Battery tech can be confusing, and with a wide range of battery types and options on the market, it can get downright complicated to know which is the right battery for you.
One question we get asked a lot is, “Can I use a car battery to power my trolling motor?”
The short answer is no.
This battery looks fine for running a trolling motor, but it’s really not!
While a car battery and a dedicated trolling motor battery look a lot alike, and while they’re both 12V systems, they’re nothing alike on the inside or in the way they deliver power and handle deep discharging.
Instead, you need to use a deep cycle battery, like the ones we review in this article:
Best Trolling Motor Battery: Dedicated Batteries To Keep You Moving In 2022
If you want to know more about why you can’t use a car battery to power a trolling motor, keep reading!
Table of Contents (clickable)
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Battery Tech 101: Battery Types
All batteries accomplish the same basic task: they store electricity and deliver it as needed.
But the way a battery is engineered, and the tasks for which it is designed, are very different.
Let’s take a closer look at common battery types.
Starter or cranking batteries
Starter batteries are designed to produce short bursts of very high power, allowing them to turn over an engine. They’re perfect in cars and trucks, where the alternator keeps them charged as electronics like lights, your radio, and your air conditioning create a constant draw.
But the moment the alternator fails, that low-level draw starts to discharge your starter battery, and you’ll quickly find that your vehicle stops dead.
That’s because starter batteries just aren’t designed to deliver low levels of power over a long period. They’re only able to start an engine and demand an alternator to keep them alive during prolonged use.
Without constant recharging by an alternator, they’ll quickly discharge and suffer damage.
That doesn’t make them inappropriate for the water, however, and they’re just what you need to start an outboard. Even then, they’re best when paired with an onboard charger to keep them topped up properly.