What Size Battery Does My Boat Need

Can I Replace A Large Lead

Yes. In most cases, a lithium battery will provide the same amount of power in a package about half the size of a lead-acid battery. If you have a large lead-acid battery and youre upgrading to lithium, you have two basic options. One, you can go with a smaller lithium battery for a similar amount of power. Two, you can go with a lithium battery similar in physical size and gain more power and amperage compared to the lead-acid battery.

Answering these questions will help you choose the right lithium battery for your boat. Of course, you should also see what the manufacturer of your boat recommends and consider the type of equipment you will be running.

If youre looking for a trolling motor battery, you will typically use two 12V 100Ah lithium batteries for a 24-volt trolling motor. Boats with a 36-volt trolling motor can use one 36V 50Ah lithium battery or three 12V 50Ah lithium batteries in parallel.

Most boats will need one 12V 125Ah lithium battery for the engine starter and for other equipment, as well. Make sure you check the specs for your boat and match up the right lithium battery size for your specific boat.

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How Long Will A Boat Battery Last

Your boat battery can last you a long time provided that you take good care of it.

Just make sure your boat does not have active loads when you are not using them to extend the life of your battery. You can read this article to find out all about taking proper care of your battery.

As well as this article here on How To Make Your Boat Batteries Last Longer!

How Many Batteries Are Normally In A Boat

Every boat has two types of power requirements. One is the starting load, which is the amount of power your boat requires to start up. The other is the running load, which is the amount of electrical power your boat requires in its running state.

The different electronics on your boat, such as the GPS, the motor for your trim tabs, and any lighting you might have on board.

Traditionally, all boats have at least two different types of batteries. One is the starting battery, which you use to start the engine. The other is what is called a house battery, which is responsible for powering all of your lights and electronics.

Starting Battery

Starting batteries need to deliver large amounts of current to start your boats engine. They can only provide this huge amount of current for a short time .

Using your starting battery for longer than this can cause irreversible damage to the battery. Thus, if you crank and crank and crank on your battery when your engine wont start. You can wear the battery out.

Starting batteries do have an estimated lifespan. Basically, there is an estimated number of starts you can put the battery through. Or what would be called a discharge cycle.

Where the battery is used by starting an engine. This puts that massive draw on the battery and drains a large amount of power. When the battery is new. It can carry a longer load or discharge cycle.

Deep Cycle Battery

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What Size Battery Do I Need For My Jon Boat

Jon boats dont require too much power butthey certainly do need some from time to time. Whether youre powering it tomove around, to start up your motor, or to power your accessories, you may bewondering what size battery you need for your jon boat.

So, what size battery do I need for my jonboat? Choosing the right size batteryfor your jon boat depends on the weight of your boat, how youll be using it,what accessories youll be powering, and the available space on your boat.Generally speaking, the bigger the battery you can get, the better.

Putting a marine-specific battery in your jonboat could be done for any number of reasons. Its good to have some extrapower on your boat even if you dont plan on using it very often since itsnice to have when you need it. However, batteries can be expensive, so its notuncommon to find a battery of just the right size when powering jon boats.

Adding An Extra Battery In Parallel

In a 12V system adding an extra battery is simply a case of mounting it as close as possible to the existing batteries and then connecting in parallel, connecting alike terminals using large diameter cable and properly crimped battery terminals.

Unless you have the tools and some hefty cable hanging around I would suggest you measure up and have the cross-links professionally-made. You could buy a crimper and terminals to do it yourself, but the investment for such a small job will usually be prohibitive.

When connecting two batteries in parallel its important to note that the output voltage of the bank will remain the same, but your available capacity will increase. There is often confusion with amps and amp hours. Put simply, an amp is a measure of current flow, whereas an amp hour is a measure of current flow every hour. So, in theory a 100Ah battery could provide a 20A current for five hours before becoming flat. It wont actually, for a number of complex reasons, but for simplicity Ill let it stand.

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Consider The Size Of The Power Cell You Are Going To Purchase

To be able to select the right battery for your boat and your needs, you also have to make sure that you determine the right size of battery you need. We mentioned earlier that size of battery you are going to purchase would have to depend on how much power your boat needs. It means, the larger your boat is and the larger its electrical load it has, the larger size of power cell it needs to keep up with its demand. To guide you on this aspect, you can refer to the battery size section of this article above.

What Does Peak Amperes Mean On A Battery Jump Starter

You may see a reference to peak amps when looking for a battery jump starter. Peak amps are the maximum amount of power that the jump starter can push out on the initial burst.

This is not particularly helpful when deciding which is the best battery jump starter to purchase. Because its giving you the maximum amount of power on a short initial burst.

The battery jump starter may only be producing those peak amps for a second or two. Conversely, the cranking amps produce a steady stable current for at least 30 seconds.

When jump-starting your car you typically need a minute or two to give the car battery enough juice to be able to start your vehicle up.

However, battery jump starters come with a variety of other features, which we will get into later. Peak amps is a consideration when factoring in these other features.

So, to sum this all up. Peak amps should not be the deciding factor when choosing a battery jump starter. Cold-cranking amps or cranking amps should be your first consideration. You want to make sure that your jump starter will, in fact, be able to jump-start your car.

However, more peak amps generally indicate a more powerful jump starter. 1000 Peak amps > 700 peak amps.

Now that you know more than you ever wanted about jump starter amps, what are the other considerations that need to be examined?

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Types Of Marine Battery

Choosing the right type of marine battery is going to be crucial for your boats performance, and when it comes to picking the right type, you also have to consider the chemistry of the power cell. Before you choose the battery for your boat, you have to keep in mind that the battery will handle two things starting your boats engine and running all of its electrical load. Being aware of this aspect will make sure that the battery you are going to purchase will have the capability to provide every power that you need for your boat.

• Smaller boats that need enough power for both starting their engine and running their electrical loads from a stand-alone battery.
• They are also suitable for sailboats with two interchangeable batteries for powering electrical loads.
• Dual purpose batteries can a be a good replacement battery for boats that need enough power for their electrical load and starting their engine compared to starting batteries.

Those are the different types of batteries that you can choose from. You have to keep in mind that selecting the right type of battery is going to be crucial for your boats performance. Now you have to learn about the different types of battery chemistry to make sure that you are going to pick the best suitable battery for your needs.

Amps Amp Hours And Battery Capacities For Boaters

Understand the demands of your on-board electrical equipment, and assess the abilities of your batteries and charging gear to keep up with those demands.

In a recent article on boats.com I talked about amperes in your boats electrical system. In that article I focused on the need to deliver enough amperage to your appliances, how to measure it, and the need to make sure controls are in place in the event of a short circuit where too much amperage could flow, causing damage if the problem isnt dealt with promptly.In this article Ill talk about amperage again, but this time we need to consider the finite limits in available amperage on board your boat. We need to learn a bit about amp-hour ratings for things like alternators and battery chargers, and about how to size a battery bank to keep all your gear running at its peak performance for as long as you need it to.Starting Batteries and Battery RatingsIts important to understand the different ratings used to determine battery capacity and also to understand that sometimes battery manufacturers will use specifications that may do more to confuse you than actually help in making the right choices.

A clamp-on meter set to measure amperes will help you determine the electrical demands of your system.

Deep Cycle Applications and House LoadstheoreticallyDetermining Amp-Hour NeedsBattery chargers and alternators

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Thin Plate Pure Lead And Lithium Batteries

New technologies will require new ways of thinking about your boat’s battery system. NorthStar TPPL batteries are among the most advanced AGM batteries in the world. They’re made from 99.99% pure lead that’s rolled into thin plates. Combining the pure lead’s low electrical resistance and greater surface area from more and thinner lead plates, they can accept much higher charging amperage than typical AGM batteries. Not only do they charge incredibly quickly, but they’re capable of 400 charge/discharge cycles with an amazing 80% depth of discharge.

These batteries add intriguing options for long distance cruisers. Instead of installing a 1000Ah battery bank and running your diesel for six hours, you can install a 500Ah TPPL bank and charge more frequently, but faster. Or you can forego a genset and install one or more very high-output alternatorsturning your propulsion engine into a high-output charging machine. Your diesel will run for short periods but with a high load .

Lithium/nickel/cobalt/manganese batteries, like those used in Torqeedo electric outboards, weigh less than lead acid batteries, can be discharged 800 times to 100% depth of discharge, and can be recharged in a little over an hour. They excel as battery banks in electric boats, as well as for other high-performance battery tasks.

Picking The Right Battery

So, which solar battery is right for you? There are a few different battery types commonly used for off-grid storage systems:

Flooded Lead Acid

• No maintenance, no venting
• Highest efficiency, faster charging, more usable capacity

The two main battery chemistries for off-grid are Lead Acid and Lithium. These two chemistries have unique characteristics. Lithium batteries are more efficient, which means less power is wasted in the charge/discharge process. They also have a greater discharge depth allowing you to fully utilize all of your battery capacity.

Lead acid batteries are sensitive and need to be fully recharged every day, where Lithium batteries can stay at a partial charge without any adverse effect. Lead acid batteries also have a more limited amount of usable capacity and are typically discharged only 50%.

Because of the better efficiency and deeper discharge depth, Lithium battery banks tend to be only 50-60% of the size of a comparable lead acid bank! The Lithium batteries we use are purpose-built for off-grid solar, and utilize a special Lithium chemistry called Lithium Ferro Phosphate .

This type of Lithium battery is engineered to provide a long service life while also being safe, with a stable chemistry and sophisticated electronic protection features.

This is not intended to be a comprehensive guide on off-grid design.

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How To Choose The Right Marine Battery

• cranking battery,

• battery capacity ,
• battery group, i. e. batterys physical size ,
• weight ,
• output ,
• technology ,
• warranty.

Check your owners manual for the recommended battery types and ratings. Substituting the recommended battery type for the other is generally not a good idea. Always choose along with the rating equal to or greater than the recommended value.

Cranking or starting marine battery

Power or deep cycle marine battery

Dual purpose or hybrid marine battery

When purchasing a new battery, dont forget to recycle your old one. Lead acid batteries can be safely completely recycled when done properly in the right facilities.

Battery monitor is your batterys best friend

• measure input and output currents,
• know the batteries voltages, charged and empty,
• know the batteries temperature.

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How To Rapidly Kill A Battery

Undercharging: Consistently failing to fully recharge batteries leaves them with lead sulfate that hardens on their platesthey become sulfatedand gradually lose their ability to perform. Increased resistance when charging causes falsely elevated voltage readings, essentially fooling the battery charger, leading to further undercharging, in a downward spiral. Beyond a certain point, a sulfated battery cannot be returned to a healthy state, and you need a replacement. Keep your batteries charged, and equalize your wet cell batteries every six to eight weeks in temperate climates, and more frequently in the tropics.

Overcharging: Especially fatal to Gel and AGM batteries, consistent overcharging boils the electrolyte out of the cells, and can even lead to thermal runaway, with the battery becoming hotter and hotter. One of our writers experienced thermal runaway on his liveaboard Catalina 30, caused by a ferroresonant dumb charger, with nearly catastrophic results.

Excessive deep discharge: Dont completely discharge a deep cycle battery if it can be avoided. The deeper the discharge the less life you will get from the battery. The ideal method is to charge and discharge the batteries through the middle range of their capacity and, if they are flooded batteries, to equalize them periodically. Leaving the battery in a fully-discharged state, for example during winter storage, causes it to become sulfated.

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What Is Group Size On Marine Battery

The term group size refers to the dimensions and power capacity of a battery. It is used for all batteries, not just marine batteries.

Group size is usually shown as a mix of letters and numbers. For example, 24M. 24 is the size and M stands for marine.

Why does battery group size matter?

For one thing, it helps you find the right designation. Installing a battery not rated for marine use will kill your battery quicker than anything else.

But even a marine battery may die on the water if you arent using the best group size for your boat.

In general, a larger group size means the battery will last longer. It will also be able to simultaneously power more functions on your boat such as fish finders, radios, and pumps.

Many boats are able to support more than one group size. If you want to install a group size thats larger than your battery tray, you may be able to replace the battery tray.

Some common marine battery group sizes include:

• 24M

The Type Of Battery You Buy

It isnt enough to buy a powerful battery in the right size. You need to purchase one thats designed for the use you intend it for. Therere three types of batteries on the market that you will see, starting, deep cycle, and combo.

You should always buy a replacement battery thats the same type as the old one.

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What Is The Best Boat Battery Guide To Deep Cycle Marine Batteries

The best marine battery for you depends on what type of boating you plan to do. Do you head out for the day to pull your kids on water skis? Are you trolling for trophy fish from sunrise until sunset? Or, perhaps your boat is your home. All of these applications put different demands on your boat battery. Lets look at how this impacts your choice of the best boat battery for you and what options are available.

Dual Purpose Power Cells

Most marine applications will call for the first two types of batteries. However, sometimes, theres a need for a combo battery. These batteries act as a combination of the first two types.

They work well in smaller boats that use one battery to both start the motor and run the electrical. They also work well in sailboats that require interchangeable batteries for their electrical loads.

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Types Of Marine Batteries

There are three basic types of marine batteries:

• provide quick but powerful spurts of energy over short periods of time and are designed to start the engine and be rapidly recharged by the engine alternator. A starting battery should not be used for trolling motors or powering appliances.
• are designed to discharge slowly over a long period of time and to withstand several hundred charging and discharging cycles. A deep cycle battery is the right choice for powering an electric trolling motor and other battery-powered accessories such as audio systems, a windlass, depth finders, fish locators, and applicances. Deep cycle batteries should not be substituted for starting batteries.
• combine the performance of starting and deep cycle battery, and are a good choice on smaller when theres no room for two batteries. While they’re able to perform the tasks of a starting battery and deep cycle battery, they’re not as efficient as separate batteries.

Deep Cycle vs. Cranking

The cranking battery has more yet thinner plates to give a fast voltage spike to crank an engine, but is not intended to maintain high power output for long periods. Yes, a deep cycle battery can be used to start your motor in a pinch, but a two- or three-battery system is highly recommended to separate the engine battery from the accessory batteries.