What Size Marine Battery Do I Need

What Size Battery Practice I Need For My Boat?

Finding the right size battery for your boat can be a pain. Because just like apparel, boat batteries aren't "one size fits all". (Of course, "one size" items do be, only nosotros all know there'due south no way they actually fit everyone.) There'south a massive multifariousness of boats out there. And they require different boat bombardment sizes. For instance, the ideal kayak battery size volition differ from your ideal bass boat setup.
Pontoons, bass boats, centre console, sheet boats – at that place are many different shapes and sizes.

That brings u.s.a. to our adjacent point. It'due south important to choose your boat'due south battery size carefully. Why? Considering not every gunkhole is the same. And neither are every boater'due south needs. Your gunkhole batteries optimize your boat'southward performance. They keep your trolling motor running smoothly, ability gadgets like your GPS or fish finder, and more than. If you choose the right size bombardment for your gunkhole, you lot won't damage your valuable equipment or run out of power.

Boat Battery Size Basics

"What size battery practice I demand for my boat?" may exist one of the first questions you ask when buying your boat or upgrading your existing batteries.

Boat dealers tin can likely help you with this. They may recommend certain batteries, and even install them for you lot. Merely what if y'all buy a used boat? Or what if you're looking to add together more on-board equipment, and your current batteries but won't cut it?

Maybe y'all've decided to switch from lead-acid to lithium, and are wondering whether a smaller lithium battery can replace a big lead acid ane. (Hint: the answer is yes!)

Whatsoever the example, here are the questions you'll demand to reply:

What kind of boat practice you have? (For example, bass boats crave bigger batteries than kayaks).
What types of batteries exercise yous demand? (Most bass boats need two types of 12 volt batteries: a starting bombardment, and a deep bike bombardment).
What does the gunkhole manufacturer recommend?
How much amperage do you lot demand?
Will you need more than than one battery in parallel to run your equipment?

If you choose an underpowered or overpowered battery for your gunkhole, you risk damaging your electronic equipment. And fifty-fifty the boat itself. And so consider the questions above advisedly.

What Size Battery Is Best For My Boat?

Ok. Information technology'south time to become a flake more than technical. But don't worry, information technology'southward still pretty straighforward. Let's have a deeper dive into some of the questions we mentioned above.

What Types Of Batteries Do You lot Need?

Your boat will need a cranking or starting bombardment to start its principal engine. You'll also need a deep wheel battery to power your trolling motor and electronic accessories. Add some other deep wheel battery if yous have dual engines.

There's one more than type of gunkhole battery that tin practise both jobs: the dual purpose battery. Just most experts concord this kind of battery doesn't do either task well. Y'all should only cull dual purpose if your boat doesn't accept enough space for more than than one battery.

How Much Amperage Do You Need?

It's fourth dimension to crisis the numbers! Y'all might non savor math, but trust usa – you lot'll enjoy your fishing trips much more if you calculate the Ah (amp hours) you need.

Batteries have an Ah rating. This relates to the actual battery chapters. For instance, a bombardment rated 100Ah delivers five amps for 20 hours, or 100 amps for one hour. Just that may not always be true. Because you lot shouldn't belch batteries past 50 pct of their capacity (except for ionic lithium batteries).

Acquit out an "Energy Audit" and run into what battery size volition come across the energy demands of all your equipment.

Here'south a simplified energy audit method:

Utilize the formula W=AV. (Watts equals amperage multiplied by voltage.) Transpose this formula (separate the wattage past the system voltage) to go the number of amps for a certain device.
Examples: If y'all use a 6 watt navigation calorie-free bulb in a 12 volt organisation, it volition draw 0.v amps. If y'all use it for ten hours in a day, the light bulb will eat 5 Ah (amp hours). Most trolling motors employ 5 to thirty amps an hour, depending on their load. And so your battery setup needs to offer thirty to 200 amp hours.
Finally, add up the average amps per hr your equipment will use. This helps y'all detect out how many amp hours your batteries need to embrace.

Protip – Does your boat already accept a battery? Permit's say you lot bought your boat new and it came with a battery, but the battery is former. Your best bet is probably to replace it with a similar battery that has specs that either match or exceed the original bombardment. Also, upgrading to lithium is rarely a bad idea, if y'all're looking to amend your overall experience.

Common Questions Almost Gunkhole Batteries

Here are our bombardment size recommendations for some of the almost common bass boat setups. (Plus a few other commonly asked questions about boat batteries.)

What size battery do I need for my boat with a 24 volt trolling motor?

You can apply two 12V 100Ah batteries for the trolling motor. And one 12V 125Ah bombardment for the engine starter and other onboard equipment.

What size battery do I need for my gunkhole with a 36 volt trolling motor?

You'll need one 36V 50Ah bombardment for the trolling motor. And 1 12V 125Ah battery for your engine starter and other equipment. Or, you tin can bandy the 36V 50Ah battery for three 12V 50Ah batteries in parallel.

What kind of battery goes in a boat?

In about cases, 12 volt batteries are what you need. In rare cases other types of batteries are used, like half-dozen volt or viii volt batteries for instance. If your boat is a bass boat or bigger, 12 volt gunkhole battery is your all-time bet.

Will a deep bicycle battery start my boat?

It can, but it'due south much better to separate the house batteries from the engine battery (AKA the starter battery). And then for most boats, you'll desire at least 2 batteries. 1 should be a deep cycle battery that provides continuous power over a long period of fourth dimension. And the other should be a starter bombardment, built for large, brusque bursts of power similar starting a boat.

How long does a boat battery concluding?

It depends on a few things, especially the blazon of batteries y'all use. Lead acid and similar traditional batteries may terminal 2-four years. Lithium gunkhole batteries, on the other hand, usually last 3,000-v,000 charge cycles. In other words, they usually last ten years and sometimes even longer.

What's the difference between a marine bombardment and a regular battery?

The difference between a marine battery and a auto battery is simple. Marine batteries are designed to have the burst of power you need to beginning the engine of your gunkhole. Just it also has the chapters to ability on board gear and accessories. They're also more resilient to things similar heavy vibrations and pounding waves. Car batteries basically only need that initial outburst of power to start the engine. Then, the alternator takes over, over the course of the trip, and charges the battery.

What is a expert marine battery?

Lithium marine batteries are quite a bit better than the balance. And for a broad variety of reasons, which nosotros've covered here: LiFePO4 Batteries – What They Are & Why They're The Best. The only "downside" is the initial price indicate. But that's a very small toll to pay when yous consider the savings over the life of the battery. Non to mention the superior prophylactic, lightness, no maintenence and other benefits.

Is a marine battery wet or gel?

There are basically two master categories of marine batteries – atomic number 82 acid (gel, wet cell, and AGM), and lithium.

Do boats need special batteries?

Generally speaking, boats need a starting battery and a deep cycle bombardment (or batteries, depending on the size). Deep cycle gunkhole batteries provide power continuously. The starter battery provides the short, large surge of power required to start the boat.

Have more questions? Check out more recommendations for typical bass boat battery setups, or contact us here.