We pick out 6 of the best trolling motor batteries on the market suitable for a day on the water, ranging in power from 85Ah to 130Ah
You can’t beat a good day’s trolling, (on a boat, that is, not the web), unless, of course, your trolling motor lets you down and you’re left huffing and puffing and faced with a long and strenuous paddle home.
In such cases, the trolling motor battery is almost invariably singled out as the guilty party… but could it be that the power unit specified for your trolling motor wasn’t actually up to the job you had planned for it in the first place?
Here’s our pick of the best trolling motor batteries on the market. And don’t miss our extensive trolling motor and electric outboard test.
Best trolling motor batteries available right now
Ultramax NP130-12, 130Ah
Billed as a superior quality, high-performance battery, this 130Ah unit comes from Ultramax, a subsidiary of Baruch Enterprises Limited which manufactures and distributes more than 150 million battery cells per year.
As a heavy duty unit, the NP130-12 is good for deep cycle use and delivers up to 500 cycles. Its high rating comes at a weight cost – the all-up weight is 43kg – but if it’s power and duration you need, this battery is well worth considering.
Totally sealed for life means the unit is clean and safe to handle. Measuring 350 x 170 x 275 mm, the NP130-12 is the same size as UItamax’s 100, 110 and 120Ah batteries and therefore makes an ideal replacement for anyone looking for a power upgrade.
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Autolite NS100AH130, 130Ah
Our second 130 Ampere hour rated battery is the Autolite NS100AH130. Like the Ultramax NP130-12, this unit is classed as a leisure and marine heavy duty, long life battery.
It is considerably smaller than its rival – the dimensions being 303 x 172 x 225 mm – and costs a massive £132.30 less to buy.
While this too is a sealed lead acid product, the price difference is likely due to the Ultramax’s heavy duty plates and unique separator system, which are claimed to deliver cyclic capability for twice as long as conventional batteries.
That said, the Autolite unit has plenty to offer, not least of which is its formidable Ampere hour rating.
BlueFusion GX100, 100Ah trolling motor battery
Priced way above any other products mentioned here, the BlueFusion GX100 has made it onto our list as it’s a Lithium-ion battery. That means it’s lighter than traditional lead acid batteries – the GX100 tips the scales at just 7.2kg.
Designed for high-power applications, it can run at a maximum continuous load of 60A with a promised cycle life of up to 2,000 times, which means this battery should last and last.
Size wise, the GX100 comes in at 240 x 130 x 240 mm. While ideal for freshwater fisher folk, there is one important point for seafarers to note: the GX100 is not recommended for use in saltwater environments.
Ultramax NP100-12, 100Ah
As a lower powered alternative to the Ultramax NP130-12 unit featured above, the NP100-12 shares many of the attributes of its big brother, including the life-extending heavy duty plates and unique separator system for enhanced cyclic capabilities.
Another important feature to note is that this battery has a low self-discharge rate of just 3% per month, which should add to its longevity. But if things should go wrong, the NP100-12 is backed with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.
The key difference between the NP100-12 and the NP130-12 is its smaller size – 355 x 197 x 284 mm – the consequences of which are 23% less power and a corresponding price tag reduction of 31%.
Advanced LXD100 Dual Purpose, 100Ah
The competitively-priced Advanced LXD100 is a dual-purpose unit, which means it has two sets of terminals to power, for example, an outboard and a winch. This is a sealed, wet flooded battery, which is a distinct advantage should it ever get knocked overboard.
Being sealed also means it’s totally maintenance-free. Good for up to 600 cycles, the LXD100 also features Deep Cycle technology, which provides a consistent flow of power and allows up to 70 percent discharge without damaging the battery.
Housed in a vibration-resistant casing, the LXD100 has a low self-discharge rate, resulting in extended shelf-life when not in use.
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SuperBatt CM22MF, 85Ah
With an Ampere hour rating of 85Ah, the SuperBatt CM22MF is at the lower end of the power spectrum for trolling motor batteries. As a sealed lead acid battery, it’s certainly no lightweight – it weighs approximately 15 kg, (around double the weight of the BlueFusion Lithium-ion unit featured above).
That aside, and with no pun intended, this battery offers a number of positives: it can be used for either propulsion or auxiliary applications, it requires no maintenance whatsoever, it’s relatively low priced, and it comes with a two-year warranty.
The dimensions of the SuperBatt CM22MF are 261 x 175 x 220 mm.
What to look for in the best trolling motor batteries
The secret of a battery’s running time is in its ‘Ampere hour’, or ‘Ah’ rating. The Ampere, (aka: Amp), incidentally, is named after French physicist André-Marie Ampère.
Judging by the title of his book Memoir on the Mathematical Theory of Electrodynamic Phenomena, Uniquely Deduced from Experience it sounds like he might have suffered grief at the hands of a flat battery too!
But seriously, the Ampere hour is the unit of electrical charge, so the greater the Ah rating of a battery, the longer it will run.
For example, let’s say a battery is rated at 100Ah. That means it can deliver 100 Ampere hours of current to your trolling motor – so if your outboard draws a steady 20A, this battery would power it for 5 hours. Simple as that.
Just one caveat: always leave a little in reserve to cover any power losses in the system, you won’t regret it.
You may sometimes see batteries referred to by their Group number. This is a reference determined by the Battery Council Organisation and is related to the physical dimensions of the battery.
As there is a correlation between size and capacity, the higher the number, the higher the reserve capacity, or charge capacity, of the battery. Typically, trolling motor batteries are likely to be rated Group 27.
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