Best Trolling Motor Battery Reviews 2023 & Buyer Guide

We intend to have the best trolling motor battery for our boats. A trolling motor requires a battery to power it. Without it, the propeller won’t spin around and the boat won’t go.

Buyers have a choice whether to opt for a dual-purpose battery or a deep cycle one. The difference is mainly that a dual-purpose battery is less clear about power capacities to run a trolling motor, but it can also get boat’s engine started.Best trolling motor battery reviews

A dedicated deep cycle battery is incapable of starting an engine but has clearer capacity and is less in danger of running too lower on power when already been used to start the boat’s engine several times already. However, for smaller boats with limited space, a dual-purpose model is often optimal.

Beyond battery types, the amp hour (Ah) capacity is also relevant. In the case of powering a trolling motor, this determines how many amps can be delivered of smooth power through a deep cycle battery. There’s a trade-off here between power usage and battery duration. Therefore, a 30-pound trolling motor at 25% capacity will run for hours whereas running it at full capacity or 50%, the battery will last much less time.

In this buyer guide, we’re reviewing the best trolling motor batteries suitable for use on boats. They often will also be suitable for RVs and occasionally canoes or kayaks too. Where possible, we’ve pointed out other uses for certain batteries in case readers are interested in that too.

Top Trolling Motor Batteries At a Glance

 Optima Batteries 8016-103-FFP D34M Blue Top

DCM 0035 Interstate Marine Battery

MIGHTY MAX 12V 55AH Electric Trolling Battery

VMAX MR127 Minnkota Group 27 Battery

Exide XMC- 31 MEGACYCLE AGM 200

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Best-Selling Trolling Motor Battery Comparison Chart

  • Optima Batteries 8016-103-FFP D34M BlueTop Deep Cycle Battery
  • Voltage -12 V
  • 750 Cold cranking Amps
  • 2 Hour Reserve Capacity
  • Star Rating-4.4
  • DCM0035 (AGM) interstate Marine Battery
  • Voltage -12 V
  • 35 Amp Hours
  • Long Lasting Power
  • Star Rating-4.3
  • Mighty Max Electric Trolling Motor Battery
  • Voltage -12 V
  • 55 Amp Hours
  • SLA / AGM Spill Proof
  • Star Rating-4.2
  • VMAX MR127 AGM Deep Cycle Battery
  • Voltage -12 V
  • 100 Amp Hours
  • Maintenance Free
  • Star Rating-4.4
  • Exide XMC-31 MEGACYCLE AGM-200
  • Voltage -6 V
  • 83 Amp Hours
  • 200 Minute Reserve Capacity
  • Star Rating-3.9

Best Rated Trolling Motor Battery Reviews

#1

Optima Batteries 8016-103-FFP D34M BlueTop Starting

The 8016-103 D34M performs double duty as a starting battery to deliver enough cold cranking amps to get the engine going on a boat and also has deep cycling too.

For a trolling motor, the deep cycle marine battery is what’s needed but a dual-purpose battery that also includes the cranking amps is an added bonus. Sometimes, marine batteries aren’t as efficient this way.lithium trolling motor battery

However, for smaller boats it means you can use a single battery to both start the engine and/or run a trolling motor should an engine failure happen. What you must be careful about is not using the battery too much to deplete its charge.

The cold cranking amps are sufficient to get most engines going without difficulty. The 55 Ah capacity for deep cycle usage is what matters for trolling motors. This ensures that a smaller trolling motor can run for several hours, and perhaps be used with other boat appliances too. However, for larger 24-volt larger trolling motors, you’ll need two batteries of 12 volts each to get it to run.

This AGM battery uses a six-pack, coil design that makes it more efficient and better able to handle vibrations from choppy seas (some estimates suggest 15 times more resilient). The thick lead plates also help to ensure the battery packs in enough energy. This is a sealed battery and not a flooded one, so it requires no regular maintenance.

The battery will run in various positions. It’s more flexible than other types in this way. While it’s usually used in a boat, plenty of RV owners have them too.

There’s a useful capacity held in reserve of 120 minutes to get you out of trouble.

PROS:
  • 12-volts suitable for boat use
  • Spiral Cell design for better energy output
  • Dual-purpose battery for starting a boat engine and running a trolling motor
  • 55 Ah capacity (C20)
  • 750 cold cranking amps to start an engine
  • AGM battery that needs no maintenance or water added
  • Place in different positions or angles and still runs
  • Heavily vibration resistant
  • Two stainless steel stud posts at the top
  • Durable Polypropylene case
CONS:
  • Dual-purpose batteries tend to not be as efficient as pure deep cycle ones
  • Risk of running energy down from engine starts; no charge left to run a trolling motor
  • Can incur damage if overcharged

#2

Sealed Lead Acid (AGM) Deep Cycle Battery – DCM0035

The DCM0035 AGM battery from Interstate Batteries is considerably smaller than the typical deep cycle battery. This does mean it’s lighter and can usually fit two of these in a battery box. Alternatively, up to three might fit under a bench or an enclosed cabinet.

The 35 Ah capacity of this deep cycle battery is the trade-off versus higher capacity batteries like the Optima model reviewed above. However, this is usually more affordable.minn kota trolling motor battery

This deep cycle battery is suitable for a boat to use with a trolling motor, or in an RV but is not recommended for use in golf carts. This is a note specifically from the manufacturer, so it should be heeded. The battery can also be used for lighting systems, to run medical devices, perform agriculture-related work and for mobility devices too.

This 12-volt little wonder is a sealed battery, so it needs no maintenance. It must stay above the water level but can be mounted in various angles without issue. It’s usable in the air, on the ground or on water, so it’s very flexible.

The size of the battery along with its capacity have some benefits but also some drawbacks too. It’s compact and lighter for sure, but despite providing 12-volts of power, the 35 Ah won’t run a single, smaller trolling motor much more than a couple of hours. Possibly enough to get your small boat back to shore if stalled with a faulty or flooded engine, but not much more. Even less when running other boat appliances off this battery first.

The smaller capacity is mitigated when purchasing more than one, either to run together or in sequence. It really depends on how you intend to use it as to how suitable this particular battery will be. With all that said, it’s a solid performer and Interstate is a dependable brand.

There’s also a moneyback guarantee covering the initial 45 days after purchase and a limited warranty for the first year of ownership too.

PROS:
  • 35 Ah deep cycle battery
  • 12-volts
  • Runs a trolling motor for up to a couple of hours
  • AGM technology that needs zero maintenance
  • Different mounting positions and angles are fine
  • Use on land, water or in the air
  • Compact size allowing installing more than one
  • Ideal for small boats with limited space for batteries
  • Convenient carry handle
CONS:
  • Small overall capacity
  • Limited capacity that won’t be suitable for larger trolling motors

#3

Mighty Max 12V 55Ah Power Boat Pontoon Electric Trolling Motor Deep Cycle Battery

The Mighty Max Battery 55Ah is a deep cycle battery intended to be put to a variety of uses. As its product title suggests, it is suitable for use with a trolling motor, on a Pontoon boat, a fishing boat and a Kayak too.

The battery itself is strong, rectangular-shaped and not much to look at. However, its 12-volts supplies dependable power in different situations for 4-5 hours on the water. It’s a little heavier at almost 39 pounds than smaller 35 Ah batteries, but you get what you expect with that.It also handles vibrations and movement well without losing charge as a result.kayak trolling motor battery

Boaters have run it at full capacity for a half hour and intermittently for several hours following that and not run out of power over an afternoon out on the water. That’s more than fair. Indeed, several different Minn Kota trolling motors have been tested with it – including 30-pound thrust trolling motors that it’s perhaps best used on and up to 45-pound models – and it did just fine. And that’s very reassuring.

This deep cycle AGM battery can reliably run for over 4 hours at a time. When the trolling motor powerusage is reduced to 25 percent of capacity, you may even get 6 hours on the water with it. The charging takes as many as 8 hours to complete.

The product comes with a 30-day full refund policy and a one-year warranty too.

PROS:
  • 55 Ah deep cycle AGM battery
  • Medium size and can be used at different angles without problems
  • 12-volts
  • Suitable for boats, kayaking, power sports, solar power, and more
  • No maintenance required
  • Works well even on a sunny day
  • Resistant to vibrations and other shocks without harming the charge of the battery
  • 4+ hours on the water is likely
  • 30-day refund policy and 1-year warranty
CONS:
  • The roughly 8-hour recharging required needs an overnight charge to go out next day
  • Do not drain the battery down to almost zero or it will take 30 hours to get back to capacity
  • Requires checking battery levels to avoid overcharging and damaging the battery
  • At almost 39 pounds, it maybe too heavy for smaller kayaks but mid-sizes kayaks will be fine
#4

VMAX MR127 12 Volt 100Ah AGM Deep Cycle Trolling Motor Battery

The VMAX MR127 is not to be messed with. It’s a heavy-duty battery intended for use with major trolling motor brands like Cobra, Minn Kota and others (it fits into the Group 27 category marine battery box).

The 100 Ah capacity is a monster. It produces a smooth 12-volts of power reliably for many hours at a stretch. It also weighs 69 pounds, so it’s about twice the weight of a 55 Ah or similar deep cycle battery. You might need some help carrying it onto your boat and positioning it perfectly too. As such, it’s suitable for boats include Pontoon models, and RVs, but not smaller boats or kayaks where the weight would be a real problem!interstate trolling motor battery

Running up to a 100-pound trolling motor will be fine with this battery. Most trolling motor owners would be happy to run a Newport 60-lbs trolling motor off this battery for a number of hours including running at top speed for bursts to get out into a good position, and trolling around for several hours with minimal, if any, concern over power levels.

A thick and durable case ensures vibrations don’t affect its performance. The AGM battery type requires no maintenance as with other similar models.

For charging, the capacity does create a few small headaches along the way. Some marine battery chargers will struggle to work with such a large capacity. They do on occasional cut out and stop charging. Therefore, periodical checking back on the charger and resetting the charging cycle may be necessary to get to a full charge completed. Also, depending on the charger output level, the charging will take quite a few hours to complete.

There’s a 30-day refund guarantee and a replacement over at no cost up to the first 12 months of ownership.

PROS:
  • 100 Ah monster deep cycle AGM battery to power larger trolling motors
  • 12- volts output
  • Can run a 60-pound large trolling motor without difficulty for hours
  • Runs on low power for slow trolling for 6+ hours
  • 30-day refund and 12-month replacement offer
CONS:
  • Charging might require several attempts as some battery chargers struggle with the higher capacity
  • Longer recharging time
  • Very heavy at 69 pounds and substantial in size
  • Too heavy for kayak or canoes

#5

Exide XMC-31 MEGACYCLE AGM-200 Sealed Maintenance Free (AGM) Marine Battery

The Exide XMC-31 is dubbed the “MegaCycle” and with good reason. It is a Group 31 battery type and a dual-purpose model like the Optima model reviewed first in this guide. This means that it can start a boat’s engine and also provide deep cycle power to run a trolling motor too.

The cold cranking amps with this battery vary from 1,110 CA at 32-degrees Fahrenheit and down to 925 CCA at freezing temperature. This should be enough for the most demanding engine.best marine battery for trolling motor

There’s also the deep cycle performance for a trolling motor. The capacity is estimated at over 80 Ah on some battery testing sites. With dual purpose batteries, it’s also less clear how much exact capacity you’ll have to run a trolling motor. However, it is clear that this model has plenty of capacity to cruise around at a modest speed for several hours. Officially, there’s a 200-minute reserve capacity with this battery which means it’ll run for long enough to keep you out on the water.

The AGM design provides a stable 12-volts of power and resistance to vibrations in uneven seas. The battery is expected by the manufacturer to offer cycling at a higher capacity and over 10 times the vibration resistance. Certainly, it’s designed to accept a better charge than flooded batteries. Some of these models have even been used at an ice rink, so they definitely hold up in the cold too.

There’s an impressive 2-year replacement warranty with this model, which is twice the length of most other batteries sold.

PROS:
  • Dual-purpose AGM 12-volt battery to start a boat’s engine or run a trolling motor over several hours
  • 925 cold cranking amps and a 200-minute reserve to run a trolling motor
  • Mounts in different positions without a problem
  • Handled heavy vibrations well
  • Good in warm or freezing temperatures
  • Longer 24-month warranty for free replacement
CONS:
  • Dual-purpose batteries don’t offer clear performance for trolling motors as dedicated deep cycle batteries do

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How To Choose The Best Trolling Motor Battery?

When choosing the best trolling motor battery, there are different things to consider in order to purchase the right one.

The first is a matter of the brand. When you pick an unknown brand, you don’t really know what you’re getting inside the battery itself. The components could be unreliable, it might not hold a charge for as long as expected or be capable of as many recharging cycles either. It’s just too much of a question mark when you buy a lesser known or unknown brand. Avoid it at all costs.

Next, consider whether it is a deep cycle or not. Please note that a starting motor won’t provide power to a trolling motor. It should usually be a deep cycle battery to offer the best option for running boat appliances and trolling motors. That is unless you want a dual purpose one for both starting the engine and running boat appliances too?

Usually, a deep cycle battery is what you want because it is designed to release energy gradually over time – not used in one big spurt to get the engine started up. It’s then run down to almost zero power before charging up again. A deep cycle battery is designed to do this over many cycles of discharging, recharging, discharge and recharge again over its useful lifetime. Therefore, it must be a quality battery, or it just won’t last the number of cycles required. The last thing you need is a battery letting you down when you’re out on the water!

When it comes to voltage, usually you’re looking for a decent 12-volt battery. Occasionally, systems are built out with 24-volts or 36-volts with multiple batteries, but this is only for boats that are on the larger size. For our purposes, a 12-volt battery is the type of go for. Nothing less will do.

In terms of amp hours, to get the battery to last the duration that you need to power a trolling motor or other boat appliance, you should look for over 100-amp hours. Trolling motor maker, Minn Kota recommends 110-amp hours and above, which we wouldn’t argue with either.

Bear in mind with amp hours that they drain down faster with a trolling motor that’s run at a higher rate of speed. The faster you want to go on the water, the less time you can power your trolling motor on the water. That’s an important power to consider when reviewing different trolling batteries and deciding which one to pair with your trolling motor.

Overall, picking a good trolling motor battery requires equal parts knowledge and common sense too. Never mix two different types of batteries together if you’re using two to run a more powerful trolling motor – same brand, same type, same capacity; always. Trickle chargers work well with deep cycle batteries, so consider those for our trolling motor battery needs. Keep the batteries close to full charge even when not in use to avoid battery memory issues later. Then they’ll last longer too.

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Benefits Of Best Trolling Motor Battery

A trolling motor battery powers the saltwater trolling motor itself, along with other appliances on the boat if you wish it to do so. It’s either a deep cycle or dual-purpose battery with deep cycle capabilities. So, it’ll run various power-hungry devices as needed on a boat while the battery still holds a charge.

However, if you only have one battery to power your trolling motor, you should be careful how and when you use it. That way, it’s available with a ready store of power when you need it most.

With a trolling motor battery, you should never have to worry about whether the primary source of power through the water will fail on you. With a battery ready to go and charged up using a trickle charger, it’s power efficient while offering an on-power system to connect it up and turn on your trolling motor.12 volt lithium battery for trolling motor

With the prop in the water, you’re back to propelling your boat through the lake, river or sea with sparse efficiency. Whether that gets you to shore or to your next destination – either way – it’s great to have as a second source to get you there and back home again without panicking.

The battery is also useful to run other items. It can be charged using a solar battery charger to harness the sun’s rays to recharge your trolling battery while sitting on the water at anchor; perhaps fishing for the afternoon. You can use the battery to power a radio or 12-volt TV or something else while charging the battery. Or, alternatively and easier, you can use one battery for your boat’s electronics or fun accessories while charging the other one all while still on the boat or in the water having a swim around.

With a deep cycle battery of good quality, it can survive the movement of the water and the rocking of the boat. Other types of batteries simply aren’t equipped to do so and will become faulty quickly, if they work at all. The vibrations are the main cause for concern, but with trolling batteries, they handle it in their stride.

With the discharging process, this is far more efficient than other battery types. Deep cycle models can use a small amount of energy and still retain the rest. The on/off usage is something they’re adept at and designed for, which is why they work so well. RVs owners also use them for this reason too.

Deep cycle batteries avoid overheating, which makes them usable on a boat where it can receive hot temperatures from the sun while out on the water.

A day out on the water with your boat, the last thing you want to worry about is that your battery will die or not manage to get you back to dry land. You own a trolling motor to cover you should your main batteries die, or the boat’s engine won’t start up. Similarly, you should own a quality deep cycle battery to power the trolling motor to make everything run Period. 

Conclusion

There isn’t a one-size fits all solution with marine batteries. Certainly, for trolling motors and ease of use, the maintenance free AGM type is best, and these are what we’re chosen to review above.

The decision whether to use a dual-purpose battery or a dedicated deep cycle one is in some ways a personal decision. For smaller boats, having two batteries might not be ideal from a space perspective. However, when using one starter battery and another deep cycle one for a trolling motor, there’s two batteries to trickle charge or completely recharge as needed.

With two batteries, however, there’s less chance of accidentally draining a dual-purpose battery and not being able to either start the boat’s engine or use the trolling motor to get the boat back to its mooring.

There’s clearly some pros and cons to going with dual-purpose or separate batteries for different purposes. It’s up to each boat owner to decide for themselves which they prefer.

In terms of battery capacity, smaller vessels suit smaller batteries, or a pair connected together. Larger boats can support the biggest battery capacities like a 100 Ah model. It’s important to pick a battery that’s not too heavy for your boat and where the size won’t present a problem either.

Lastly, most batteries offer a short moneyback offer and a 12-month warranty. Check the battery for faults upon receipt to stay inside the refund window. It’s rarely needed by useful to do.

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