Battery-powered trolling motors are commonly used by anglers to access shallow areas or hold their boat still in a current. Battery trolling motors also have the advantage of being quiet in use. The longer your trolling motor runs, the longer you can stay fishing.
This article looks at the five best lithium trolling motor batteries that keep you out on the water for longer.
AT A GLANCE: 3 BEST LITHIUM BATTERIES FOR YOUR TROLLING MOTOR
Battle Born 12V 100Ah | Ampere Time 12V 100Ah | CHINS 24V 200Ah | |
---|---|---|---|
Price | |||
Voltage | 12V | 12V | 24V |
Battery Capacity | 100Ah | 100Ah | 200Ah |
Charging Cycles | 3000 - 5000 | 4000+ | 2000+ |
Weight | 31 pounds | 24 pounds | 86 pounds |
Our Recommendation | Best for ultimate in lithium and BMS technology | Best price for a 12V 100Ah lithium battery | Best for 24V trolling motor with longer running time |
Score | 9.5 | 9 | 9 |
How Do I Choose A Lithium Battery For A Trolling Motor
Type of battery
You must buy a deep-cycle battery designed to be repeatedly fully discharged and recharged. Batteries designed to start a vehicle engine are unsuitable and will quickly fail with the constant discharge and recharge.
Amp-hour rating
The amp-hour rating is the primary measurement of a battery’s capacity. The higher the amp-hour of your battery, the longer you’ll be able to stay out on the water fishing.
Voltage
Trolling motors are available in various voltages, so you must buy a battery with the correct voltage.
A 12-volt motor requires a 12-volt battery which is readily available. If your trolling motor is 24-volt, you can either buy a 24-volt battery or connect two 12-volt batteries in series. Similarly, with a 36-volt motor, you will need a single 36-volt battery or three 12-volt batteries in series.
See 12V and 24V LiFePO4 batteries for sale here:
Battle Born 12V 100Ah
MOSEWORTH 24V 100Ah
What size lithium battery for trolling motor?
Size is a consideration when choosing a battery for your trolling motor.
- First, does your boat have a battery tray? If so, unless you want to cut or remove the tray, it will restrict the battery size you can fit.
- The second consideration is weight. Choosing a lighter battery for small boats makes sense, preferably less than forty pounds.
Buy LiFePO4 battery under 40 pounds here:
Battle Born 12V 100Ah
Ampere Time 12V 100Ah
There is a pretty straightforward connection between battery size and power. The larger the battery, the more power it will offer, but it will also weigh more. One of the advantages of lithium batteries is their lightweight compared to conventional lead-acid versions.
Best 12V 100Ah Lithium Battery For Trolling Motor
Battle Born 12V 100Ah Deep Cycle LiFePO4 Battery
Key specifications
- Dimensions: 12.76 x 6.86 x 8.95 in
- Weight: 31Ibs
- Warranty: 10 years
- Voltage: 12V
- Amp-hour: 100Ah
- Charging cycles: 3000-5000
Why should you buy this product?
Excellent brand
Battle Born is well known for making exceptional deep-cycle batteries, with one of the best Battery Management Systems (BMS) available.
Excellent warranty
Battle Born back the exceptional build quality with a confidence-boosting ten-year warranty.
Increased charging cycles
Offering between 3000 and 5000 charging cycles, the Battle born will keep powering your trolling motor for years to come. A comparable lead-acid battery only provides a few hundred charge cycles.
Battery management system
Although we mentioned it before, it’s worth expanding on, as Battle Born has become synonymous with a quality BMS. The BMS will extend your battery’s working life by protecting it from damaging events such as overcharging and low-temperature charging.
Pros
- Excellent ten-year warranty
- Top-rated BMS
- Up to 5000 charge cycles
Cons
- Expensive compared to competitors
- Heavy for a 100Ah LiFePO4 battery, (31lbs)
Verdict
If you are looking for the best and comfortable paying the high price of the Battle Born, you won’t be disappointed.
Battle Born 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery
Ampere Time 12V 100Ah Deep-Cycle LiFePO4 Battery
The Ampere Time LiFePO4 12V 100Ah battery is of exceptional value for the money, giving all the benefits of lithium technology at a super competitive price.
Key specifications
- Dimensions: 13×6.28×8.48 in
- Weight: 24.25Ibs
- Warranty: 5 years
- Voltage: 12V
- Amp-hour: 100Ah
- Charging cycles: 4000+
Why should you buy this product?
Attractive price. At just under $380, the Ampere Time is excellent value. Yes, it is more expensive than lead-acid equivalents, but you get a lot for your investment.
Longer warranty. You might expect the company to limit their warranty for the price, but they give a full five-year guarantee. That is excellent peace of mind.
Very light. At only 24 pounds, the Ampere Time is around half the weight of a lead-acid battery of the same capacity.
Capacity at low charge. Even in a discharged state of 95%, the Ampere Time will give you an output of 12.8-volts, far more than any lead-acid battery could achieve.
Pros
- Fantastic price for a 100Ah LiFePO4 battery
- Five-year warranty
- Half the weight of similar lead-acid batteries
- Over 4000 charging cycles
Cons
- BMS does not have a low-temperature charging cutout
Verdict
If you don’t want to use the Ampere Time in very low temperatures, it is an excellent choice for a LiFePO4 100Ah battery.
Ampere Time 12V 100Ah LiFePO4
Best 12V 200Ah Lithium Battery For Trolling Motor
Expert Power 12V 200Ah LiFePO4 Battery
Key specifications
- Dimensions: 20.6×8.6×9.5 in
- Weight: 48.3Ibs
- Warranty: 1 year
- Voltage: 12V
- Amp-hour: 200Ah
- Charging cycles: 2500-7000
Why should you buy this product?
Huge increase in charging cycles. Expert Power claims up to 7000 charge cycles for their LiFePO4 200Ah battery, providing a much longer lifetime than a lead-acid battery.
Worth the high price. Yes, the 200Ah version is nearly $900, so not cheap, but it will easily outlast a lead-acid variant offering at most 500 cycles and save you time replacing it. In the long run, the lithium battery will save you money.
Light weight. At 48 pounds, the Expert Power LiFePO4 is only one-third of the weight of a similar lead-acid alternative.
Capacity at low charge. Even at 95% discharged, the Expert Power can give over 12V output, keeping you on the water for longer.
Pros
- Slow discharge while stored
- 12V output for up to 95% of its capacity
- Up to 7000 charge cycles
Cons
- Only a one-year warranty
Verdict
At almost $900, the Expert Power is a significant investment. However, the battery’s long life and ability to keep your trolling motor running for much longer are well worth the price. Just make sure you select the 200Ah version on Amazon, as there is also a 33Ah battery listed which will not be powerful enough.
Expert Power 12V 200Ah LiFePO4 Battery
Best 24V lithium battery for trolling motor
MOSEWORTH 24V 100Ah Deep Cycle LiFePO4 Battery
Key specifications
- Dimensions: 20.67×9.06×8.66 in
- Weight: 48.4Ibs
- Warranty: 5 years
- Voltage: 24V
- Amp-hour: 100Ah
- Charging cycles: 3000
Why should you buy this product?
3000 charge cycles at 80% discharge. Even if you discharge the Moseworth to 80% every time you use it, you can still fully charge the battery 3000 times or more. Even if you used the battery 365 days per year, it would last over eight years.
Long warranty. Although the warranty is not as good as some competitors, a five-year guarantee gives considerable peace of mind.
BMS protection. The BMS is one of the most critical parts of a lithium battery. Moseworth’s BMS offers all the protection your battery needs, including low-temperature safety.
Pros
- Five-year warranty
- Excellent BMS protection
- Reduced weight compared to lead-acid battery
- 3000 charge cycles at 80% discharge
Cons
- At $900, it is a considerable investment
Verdict
Anyone thinking of replacing their 24V lead-acid trolling motor battery should consider the Moseworth. It is expensive but will give you payback in the long run.
MOSEWORTH 24V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery
CHINS 24V 200Ah Deep Cycle LiFePO4 Battery
Key specifications
- Dimensions: 20.47×10.59×8.66 in
- Weight: 86.4Ibs
- Warranty: 10 years
- Voltage: 24V
- Amp-hour: 200Ah
- Charging cycles: 2000+
Why should you buy this product?
Serious power. When power and extended times between charges are your requirements, the CHINS 24V 200Ah LiFePO4 doesn’t disappoint.
Long warranty. All too often, battery warranties are short, but the CHINS comes with a ten-year guarantee matching the best in the market.
BMS protection. Power is useless without control, and the CHINS BMS protects your investment from overcharging, undercharging, temperature extremes, short-circuits, and ground faults, among others.
Boosted charge cycles. Although not top of the class for lithium batteries, an impressive 2000+ charge cycles at 80% discharge is still ten times better than a lead-acid battery.
Pros
- Ten-year warranty
- BMS protection
- 30% lighter than a similar lead-acid type
Cons
- Eye-watering price
- Heavy
Verdict
The CHINS 24V 200Ah LiFePO4 battery is for anyone who wants the ultimate power regardless of the cost.
CHINS 24V 200Ah Deep Cycle LiFePO4 Battery
Conclusion
Replacing a lead-acid battery with a lithium equivalent is an excellent idea. Although lithium batteries can be an expensive initial outlay, the payback is much longer working life, more power and less weight.
Add to this the longer warranties offered by some manufacturers, and lithium batteries make sense for anyone that can afford the purchase price.
FAQs
How long will a 100Ah lithium battery last on a trolling motor?
This is a difficult question to answer as there are so many variables. For example, what is the power of the trolling motor? Are you using the motor at full capacity or using it to hold your boat steady in a strong current?
If your trolling motor takes a constant 10Ah, a 100Ah battery will last for almost ten hours. If the current draw of your trolling motor varies from 1Ah to 20 Ah, then it may last longer.
Do lithium trolling motor batteries last longer?
Without a doubt, lithium batteries will last far longer than the same capacity lead-acid battery. Often the lithium battery will run for twice the length of time as a lead-acid variant.
Is a lithium-ion battery a suitable replacement for a lead-acid battery?
Yes, definitely. There are many advantages to a lithium-ion battery that make it an excellent replacement for lead-acid batteries. The biggest downside is the higher cost of lithium-ion batteries, but this is offset by much longer working life and improved power characteristics.