Lithium Ion batteries.

Is anyone running these?
I know they are a lot lighter than regular lead core batteries, and give longer service ( they better for the price).
Anyway, that may be my next boat item purchased, if the price keeps dropping.
I just wanted to get the real scoop from the experts.
Thanks in advance

They can take more cycles than a lead acid battery so they last longer. They are also lighter but I don't think that's very important considering the total weight saved on batteries compared to the total capacity of the boat. I say wait a couple more years for them to get cheaper.

How much are they running per battery now of days? I have seen $700 to $1000

I do not have them, but I've only heard good things about them. The only negative aspect is a lithium battery gives you 100% until it is empty, then it's dead. There is no warning when it's getting low unlike with conventional batteries where you can tell when they are getting low and you can be conservative with them to make sure they last the rest of the day for you.

I can buy 4 grp 31 Optima Blue tops for the price of one LESS comparable Lithium Ion battery. No thanks. I'll deal with the 1mph loss due to weight.

If you figure in the price vs length of service lithium isn't even close to the value of a regular battery for 90% of people. There's always those guys that seem to somehow burn up a battery a year that it might work out. I say might because nobody has run one for the claimed 10 years to see of the actually last that long.

I do this on a small scale; running my fish finder off a lithium battery. I also have a smaller one as a back up.
They are smaller, lighter, more efficient, can be set in any position, and are less toxic.




One key factor is you should use a specialized charging system. Using a regular battery charger; over time, will result in the lithium battery not fully charging.

Here's a post detailing some of those issues.

What are going prices for those Lithium batteries?

Lithium Pro are $1,500

I've seen them for $550.00 but depends on the cranking amps. I have a 250 SHO so I don't know what battery I need. Guess, I'll go talk to some boat dealers today

The limited research I did was the cheap ones were not made for boats.

Yep, I just started looking around, and doing some research. Not much on them yet.

I was going to build some lithium batteries myself by taking apart laptop batteries and pulling the cells out. You can buy laptop batteries for about $12 each and they have 6 battery cells in them. These cells are 18650's and are the same cells they use in the Tesla cars. From what I was reading you can expect about 2000mAh of energy storage in each cell and they are 3.6v each. Usually you can get a 100Ah 12v battery from walmart for $100. So if you wanted to build your own lithium ion battery with equivalent energy storage you would need 167 of these lithium cells which would cost about $2 each if you are prying them out of laptop battery packs. So you could build your own lithium ion battery for $333 ($12battery pack /6 cell per pack * 167 cells needed). I was going to do this myself because I figured they would last WAY longer than lead acid but I determined that the risk of shorting the cells and burning my boat to the ground was not worth it...

yeah it's not that important, but you decide to do it let us know how it works out

Ever seen how lithium reacts to ANY moisture? I've built lithium manufacturing labs and rooms, and its scary to say the least. When they come into contact with it, they start going off like a roman candle.

No way I am putting something in my boat till they are specifically making something like that for marine use, and even then not till they are time proven.

Sounds like a plan! For others here, "obsessive" is just tuned in on ways to get batteries for less expense. Most people might not realize it but one battery hack to get a whole lot of small batteries cheaply . . . is to break open a larger battery. It is similar to what obsessive is proposing. Kind of cool. brad

Here:
Battery hack

Obsessive, just keep doing what you are doing, and you wont have time to fish!

I'm running Lithium Pros this year and absolutely love them.
I have 2 of the 36v batteries for my trolling motor, 1 12v for my engine and 3 12" graphs.
You really only need one 36v but I went with 2 for double capacity. I can run my Ultrex 112 all day and use spotlock in a strong wind for hours at a time with no loss of power at the end of the day. I even fished two days of a multi day tournament without charging overnight due to not having enough outlets to charge three boats and never had a loss or power.
The other thing that I love is that I can leave all 3 graphs on full bright, aerators running and never have a problem when I hit the key to start my Mercury. The old led acid batteries that I had would not have the power to start my engine after 2 hours fishing if I left all of my graphs on.
The list price of the setup that I'm running with charger is $5500 so they are not for everyone. But if you are a serious tournament angler and want every advantage you can get this set up is the best.

Still a long way from being cost effective to the mass consumer who is not sponsored by a lithium battery company and has to pay retail. A LONG way. It will happen though. Look at the cordless drill/tool market. Lithium technology has come a long way and as more companies develop marine applications competition will drive down prices.

Im glad Im not a serious tournament angler!

Dang. If i upgraded to this setup, the batteries would be worth more than my boat.

If anyone is interested in how you make you own lithium ion battery pack there's a bunch of videos on youtube. Here is a video I was watching on how to do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJaToOJcZ_o

I run the 36V lithium pro and the 12v cranking lithium. Only been about a month so no real review yet. I will say that there is a big weight difference and the space they require is minimal. Probably looking right at 4k for the same setup

^^^^This^^^^

Quick storey,

I work on a Semi-Submersible Production/Drilling rig, we had a guy down in the hull working on a seawater valve, he had a Dewalt Cordless Impact with the Lithium battery, the battery got wet and just started cooking off, filled the entire pontoon with smoke, set off 7 detectors, we honestly thought the rig was on fire due to 1 Lithium battery!

People have no problem spending 10k on some electronics but 5k is too much for batteries? If you buy a 60-70k boat what's another 5k

another 5k on batteries is 4K wasted. That's what it is.

Some people waste money on alcohol, drugs or tobacco, gambling, porn or season tickets.

It's only a waste if it's something that you don't do.

Me, I work hard for my money, I give 10% of everything I make to the Lord, take care of my financial obligations and spend whatever I want on fishing.

I tithe above and beyond, take care of all my financial obligations.....but still don't spend WHATEVER I WANT on fishing. Want to spend even more! (Good post though):-)

LOL I may need to take that statement back if I actually think about it.
Peacock fishing in Brazil, Mexico Bass fishing, chasing big smallmouth on St. Clair or blue Marlin fishing in Costa Rica could get pretty expensive!

There is a consumer price point for everything. $5k is a chunk of change for moderate gains.

I know that's right!!

I love it when the haters come out and start criticizing someone they obviously don't know over the interweb.

I would love to see their to see their beer bill over the last 20 years.

I fished with a guy back in Feb that was complaining about having to spend $54,000 for FUEL for his Gulfstream to fly over to Costa Rica to fish the Bisbee's Marlin Tournament.

That guy has it rough.

[quote=Ken A.]I fished with a guy back in Feb that was complaining about having to spend $54,000 for FUEL for his Gulfstream to fly over to Costa Rica to fish the Bisbee's Marlin Tournament.

Were you fishing by yourself

Funny Scott!

No I was at CB with two guys. The gentleman with the Gulfstream is a business owner that lives in Rockwall and Florida and commutes back & forth. You don't own a Gulfstream 550 being just kind of rich. He has his boat captain sail his sportfishing boat from Palm Beach Florida to Costa Rica for the Bisbee's Black & Blue event every year. That is a 3,500 miles trip one way. (I think running from 515 West to Glade is a haul)

I guess the captain stops in Havana, Belize, Homduras, and Nicaragua for fuel along the way. Then he flies his GS 550 there to meet his crew and fish then returns home once the event is over.

The other gentleman with me that day builds custom homes in Rockwall and Heath for the well to do. I went to highschool with him. Rick is a great guy, one of the good old boys but his homes start at $2 mil. The home Rick had just built for his buddy was 12,000 sq feet and that is his second home while he is working in Texas. His big house is on a deepwater canal in West Palm Beach Florida.

Stories like this motivate me. Life is better with money.

Ya, money makes happiness more comfortable...but it doesn't make happiness. Not a cliche. OK to wish. It keeps you striving. Not OK to wish you weren't you. We still talking bout lithium batteries? :-)

I have 36v of lithiums for my TM...my biggest complaint is they can shut off like a iPhone would. If you get low on power or have a prob with a charge they will shut off and when I lithium shuts off you have zero power. You have to go back and hold down the LED for 10 seconds to reboot the battery after you find out which one shut down .unlike a lead where it will get weaker. After I got them figured out I like them but not sure they are worth it really. They are lighter and do last longer...