I'm looking at Lithium batteries for my Terrova 80# and I get all kinds of suggestions from two 50 amp and a single 24 volt battery.

I'm using two lead acid 100 amp 31 size and the weight is killing me plus charging is another thing. I have a Miller tech 33 amp for my electronics. My boat is a 16' aluminum without much weight. 

Any suggestions would be appreciated, especially for under 1k!

Two 50ah batteries, IMO, is the way to go.  You don't have to buy another charger and the loss of weight is dramatic.  I replaced a group 27 battery with a 50ah lithium.  My only reason was I couldn't  lift the 70lbs anymore.  The lithium weighs 12lbs.

Thanks. There's a lot of lithium batteries on the market and trying to get one with good reviews is giving me a headache!

2 minutes ago, Terrova80 said:

Thanks. There's a lot of lithium batteries on the market and trying to get one with good reviews is giving me a headache!

Best place to go is Will Prowse's site. He's mainly concerned with solar-power, but he tests then cuts open batteries to review their build quality

https://www.youtube.com/@WillProwse

What TM are you using and how are the current batteries performing??

Not familiar with your on board charger? Does it have a AGM setting?

Tom

Terrova 80# 2014 generation with two 100 amp lead acid charging with a Minn kota 330 precision. 

I have 80# 24v Terrova, I’m powering it with 100ah 24v LiTime battery and I’m very happy with it. I have been out with multiple 5-6 hr trips before having to recharge it, I usually won’t recharge until below 20 percent. I purchased the  the 20A charger from LiTime.

On 9/6/2025 at 2:20 AM, bigbearstroop122 said:

I usually won’t recharge until below 20 percent. I purchased the  the 20A charger from LiTime.

 

Wow! You might want to reconsider this.... as well as consider placing such batteries into a solid steel containment box in case of:

 

AI Overview

 

Lithium-ion batteries should not be discharged below 2.5 to 3.0 volts per cell to avoid irreversible damage and potential safety hazards like thermal runaway, though the exact limit varies by battery type and manufacturer specifications. Discharging below this range can cause the copper anode to dissolve, form dendrites, and lead to internal shorts during recharging. For a multi-cell lithium battery, divide the total voltage by the number of cells to determine the per-cell voltage. 

 

Why Low Voltage is Dangerous 

 

• Copper Dissolution:

  If a lithium-ion cell discharges below its safe limits, the copper anode collector can begin to dissolve.
• Dendrite Formation:

  When the cell is recharged, this dissolved copper can plate back onto the anode and form sharp, branching structures called dendrites.
• Internal Shorts:

  These dendrites can pierce the battery's separator, causing internal shorts.
• Thermal Runaway:

  The heat generated by internal shorts can lead to thermal runaway, a violent and potentially fire-inducing process.

Batteries do have a low voltage limit!

 

Bass Boat Explosion Likely Linked To Lithium Batteries

Angler escapes with minor injuries in freak incident at the boat ramp.

Mike Bolton | October 27, 2023

 

 

Here’s the aftermath of a boat burnt to a crisp from what was likely caused by lithium batteries.

Piloting a powerful boat among a throng of racing bass boats at daylight at the start of a bass tournament is a danger that anglers accept. Rickie Knight, an angler from Selma, Ala., never dreamed that the real danger might come from just backing his boat down the ramp on a practice day.

 

The 40-year veteran of bass tournament fishing was launching his bass boat on Miller’s Ferry on the Alabama River last weekend when it exploded and burst into flames. The fire burned until firefighters arrived, and then the flames intensified as they sprayed water on the fire. The fire was finally put out when they punched holes in the side of the boat and drowned the fire.

 

Knight’s fishing buddy that day, Chris Henry, was in the driver’s seat when the explosion occurred. He dove out of the boat onto the concrete and escaped with only a twisted ankle.

 

Knight’s $67,000 bass boat was a total loss.

 

What caused the explosion and fire? The culprit was traced to the boat’s lithium batteries.

 

I’m running an ultrex 80# with a 24V 50 AH LiTime.  To do it again, I’d get 12V batteries.  I have a 12V LiTime for electronics and a 12V lead acid cranking battery.  On board charger.  There are very few onboard chargers that will do a 24V bank and 2 12V banks.  Many many more 12V x 4 bank chargers.  The pair of 12s would take up more space (the reason I chose 24V) but I have enough that it would have worked anyway.

Lifetime makes a deep cycle LiFePo4 marine battery safe rom exploding.If you have a LiFeP04 your OK.

Tom.

I should have said at 20 percent, once I’m close to 20 I will charge it. Below is a snippet from LiTime.

 

For a LiTime 24v LiFePO4 battery, a good rule of thumb is to keep it between 20% and 80% charge, though full 100% charges are acceptable with modern LiFePO4 batteries. Avoid prolonged storage at 100% or near 0%. For maximum lifespan, the "20-80 rule" is recommended. 

 

 

 

I know an old thread, but chiming in myself. I have an Prov-V Bass 1875. I have an Ionic 125 for electronic and crank. Using three LiTime 100ah TM for the trolling (ghost at 36v). I always recommend using multiple  batteries instead of the same voltage-to-motor approach, particularly if your trolling motor can switch voltages (i.e. 12v/24v, 24v/36v). A combined cranking/electronics for most circumstances is sufficient. I run multiple graphs, FFS, livewell, etc for 8-10 hour day and still have plenty left 50%+). Trolling, I can go a full week and still have over 1/3 still on them.

For brands, you have lots of options, but if you trying to get a full contingent under 1k for everything, you're likely going with Chinese brands. I can say LiTime have been good for me, and I know others that have had warranty replacement and wasn't an issue. I've messaged support and they have been communicative.

As for fires and explosions don't worry... if you stick with any lithium that is LiFPo4 (which practically everybody using for marine), you don't have that concern. They are stable and do not have thermal runaway.

Two 50's likely would be fine, but if you want total peace of mind and multiple days guaranteed then go with 100ah. For cranking, get a dual purpose one (they have them in 140ah and 165ah variants). All of of that would come in less than 1k.

If you want to go with more domestic supported brands (Ionic, Millertech, Monster, etc) you'll pay more (over your budget), but you'll get more local support and longer warranty. 

Last thing, the whole keep it to 20-80 is a rule of thumb, but not absolute. There is no issue going 100-0 then back up. I store mine at 100% all the time. The key is, don't leave it discharged at 0 for a long time (say day or less). The BMS built into all of the modern batteries keep things sane before any destruction. Even if it slightly reduces your overall full cycle charge (which is unlikely), the you will get a long lifetime. Most batteries are guaranteed for at least 3000 full cycles (most do many more). Each of those cycles roughly represents a long fishing day (8+ hours). That's decades plus worth of fishing.


 

I bought a Weize 100 amp Lithium to power my electronics. My onboard charger has a Lithium setting. Battery has Bluetooth BMS. Cost was $224 shipped to my door, 10 year warranty (at my age may very well be a lifetime warranty). The battery preforms just as well as a $750 battery.

On 9/6/2025 at 3:35 AM, FloridaFishinFool said:

Wow! You might want to reconsider this.... as well as consider placing such batteries into a solid steel containment box in case of:

 

The batteries being sold today are not Lithium Ion technology. The most popular ones being used and sold and used now are Lifepo4 (lithium ferro phosphate) are much safer and not known for spontaneously combusting like the lithium ion batteries were.

Is your trolling motor your primary source of propulsion?

 

If it is, and you are likely to spend some long days on the water, I would suggest a Lifepo4 (let's just call them "lithium" batteries here for simplicity's sake) system that has more than 50 ah at 24v. 

 

Until last spring, I ran a single 24v 100ah lithium battery (that weighs 48 lbs) with a MK Edge 70 on a Tracker 1648. I could easily go all day with it as my only source, but at the end of a long day doing that, I would have used around 65% of that 100 ah @ 24v capacity if I was making a long run to get where I was fishing, or doing something like trolling with it. I could go three half day trips (with using the 40 hp tiller outboard as the primary power to get me to where I was fishing) before even worrying about whether or not I needed to recharge.

 

If you're used to running lead acid batteries, a 12v deep cycle with a 100 ah capacity (that each weigh around 63 lbs), you're not supposed to run them down to below 50% of their rated capacity vs lithium where you can pretty much use all of their capacity (or close to it). so, with two 50 ah 12v lithium batteries wired in series, you essentially have about the same capacity as having two 100 ah 12v lead acid batteries wired in series. 

 

As for whether or not it would be better to have a single 24v or two 12v in series, that could depend on a number of unique factors such as other power needs, storage space and layout, desired weight distribution. Think it through, measure/calculate twice, buy once.

 

I recently upgraded . . . . massively. . . . to a MK Ultrex Quest and ran it since last spring on that same single 24v 100 ah lithium battery and still had plenty of battery for all day doing whatever I wanted to do, and it would push my boat over 4.5 mph at top speed. The TM I have can run on 24v or 36v, so I recently got a single 36v 65 ah battery (which has almost the same energy capacity as the 24v 100 ah battery), but it's in a Group 31 case and only weighs 41 lbs. I have not installed it yet, but I expect it to push me up over 5 mph at top speed.

8 hours ago, RFSims said:

I bought a Weize 100 amp Lithium to power my electronics. My onboard charger has a Lithium setting. Battery has Bluetooth BMS. Cost was $224 shipped to my door, 10 year warranty (at my age may very well be a lifetime warranty). The battery preforms just as well as a $750 battery.

 

Last spring, I bought a Weize dual purpose 105 AH 12V battery for my cranking battery and to run my electronics at the helm.  It was fantastic.  I monitored its volts and it rarely fluctuated keeping steady at around 13.45 V.  I stopped putting a charger on it after a day of fishing, unlike my old AGM, and rarely thought about it for the last couple months of the season because it was flawless.

 

I've been shopping for 36V lithiums for the boat I am getting in the spring.  There is no question I am going with either Weize or Li Time.  I think the bass- endorsed lithiums are way overpriced.  I'd get a 36V Li Time right now for under $700 but I want to wait till the spring to purchase.  Read the reviews from people if you are on the fence about getting a lithium from Amazon.  

I run a 12v Weize 100ah LifePo (@26#) and go five days (6-7hrs each) without recharging with my Newport 55# thrust trolling motor on my canoe.

 

I've actually went out on a freshly charged battery, fished 5 hours and the next morning the battery was at 100%. Amazed me!

I have been running the LiFePO4 batteries! the light weight and long run times are game changers. 

On 11/29/2025 at 11:34 PM, RFSims said:

I bought a Weize 100 amp Lithium to power my electronics. My onboard charger has a Lithium setting. Battery has Bluetooth BMS. Cost was $224 shipped to my door, 10 year warranty (at my age may very well be a lifetime warranty). The battery preforms just as well as a $750 battery.

 

I have two Weize 100AH batteries that I use on my kayak and they have been outstanding for years. Why 2 big 100Ah on a kayak? One is for my motor, while the second is for all of my electronics. However, if I ever have a battery failure with motor or somehow run it down I can swap the second 100Ah and get back to the ramp.

I have an Ulterra 80 pound thrust, 24 volt trolling motor and I originally had two 100AH AGM batteries in my boat. 

 

Few observations, on extremely windy days, fishing sun up to sun down, you could use enough battery that no matter what, you really needed to charge that night before fishing a second day with the AGM's. They are also extremely heavy batteries compared to lithium, which to be honest, my tiller steer Lund Pro Guide actually handled a little better with the heavier batteries up near the bow than it does the lighter Lithium ones I put in there. That's the only downside though...

 

I went with 100AH Dakota Lithium's and am glad I did versus two 55AH ones. The reason being, no matter how much I use my trolling motor throughout the day, I will never ever use all the juice in those batteries, one time my main motor battery which was almost brand new had a defect and failed me, I used my trolling motor to get me back several miles to the boat ramp, was nice to know that while it took a while, I was getting home without having to call anyone. I don't think my AGM's would have gotten me there after a full day of fishing like I had been doing on that day... I now carry a small battery pack with me in case of such an event to jumpstart my main battery to start main motor, but in this scenario the battery had a real failure and not even sure that would have worked on that day. 

 

If I ever go on a multi-day trip, which I do now and then, I don't have to worry about charging my 100AH lithiums, can fish 2-3 days no problem between charges. I would probably never feel confident fishing more than one day with two 55AH batteries. 

 

I have like 4-5 years on my lithiums now, still work like new and I fish with that boat 100-150 days a year at least... 

 

I also have a 55AH Dakota Lithium on my drift boat with a 12volt Minn Kota transom mount trolling motor, I can burn up that battery to the point it shuts itself off in one long day fishing a lake or slow river with the motor running more than half the time, which makes me feel like I would not have been happy with two 55AH batteries in my Lund... 

 

YMMV

 

P.S. they now have "solid state" batteries that are even better than Lithium, but have never used one or known anyone that has...