Anyone using lithium battery’s with there trolling motors. Do you get extended run time with them like they say. I have been researching them and they sound good. They are expensive so I don’t want to make a mistake. I am running a 21 foot boat with a terrova 80lbs so I need to buy two for 24 volt. Found some for $450 apiece. I currently carry extra batteries on my boat so I can spend more time on the water.
Thanks for any information.
Thank you that is great information. My old body feels the same way.
Switched my ice flashers to lithium this winter, loved them. This spring I swapped the 3 Minn Kota’s over as well. So far, they have done everything as advertised. Weigh less, last longer, charge faster etc. Can’t comment on the long term yet. I’m optimistic though. Make sure you get the correct charger
i can’t comment on trolling motors, but I’ve been using 12v lithiums at work for several years now and can compare them to the sealed, lead acid batteries that I used before. There is NO comparison! The litiums are about 1/4 the weight or less per battery, the lithiums last at least twice as long under load, the lithiums charge up quicker and hold their charge longer when sitting around in the winters. If you can afford the lithiums, they are the only way to go! Just check to make sure your charger is compatible with the lithiums. You won’t be sorry. The weight savings is the most amazing part in my opinion since we are packing them around in a backpack when we are working.
I don’t have the boat experience, but I have been using them on my fish finders for 3 winters now… At this point they still charge great and last the full day, I haven’t noticed any drop in performance and like mentioned the weight savings is wonderful… I’m trying to figure out how to afford them for the new boat as well… It’s a big expense at one time, but I think they will last longer from what I’ve seen and read, so in the long run I expect the cost to at least be equivalent and the extra ease and convenience with the weight savings will be the bonus… One question I have for the electrical guru’s is, are there issues connecting the Lithium’s to a standard engine, or do you need something different for charging them while the engine is running… (Reason for asking, is I’ve always heard it takes a special charger to charge the batteries so wonder if the alternators/generators need to be different?) Later J
Mercury says do NOT use lithium batteries for the starter battery because the engine’s charging system is not compatible with lithium. Check with your motor maker if it’s not Mercury.
When I switch to Lithium, I’m going with the Ionic brand because their batteries have a Bluetooth circuit that reports battery state, temp, and other details to my phone. It will match up nicely with the Vessel View app in my Mercury motor.
First comment, you are WAY underpowered with a 80lb Terrova on a 21ft. boat. You can never have enough power when you are using an electric motor. That said, Lithium is by far the wave of the future in electric motor tecnology. Right now, the biggest problem is cost. Name brand batteries are upwards of 800 plus for a 100 amphr, 12volt. Relion makes the BassPro/Cabela’s batteries. There are a great number of cheaper ones out there, many with the Bluetooth BMS systems. From what I have been able to read, you need a 1BMS system that is rated for 100amphrs or more on the batteries. Charging is also a new problem. I have an older Minn Kota 2 bank charger. Minn Kota tells me it is suitable for charging Lithium batteries as it charges 10amp per bank. I have been using AGMs for the past 5 years and have had great success. My only problem has been powering electronics. All the new electronics are power hogs and my units drain my starting battery now. As stated, Lithium is not suitable for a starting battery. I am staying with a LA starting battery and adding a Lithium ( most likely a 50 Amphr ) for the electronics. As for the trollers, I am staying with AGM for now, unless the price of Lithium comes WAY down in the next couple of years. At 72, I don’t know how many more years I have in me, the batteries will probably out last me !!!
Seriously, look into upgrading your troller. On a boat that size, you should be running a 110 lb thrust , 36 volt system!
Thanks Rocky,
I’m back to a Mercury again, so you answered my question, thank you… Jeff
Really appreciate all the comments. I agree I would be better off with a 36volt motor with over 110 lbs of thrust but my boat only had room for two full size battery’s. The 80lbs will push my boat 2.2 miles per hour and that’s usually fast enough unless I’m at Willard. My battery’s will last 3-4 hours and that’s what I would like to improve on. Hoping the lithium will give me more time. With the smaller size and a lot less weight I might be able to upgrade to the larger size motor in the future.
During my research prior to purchasing lithium batteries for my ride I came across another thing to consider with lithium batteries and the BMS. You will want a hi temp cut-off as well as a low temp cut-off. Not all lithium batteries BMS’s are created equally. The low temp will protect your battery from damage when attempting a charge below 32 degrees.
Thing guy has a bunch of videos where he tears apart a lot of the batteries and finds what they’re made with.
I can’t remember the brand of batteries that I went with but like a-bow-nut pointed out, I watched this guys You Tubes and found some that fit my needs. Very informative.
DuBob, we are in the same boat, age wise! My first boat had a 32lb Johnson 12 volt on it. 18ft Glastron. I was never able to upgrade that, but fished with my buddy in his 20 Ranger w/36V system. What a dream. When I got my current ride, 18ft Skeeter Walleye, Deep V hull, I looked at the 36V systems, but no room for the 3 batteries. Went with the 24V Terrova and have enjoyed it. I also have a 15hp kicker if I need to do some fast trolling, but most of what I do is pulling for Crappie at .5-.7mph. The 80lbs do just fine. For that and general fishing, I can get 8-9 hrs out of a charge now. When new, I could get 2 days out of my AGM’s. I will be replacing them with two new ones here shortly, like you I can’t justify the cost of Lithium. Like I also said, the new AGM’s will probably outlast me !!!
The thing about lithiums is not that there’s “more juice” in them than a conventional battery of the same rating, but that the lithiums discharge at full power until they’re empty. That’s unlike conventional batts that get weaker and weaker as they discharge. Lithiums act more like a gas engine - full power until the tank goes empty, and then it suddenly just quits. That’s the reason why (IMO) you really need an app that serves as a gas gauge. Look for a brand that features a Bluetooth Battery Management System and a app for your phone.
One other caveat: Cheaper price on lithiums can mean that they use less than top grade materials.