can up the price of a lithium battery.
The Best Trolling Battery Brings the Best Fishing
These factors of amp-hours, weight, and cost are likely to be your most significant considerations when choosing your lithium trolling battery. The last thing to keep in mind, however, is warranty and lifetime battery life which can vary drastically depending on the brand.recommend:12V Lithium Battery
Determining your budget and comparing that to your needs on the water is vital to selecting the best trolling battery for you. Once you decide both, the right trolling battery isn’t far out of reach.
Are Lithium Trolling Motor Batteries Worth It?
Traditional deep-cycle batteries cost about one-third of what a lithium battery of the same capacity costs. However, when you factor in that lithium batteries last 50-100 times longer, provide double the run time, and can cut your battery weight in half, the upfront cost savings don’t seem worth it.
Over ten years, you will likely end up replacing your lead-acid batteries enough times to recover the cost of switching to a lithium system. As a bonus, your boat will be lighter and you’ll have more time out on the water doing what you love.
What Kind Of Battery Do I Need For A Trolling Motor?
Batteries connected in series have their voltages added together. For example, two 12-volt batteries connected in series will provide 24 volts and 3 will provide 36 volts. Batteries connected in parallel will have their capacities, measured in amp-hours (Ah), added together. For example, two 12-volt batteries with 100 Ah capacities connected in parallel will provide 200 Ah at 12 volts.Trolling motors typically run on 12, 24, or 36 volts, depending on the model.
For a 12 volt trolling motor, you could use a single 12-volt battery or multiple 12-volt batteries connected in parallel to extend your run time. For a 24-volt motor, you could either use a single 24-volt battery or connect two 12-volt batteries in series. Lastly, for a 36-volt trolling motor, the most common configuration is three 12-volt batteries connected in series.
Most trolling motors will operate with any 12-volt wet cell, AGM, gel cell deep-cycle marine battery, or lithium battery. However, as we will see shortly, the lithium batteries provide some significant advantages over the other 12V battery types.