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Marine battery blog

Fifty practical articles on starting, house, and trolling-motor batteries for Florida boats. No prices, no fake reviews, no dealer claims.

A black-and-white bowrider with an outboard running on open water. A white flybridge cabin cruiser underway on open water.

These articles exist so county and town pages do not have to repeat the same battery lesson. Read the one that matches the boat, then see where we come to you or what we do at the dock.

Showing 10 of 50 articles. Page 1 of 5.

  • Starting, house, and trolling

    Starting, house, and trolling-motor batteries

    How starting, house, and trolling-motor batteries differ on Florida boats, and why mixing those jobs shortens life.

  • Flooded, AGM, gel, and lithium

    Flooded, AGM, gel, and lithium marine batteries

    How flooded, AGM, gel, and LiFePO4 boat batteries differ in charging, venting, mounting, and marine use.

  • Guide

    Marine battery group sizes

    BCI group size is a physical envelope. It does not set cranking amps, reserve minutes, or chemistry on a boat.

  • Guide

    CCA, MCA, and marine cranking amps

    Cold cranking amps and marine cranking amps are different temperature tests. Neither one is reserve capacity.

  • Guide

    Reserve capacity and amp-hours

    Reserve capacity is minutes at 25 amps. Amp-hours are usually a 20-hour rating. They are not CCA.

  • Trolling-motor batteries

    12-, 24-, and 36-volt trolling motor banks

    Bow motors are 12, 24, or 36 volts. Series wiring, matching batteries, and the charger all have to agree.

  • Starting, house, and trolling

    Dual-purpose marine batteries

    Dual-purpose batteries crank and cycle in one case. They are a compromise for small boats, not a house bank.

  • Flooded, AGM, gel, and lithium

    LiFePO4 lithium batteries on boats

    Lithium iron phosphate is a four-cell 12-volt chemistry with a BMS, no conventional float, and a charger that must shut off at full charge.

  • Flooded, AGM, gel, and lithium

    Alternators and lithium on a boat

    A small outboard alternator is a charging source. LiFePO4 wants a controlled top voltage and no float. Those two facts have to meet before a large lithium bank is a fit.

  • Charging

    Charger voltage by chemistry

    Flooded, gel, AGM, and LiFePO4 need different charge programs. The switch on the charger is part of the replacement.

Also see common battery lines and typical setups by boat.

On the boat

See marine battery work at the boat, counties we come to, the marine battery blog, and questions.