Ah, the open seas. Or you know, the lake across town. Location doesn’t matter when you’re at the helm doing what you love most. But you hit the water as often as possible, and that takes a toll on the old batteries, so you’re due for a replacement. You may be considering a dual-purpose marine battery. One battery is cheaper than buying two, after all. But is that the best decision for your situation?
We want to help you make an informed purchase. So let’s talk about the types of marine batteries and their uses, and cover all of our bases. We won’t leave you high and dry as you make a decision about buying a dual-purpose marine battery.
Types Of Marine Batteries
Deep-Cycle Marine Battery
Deep-cycle batteries are constructed with thick, interior plates. That’s one difference when compared with other types of marine batteries. That deep plating lets it charge and discharge significantly more without damage risk. If you’re going to be on the water for long periods of time, deep-cycle batteries are the way to go.
Accessories and trolling motors need a steady supply of current to keep them chugging along. That continuous power drain is what the deep-cycle battery is designed to provide. It’s meant to drain up to 80%, and then take a full charge, and continue to do exactly that many times over.
A well-designed deep-cycle battery will stand strong through the discharge/charge cycle. And that continuous performance means you can use everything on your boat properly. You can operate your sound system, fish finders, and navigation gear throughout the day, and keep fishing with your trolling motor. In the end, continuous, steady power is the advantage of a deep-cycle battery.
Starting Or Cranking Marine Battery
Along with your deep-cycle battery, you also need a starting battery, AKA “cranking battery.” The juice needed to start a boat motor is found within the number of interior plates. A starting battery has thinner plates but more of them compared to a deep-cycle battery. Your starting battery is designed to give your engine the kick-start it needs to turn over. They’re not meant to run for long periods. That’s your deep cycle battery’s job. They also aren’t meant to drain and recharge as often as other batteries. Their one job is to give you the short burst of power you need to start your boat.
Now, you can probably imagine a dual-purpose marine battery replacing both your starting and deep-cycle batteries. But is that your best bet? Let’s talk about that.
Dual-Purpose Marine Battery
A dual-purpose marine battery has (surprise) two purposes. It provides enough oomph to start your engine. And it provides enough steady juice for radios and trolling motors as well. Our 12V 100Ah and 12V 125Ah, for example, are both dual-purpose marine batteries. They’re capable of cranking up a 250hp Yamaha or Mercury engine, and supplying ample power to a 36V trolling motor throughout the day (just one example).
Dual-purpose marine batteries are a great choice in many if not most cases. It may be exactly what you’re looking for, unless you have a really big boat and want to spend day after day trolling and speeding around the lake without recharging, for example. In many if not most cases, a dual-purpose marine battery setup will get the job done.
But again, if you have a really big boat and engine, and spend a TON of time trolling and zipping around the lake, this may not be the right solution. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages of using a dual-purpose marine battery.
Advantages Of A Dual-Purpose Marine Battery
More Space
Space on a boat is as valuable as a glass of milk with a chocolate-chip cookie. Many boaters opt for a dual-purpose marine battery setup when they have limited room on board.
Less Weight
Need to cut back on your weight a bit? No, that’s not a jab at your waistline! A dual-purpose marine battery is a great weight solution. You can reduce your boat’s weight by using less batteries.
Less Money
Buying one dual-purpose battery covers the work of two batteries. So it’s basically two for the price of one, roughly speaking.
Drawbacks Of A Dual-Purpose Marine Battery
Limited Starting Power
You may need to stick with a more traditional setup if your engine is larger than 250hp, and you want to spend a lot of time on the water without recharging.
Faster Drain
Dual-purpose marine batteries can start and power your accessories. Just like a standard set-up using two batteries. But they will drain a bit faster if you’re on the water for long periods of time with everything powered up.
Wondering how long a marine battery should last? Get the answers here!
Final Thoughts
Dual-purpose marine batteries have an important role. They provide enough power to turn over 250 hp boat engines. They handle the constant, measured stream of power that your doo-dads and boat toys need. And they can keep you trolling around the lake happily all day, certainly enough to make the day worthwhile.
A dual-purpose marine battery saves room, weight, and worry to give you a better day on the water. They don’t provide the exact same starting or deep cycling performance as your more traditional cranking and deep cycle batteries. But they’re a good fit for many if not most situations.
Our 12V 100Ah and 12V 125Ah dual-purpose marine batteries are overall great options. And they have the same top-tier quality you’d expect from any of our other Ionic batteries. You’ll save up to 70% in weight by switching to a lithium battery, and you’ll always know how much battery life you have with our Bluetooth app technology. The built-in Battery Management System won’t let you overcharge or undercharge. It’ll shut off whenever it senses a critical issue. And last but not least, both are backed by our worry-free 11-year warranty.
Still not sure if a dual-purpose marine battery fits the bill? Contact the battery brainiacs at LithiumHub and they’ll steer you in the right direction.
