DON"T GO LITHIUM!!

I have seen a few folks asking for opinions on lithium batteries. I would say save yourself a lot of money and weeks worth of headaches and misery. I purchased both the 12v cranking battery and the 36v trolling battery from Lithium Pros. Dealership followed Lithium pros instruction on install and hook up. First week the 12v cranking battery has a problem.

Call Lithium pros and they give every reason you can imagine why it anything but the battery. Take it to dealership and they get lp on the phone go through it with them and test the battery, what do you know, lp says just must be a bad battery, give us a few weeks and will build a new one when we get that one back. So, like in 3 weeks or so? yep that would be about right they say. I don't have that kind of time, so I get into it with them and finally they refund the $2,000 for the 12v battery.

2 weeks later, you guessed it 36v battery cant hold a charge and has the trolling motor dead in the water. Call lp again and they say no way its the battery must be hooked up wrong. Of course I am boiling now with their blame anyone but themselves. Take it in and LMC calls lithium pros and it is hooked up exactly the way they said to do it. After half a day lp says well its a bad battery, could be something wrong with the computer inside the battery.

After another long hard fight with lp they agree to refund the money of the 36v battery. However, no way they were willing to pay for the labor to pull the lithium out and install lead acid. These guys will ruin your month with battery problems. At the end of the day its my fault for not just going with lead acid. So I reduce weight by 150lbs and get an extra 2mph on top end speed with lithium, believe me, no way it is worth it. Save your 5k on lithium and go on a vacation or something.

I would not recommend lithium and sure as heck wouldn't go with lithium pros. Truthfully I wouldn't run lithium even if they gave them to me. You have a problem with one of those your fishing is done for a while. Its not like you can run into town and just grab a new one. Not a lot of folks keeping $2,000 batteries in stock.

It's not the battery..

I just told someone you would be the first to comment

Hard to beat some Duracell agms. If lithium was the deal more guys would order boats with them imo. What's a few thousand more after spending 70k.

I would never buy lithium in the first place, nor lead acid. AGM is the way to go.

Or buy Walmart and go on an even better vacation

They've never failed me.

Dam straight, never had an issue with Walmart batteries and there's a store on every corner.

5Gs to gain 2MPH? Im sure there are cheaper ways.

If my tourney partners would lose weight that would help

+1. I'm on my second set of wally-world specials in the last 8 years. The ones under the deck now are from Oct 2013, so probably about due for a swap. Not bad for an $80 battery.

I was going to say my fat@$$ could lose some weight

+2, I have two of these EverStart Maxx Marine Battery Group Size 29DC that Wallyworld sells for about 80 bucks. 99 bucks now by the webpage. Just order them "site to store" and you can pick 'em up tomorrow morning. They weigh a lot, but they work forever.

I agree,you can't beat wally world. I havent paid for a deep cycle battery in 5yrs. Everstart max deep cycle batteries come with a 36 month warranty. Every 2 years I just take them back and they replace them for free.

I have used a lot of different brands, I run deka now and will probably always run these. I almost went the lithium route till several elite friends and dealer talked me into Deka.

Deka is the way to go in my opinion. I believe they are also sold under other brand names.

Duracell AGM is hard to beat for about 180$

The technology has had issues, especially in larger batteries, so I'm not surprised. Putting it in boats isn't going to make it all better. Oh, did anyone mention Lithium and water together are a really bad idea for sudden uncontrolled energy release????

Duracell is deka...

So basically stealing. Not sure that is what that warranty is for. Do they not test them when they are returned?

So, buy a battery with a 36 month warranty and return every 2 years? Hmmmmmm. Does that sound like the right thing to do? I'll need to think about that for awhile.

Sorry to hear about the issues. I've just never seen the cost -vs- benefit in lithium batteries.

Cool factor is there for sure.

Your MaMa must be so proud!

In addition to being dishonest, that type of action just drives up the cost of merchandise for everyone else. Just like the guy that break a rod and take it back to Academy even tho they bought it somewhere else. Just plain dishonest!!!

Lithium or lithium poly batteries? BIG difference.
Lithium does not have to be regulated like LI-PO does and most cell phones now use them as well as many many other gadgets. LI batteries will out perform and outlast any lead acid/agm battery ever made.
LI batteries saves weight. Li-po saves way more weight.
Li-po is much much lighter weight but has inherent problems. Li-po is what is used in UAV's and some other aircraft. Boeing 777 airliner had a major problem with the Li-po auxillary power units catching fire.
Nascar has been using Lithium batteries for years now in their race cars for the power they have and the weight savings.

It's already the cheapest deep cycle on the market. I take them back as soon as they no longer hold a charge, typically before the warranty ends. That's why the warranty is there, it's not there for me to wait until after it expires so I can sleep comfortably at night

+1 i also use walmart batteries, and either they last 5 years or burn out before the warranty is up... most burn out before the warranty is up in my experience. When you bring it in they check it to make sure its actually dead before giving you a new one. That is what warranties are for, that is not at all dishonest.

400 bucks 4 new batteries. all I use.

You guys jumping on the guy returning batteries don't really think a bunch of yokels on a forum are going to change his mind do you? You sound like a bunch of 14 yr olds.

Right or wrong you'll have no effect on his behavior. The only one that can change that is Wal-mart, and as long as their management doesn't insist on testing returns at that location you'll have people that do the exact same thing. Call the wal-mart in his area instead. You'll be doing the people in that location a favor.

Well any time i take a battery back to Walmart they always test it . I have run them for 15 years and have taken maby 4 back . Always tested

I don't think they still have the 3 year MAXX batteries, do they? Ours only has 1 year MAXX. Anybody bought any lately that has 3 years still?

I bought a pair of the Maxx 29s last week and they have a 2 year replacement warranty.

Maxx batteries have 5 year on auto and 2 year on marine now.
Regular marine is one year.

Walmart batteries are mfgd by Johnson controls, same as Interstate and are the same battery in black case. Just a different wrapper. Only difference is price and replacement warranty. Interstate is prorated after a certain time.

+1 on the duracell agm's. love mine!

Johnson Controls entered the battery business in 1978 upon acquiring Globe-Union Incorporated. Globe-Union was a Wisconsin based manufacture of Automotive batteries for both the replacement and OEM markets. Today, Johnson Controls is the largest producer of private label lead acid batteries in North America, and is becoming a leader in Asia and South America. In 2000 Johnson Controls acquired Gylling Optima Batteries AB of Sweden. The Optima Gel Battery is well known for its quality and longevity. Johnson Controls completed the acquisition of German automotive battery maker HOPPECKE Automotive GmbH & Co. The company has a excellent customer base that includes many of Europe’s leading auto manufacturers. Johnson Controls also produce batteries for other applications such as marine, lawn and garden, commercial, motorcycle, wheelchair, and golf cart use. Most consumers have no idea of the size of the battery giant. When people think of Johnson Controls, they think of thermostats for HVAC purposes not batteries. Johnson Controls is not only the largest North American battery manufacture, but they literally control the North American battery market.
Johnson Controls manufactures batteries for the following private labels:
Interstate Battery

Die Hard Battery

Duralast Battery

Kirkland Battery

Everstart Battery

Prostart Battery

Johnson controls also makes some or all of these batteries as well.
Acura, Advance Auto Parts, Autocraft, Western Auto, Tough One, Alliance, American Hardware, Ames, Varta, Blains Farm & Fleet, Battery Alliance, Bosch, Carrefour(Europe), Champion, Amara Raja Batteries LTD(Joint venture with Johnson Controls India).
Varta, Optima Batteries, LTH, and Heliar are all battery manufactures owned by Johnson Controls.

Johnson Controls supplies Ford Motor company, Diamler Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and Isuzu with original equipment batteries. So next time you go and buy a battery, or a automobile chances are its a battery made by Johnson Controls.
Product names, logos, brands, and other trademarks featured or referred to within bestbatterytips .com website are the property of their respective trademark holders.

^^^^^ HOLY HECK!!!! Some good info there!

East Penn is Deka and makes batteries for lots of brands and labels to include:

East Penn Manufacturing Co. Deka, (US) +1-610-682-6361 or http://www.eastpennmanufacturing.com/

1000 Amps Plus [Starting MF]

AGV

American, (US) +1-954-583-2470 or http://www.americanbattery-deka.com/

some AutoZone [AGM]

BigCrank [Powersports Starting]

CarQuest Auto Parts, (US) please see Advance Auto Parts

Advanced Generation [MF Starting]

Par for the Course [Deep Cycle]

SunQuest [MF Starting]

Chargemate

D-Series [Deep Cycle]

Data OGi series [Plate Deep Cycle]

Data OPzS series [Tubular Deep Cycle]

Data OPzV series [VRLA Deep Cycle]

DieHard Advanced Gold [AGM Starting], (US) 1-800-383-4273 or http://www.diehard.com/

DLU [Locomotive Starting]

DOg1/Spg [Tubular Deep Cycle]

Dominator "The Gray Battery", [Gel Cell Deep Cycle]

Douglas Battery Mfg. Co., also please see EnerSys

Astro Lite

BMW, (US) contact local BMW dealer

Climate Master

Deta-Douglas

Euroline

Guardian

Legacy Platinum

Omni

SafeGuard

SurePower

Switchgear

some Duracell

EN [Starting]

E-Z Link [Industrial Deep Cycle]

Fahrenheit [VRLA Deep Cycle]

Gel-Mate [Gel Cell Deep Cycle]

Gel-Tech Prevailer [Gel Cell Deep Cycle]

Global Power [MF & AGM Starting]

Harley Davidson [Motor Sports Starting]

Heavy Duty Commercial

HiTech [Starting]

Inferno [Starting Hot Climate]

please see Interstate [Gel Cell Deep Cycle]

Intimidator [AGM]

Durlast Platinum, (US) please see AutoZone http://www.autozone.com/

LU [Locomotive Starting]

MagnaPower ETX series [Starting]

Marine Master [Marine], please see U.S. Battery

MK Battery, (US) +1-714-937-1033, 1-800-372-9253 or http://www.mkbattery.com/

WestCo Battery, (US) +1-714-937-1033, 1-800-372-9253 or http://www.westcobattery.com/

SVR Battery, (US) +1-714-937-1033, 1-800-372-9253 or http://www.svrbatteries.com/

Max Powr

some NAPA [AGM], (US) please see National Auto Parts Association

O'Reilly Auto Parts, (US) please see O'Reilly

Super Start, (US) http://www.superstartbatteries.net/

AGM Line [AGM]

PLT

Commercial Line

Economy Line [Starting]

Extreme Line [MF Starting]

EXT

Lawn and Garden Line

Marine Line [Starting & Deep Cycle]

Premium [Low Maintenance Starting]

Outdoorsman [Lawn and Garden MF Starting]

Prevailers manufactured in 1990-1992 by Sonnenschein, please see Exide

Powr Mate

Pow-R-Surge [Deep Cycle]

Power Battery, (Canada) +1-416-291-1925, 1-800-668-9303 or http://www.eastpenn-powerbattery.com/

Power Master [Deep Cycle]

Powersports [AGM Powersports Starting]

Power-Tech

Pro Master [Golf Cart]

Rayovac

SeaGel [Gel Cell Deep Cycle], please see West Marine, (US) http://www.westmarine.com/

Sea Mate [Marine AGM Deep Cycle]

some Sears Advanced Gold [AGM]

Severe Service [Starting]

Solar [Deep Cycle]

Maintenance Saver

Small SLA, please see Power-Sonic

Ultimate [MF Starting]

Unigy [Deep Cycle]

UniTech [MF Starting]

Voltex, (US) +1-770-448-6021 or http://www.voltex.com/

Sealed Power

Werker [SLA Deep Cycle]

XTREME X2 [AGM Powersports Starting], please see BatteriesPlus

According to this list it appears Johnson might not be a big as they claim.

Since the last lead smelter was shut down by Obama's EPA in 2013 most if not all batteries containing lead are now made in other countries like Mexico, china etc. This last smelter closing also led to the big ammunition shortage we had causing the price of reloading components to skyrocket.

Muzzlebrake you work/worked in the battery industry?

I think the EPA does a great job closing down our factories so we can by the same stuff from other countries. I'm glad they have such sensible people working there.

No. I have google

Batteries Plus Duracell's are Deka's

^^^^^

I ran Wally World batteries in one of my rigs and YES most definitely I'd buy them again......

One pound at the nose is supposed to be equal to 100pounds at the transom... let that sing in. I imagine a 5mph difference between a x105 and a ultrex112

I would have to sell my boat to get the money to outfit it with lithium batteries so no problems!

Just took my boat to Wally World today to change out my trolling motor batteries...29's. When I pulled them out the date was 2010. Seven years and they weren't completely dead either, just wouldn't hold up to a full day of fishing. Best $200 ever spent boat wise!

The black Continentals are hard to beat, been running Odyssey for three years, they are just a little heavier than batteries the same size, Optima, not so much. All are made by Continental, including Trojan. I've had the best luck with Continental products, just my 2-cents. Oh, forgot to mention I'm a Continental distributor.

No worries can barely afford a boat with lead acid batteries.

Have an Optima 31M less than 2 years old that won't hold a charge. Tried replacing it through Optima and they tell me since it charges I'm out of luck! It' dead in 3 hours! Glad to see the Duracell post here! Gonna replace that [censored] Optima with something else for sure.

Jacob Wheeler runs Lithium batteries, right?

There's been multiple tournaments this year, including this weekend, where he had mechanical trouble that cost him fishing time. at least a couple of those were due to "battery malfunctions."

He might need to reconsider that choice.

I will put the Continentals back in mine every time.. Proper water treatment and charging, I have been getting 2 years out of them.... but then again. I didn't ever keep a boat long enough to see if they will go longer.. but for 2 years... every boat has had them.. they have been rock solid.

are you in a cat again? I thought you just bought a new skeeter.

keeping up with your boat situation is confusing on a good day.

Can you elaborate on why you didn't want the lithiums? I'm making this decision too.

I've run the Lithionics for 8 years and no issues other than a charge cord breaking. I will do it again. Charge faster,never any corrosion,less maintenance. My flooded batteries would last 12-18 months tops and were a major PITA to change out.

i think the duracell is made from Deka

Same here, been running them for years without a single issue. And it's pretty hard to beat their support with a store on every corner!

Cheers,

George

I'm not sold on the lithium batteries, primarily due to failures on my hand tools. Amazingly about 50% of them give out in under a year. On the other hand, I've had great experiences with AGM battery's, I have been running them since 2004, phenomenal performance day in day out. Just plug and play for years and years.

Sam's had group 31 Duracell agms for $150 recently. Best bang for you buck hands down

Still are about that. It's about time for me to change all mine. How would these do as cranking also?

They are excellent cranking batteries. One time I forgot to plug my charger in and left three graphs on all night. It still started my optimax without a hitch.

How much they weigh? I'm currently using interstate 34 agm cranking and 3 Wal-Mart 29 deep cycles. Is it about same?

Do you have a 36v battery from them? I didn't think they made one.

Do you still have to purchase a membership to shop at Sam's?

A Grp 31 is a lot bigger than a Grp 34. They are the heaviest batteries I've ever put in a boat.

Hey RED how did you get those AGM in your hand tools?

No it is three 12vs with a 36 volt charger.

I think he's talking about the lithium batteries failing in the hand tools

Never had litiums but know a few who do and have run them. $5K will buy many years worth of lead acid or AGMs. I bought all Optima blue tops once and will never go that direction either. They charge quicker and hold a charge longer but my experience with them is they last NO longer than $90 lead acid batteries---so was it worth it? Not to me!!

I've been running marine batteries since the late 70's. The only ones I have ever BOUGHT are from Walmart. I have won or been given just about every brand there is at one time or another and none of them have been more reliable than the 29 or 31 Everstarts, I can't tell you how many times one of the high end, nearly new batts has let me down, especially the Optimas. I wouldn't run them if they gave me new ones every 3 months. So you can spend a fortune or not, personally I would rather spend the extra money on boat gas or tackle.

$5 grand for batteries to save 150lbs?

LOL

You made my day, thank you.

PS: Just put 4 new batteries in my boat for $220 bucks with an awesome discount, the rest of my $5k goes toward fishing trips and tackle.

Billy,

How often do you use your hand tools? Is it as regularly as you fish? Consistency is the key to most battery life.

Well, a lot, almost every day. With 2 house's, a guest house, lots of wood decks, docks, a mothernLaw, etc... I try to keep two batterys hot all the time, I have to admit the lithium bat's are nice, light, quick recharge...since I switched to them over 3 yrs ago, Ive had 3 failures... Maybe its the brand I'm using

Do I want to know what the mother in law is using the for? 🤣 LMAO

Mother-in-law???

My experience as a guide makes me believe battery life is dependent on number of discharges/ charges more than years. Usually lasted between 225 and 275 charges or 12-18 months. I'm retired and live in a golf cart community with 3 golf courses. Farthest course is 4 miles from my house. In order to get there, play 18 and get home the cart people switched me from 4 twelve volts to 6 eight volts. Batteries last a little over year and a half but a lot heavier. Play a lot. Averaging over 275 rounds per year last 3 years. And yeah carts been upgraded a tad. Runs 36mph gps on flat ground.
Also have a hose set up on all batteries that l hook up to distilled water twice monthly and filling is automatic. Sure wish that was available back when I was working.

I take it no one runs optima blue tops anymore or never have?

I have. They would be my second choice after Duracell (Deka)

I made that mistake once.

If you buy Optima, don't order them from their website. They are a royal PITA to exchange if your battery goes bad. Local Optima dealers do not support batteries bought from the website, but Optima wants a test and printout from the local dealer in order to exchange. I went to the dealer after charging the battery and he couldn't get a test run. Told the Optima support lady what happened and she told me to take it back and have them charge it and run the test again.

You should be able to take the dang battery to where they are sold and get an exchange.

I got fed up with their process and told them thanks for convincing me to never buy an Optima product again. Replaced it with a Walmart battery.

I have four Gp 31Ms in my boat. Best batteries I've ever had. But, you have to take care of them. Just like any battery, if the owner doesn't care to learn how to maintain them, they won't last.

Other than automatic charging Lithiums have no maintenance not like any other battery. In seven years I have never cleaned a terminal, added water, charged over two hours, cleaned the boat from acid residue, replaced a battery tray or replaced a battery.
I use Lithiums every day at work and have yet to have one fail. Have had lots of the brushed motors wear out.
My family drives Lithiums every day and never had a failure.(100k miles) Only maintenance on those is washer fluid and tires.
I work on cars and drive Lithiums. They are the future.

Uh sounds like your a talking about cars. We are talking about lithium marine batteries.

Ummm....probably. My wife's Lexus has about $4000 worth of the damn things in the rear floor of it. Ask me how I know they only last about 65k miles. Haha.

Because of the hybrid systems batteries, she wants to buy a new car ....again.....without the batteries and several thousand dollar regenerative braking system.

Your wife's Lexus is not a Lithium Battery. It is a nickel metal hydride.
I was talking boats then went to cars. Sorry if I did not make that clear.
Haters are going to hate but blanket statements about the anything generally are not fair. All motors are bad because yours blew up. All batteries are bad because yours failed. My point was they work well for me in my boat,cars,tools and toys. Have a great Holiday season

that's funny. I just didn't think it would be a "blanket" statement since it was posted in the bass fishing section of a fishing forum. I honestly haven't seen to many post about tools are cars in this part of the forum. I apologize for hurting your feelings. Merry Christmas

I believe that they are the future, but they won’t be in the future for most of us until they come way down in cost.

Initial cost is high but coming down. The technology is changing and getting cheaper and better. If I get 15 yrs out of the batteries at 2100 cost thats 140 per year. I spent more than that on the flooded/agm setups. long run it is probably close to a cost wash. The other benefits make it a win for my application. We will see electric boats and trucks before long. The baddest UTV and car are all electric.