Why Lithium Marine Batteries are The Best Choice in 2019

Lithium marine batteries are here to stay for boating applications.

Whether you're looking to power the deluxe kitchen of a luxury yacht or just the trolling motor on a small fishing boat, there are plenty of good reasons to ditch the acid and switch to lithium batteries for good. Lead acid batteries and other outdated technology is not only extremely cheap in terms of quality, but it's also very expensive to maintain and replace in the long run.

If you’re planning on upgrading your boat in 2019 with the intention of saving money in the long term, then we’ve put together this article to explain why lithium marine batteries are the best bang for your buck.

The main differences between lithium marine batteries and older lead acid ones

Lead acid batteries have been commonly used for the past decade due to their cheap construction and ease of replacement. Some commercial fisherman buy all new lead acid batteries for their boats annually simply for the peace of mind. They aren't aware that more energy efficient solutions exist that can potentially outlive their watercraft.

If saving money is an important concern for you, then you may want to take a close look at the other specifications before you go this route and buy an older lead acid marine battery.

To start with, the lifespan of a lead acid battery is typically around 300 daily cycles. This could last you a bit under a year and much less if you use your boat or yacht on a regular basis. This might seem like a fairly long time, but lithium marine batteries are rated for around 5000 or more daily cycles and this includes regular use. So even though you’re paying 3 to 4 times more than the price of a lead acid battery, you’re getting anywhere between 16 to 17 times the lifespan, meaning it will last you far longer and be well worth the price.

You could end up saving thousands if you switched to using a lithium marine battery instead of an old lead acid battery for your marine needs. They’re far more efficient than typical lead acid batteries, they don’t have limited cycle life and they’re also much faster to charge, meaning you can spend more time out on the water and less time waiting for the battery to finish charging. In addition, lithium marine batteries waste far less energy and you can typically use up to 100% of the entire charge. If you leave the battery for long periods of time without use, then they can actually retain their charge very well.

They’re also easy to plug in and use immediately on your boat or yacht. There’s virtually zero maintenance and as long as you pick the right charger to use along with your lithium marine battery, you’ll be surprised at how efficient, easy and painless it can be to switch to a lithium marine battery.

The differences between a lithium marine battery and a lead acid battery are often enough to convince people to switch, but what exactly is it about a lithium marine battery that makes it the clear winner? Let’s take a look at some other advantages that you can expect to see when you make the change.

Other advantages of using a lithium marine battery for your boat or yacht

Lithium marine batteries come with a huge number of advantages when compared to lead acid batteries, but one of the often overlooked factors is the huge weight savings. Most boats require multiple batteries to power all of the gadgets on board, so using lithium instead of lead can potentially shave hundreds of pounds- boosting performance and reducing fuel in the process. 

Another big advantage is being able to output a constant voltage for longer when discharging the battery. A common fault of lead acid batteries is their inability to provide a stable voltage even if the battery is far from being completely discharged. This can result in appliances turning on and off, flickering in lights and even shutting down vital support systems that you might be using such as medical equipment or computers. Even if a lithium marine battery is running on as little as 5% charge, it will still remain stable.

It was mentioned previously, but lithium marine batteries are much faster charging than lead acid counterparts, meaning that you can spend less time waiting for the battery to charge and more time actually using it. Of course, the way it charges will vary depending on the charger you use and the condition of the battery, but there’s no doubt that it will absolutely beat out an lead acid battery in terms of speed and efficiency. This means you can be more spontaneous with your marine activities and won’t need to spend time charging before you head out.

Lastly, lithium marine batteries have a much lower rate of self-discharge when compared to lead acid counterparts. If you’ve ever used a lead acid battery, then you’ll know how frustrating it can be to constantly charge it because it’s losing charge due to not being used. This is incredibly inconvenient especially if you seldom use your boat and can result in very long charge times just to top it up before you head out. In comparison, lithium marine batteries can be left unattended for months and they’ll typically retain most of their charge. It’s not completely immune to discharge but it’s far better than lead acid batteries. This also helps to protect the battery from sulphation which could lead to a damaged battery.

Some final words

Thanks to the improved efficiency, lack of maintenance required, huge savings and overall safety of a lithium marine battery, we can’t recommend them enough. They’re going to be a huge deal come 2019 and anyone that owns a boat or participates in marine activities on a regular basis will have a lithium marine battery instead of a lead acid one. There are virtually no downsides when compared to lead acid batteries so why not consider making the swap today? You’ll get faster charging, better efficiency and ultimately save a lot of money over a long period of time.