How Many Amp Hours Should the Trolling Motor Battery Have?
Choosing the right amp-hour rating for your trolling motor deep cycle battery is crucial to ensure you have enough power for your needs. The amp-hour (Ah) rating indicates how much current your trolling motor battery can provide in an hour, making it an essential factor in determining how long you can stay out on the water.
For example, if your motor draws 5 amps at a low speed, a 100 Ah battery would give you approximately 20 hours of runtime (100 Ah / 5 amps = 20 hours). On the other hand, if your motor draws 20 amps at high speed, the same battery would last around 5 hours (100 Ah / 20 amps = 5 hours). Understanding this calculation helps you better manage your time on the water.
A good rule of thumb is to choose a deep cycle trolling motor battery with an amp-hour rating that is at least twice the maximum amp draw of your motor. For instance, if your trolling motor draws 50 amps at full power, a 100 Ah lithium trolling motor battery would provide about two hours of runtime. However, since you likely won’t run your motor at full power continuously, you can expect longer runtimes at lower speeds. For more information on understanding battery Amp hours choose, please see our guide on Trolling Motor shopping guide.
For trolling motor use, we recommend a battery with at least a 100 amp-hour rating, a Group 24 size, and 175 minutes of Reserve Capacity (RC). The WattCycle 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery with Bluetooth for Trolling Motors features a 120A BMS and is specifically designed for trolling motors.
In summary, understanding your motor’s power requirements and matching them with the appropriate amp-hour rating on your trolling motor deep cycle battery is key to enjoying a longer, more reliable experience on the water.