Lithium starting batteries

Yep. Ionic 125AH has worked great for years

Seems really weak to me as a starting battery. Also the quality and design of the BMS is so important for a starting battery that I would be really leery of such a cheap battery.

I just upgraded to a pair of 12V 100AH lithium batteries for the trolling motors and wanted to go lithium for the cranking battery on the outboard/electronics mainly for the weight savings. After a bit of research I decided to stick with lead acid for now on that application to avoid alternator burn out and other issues lithium can cause. I am sure dependable, trouble free lithium cranking batteries are very near and I will look again when they are perfected and the costs come down.

I wanted to go that route. I’m rigging a new boat right now and after a lot of reading and talking to a couple people in the biz I also stuck with a group 31 AGM for starting/electronics but again went lithium for the TM batteries. Even though I always have a jump pack I still had concerns over alternator charging/brand new motor and the fact that when a lithium goes dead it goes dead unlike lead. Of the guys I know that have went that direction I have not heard of any actual real world problems.

Musky Ed wrote:

Seems really weak to me as a starting battery. Also the quality and design of the BMS is so important for a starting battery that I would be really leery of such a cheap battery.

X2.

I run an Ionic 125ah starting battery with a 300 Pro XS and 9.9 kicker and have had zero issues.

If all you are using it for is starting a motor you will not see much advantage over sticking with a lead acid.

With respect to potential alternator damage from using lithium starting batteries, Mercury has formally approved lithiums for a variety of motors and concerns about other models/manufacturers is a bit overblown.

As I stated above. The only thing I have hooked up to my starting battery is my engine.
All my electronics and the boat itself are hooked up to a separate 100 Ah lithium battery.
This battery weighs 9.68 lbs. that would be the main reason if I went this route. To try and cut more weight.
As for the price tag Li Time appears to make very good batteries for the price tag.
Li Time does make a 140 Ah starting battery but that battery is $600.

Full draw what motor are you running? I looked into doing the same last year and after digging into why mercury doesn’t recommend using lithium for a cranking battery on their motors under 150. I decided it was not worth the risk for the weight savings for me.

dbright wrote:

Full draw what motor are you running? I looked into doing the same last year and after digging into why mercury doesn’t recommend using lithium for a cranking battery on their motors under 150. I decided it was not worth the risk for the weight savings for me.

Yamaha also told me no lithiums for starting battery due to how the charging system is on their motors.

dbright wrote:

Full draw what motor are you running? I looked into doing the same last year and after digging into why mercury doesn’t recommend using lithium for a cranking battery on their motors under 150. I decided it was not worth the risk for the weight savings for me.

I run a Suzuki 150 hp. I guess I need to see what they recommend. I never thought of checking what the motor manufacture says. I just read what the battery manufacture said about alternators.

I just did a google search and this is what I found.
AI generated response is “Suzuki does not explicitly forbid the use of lithium batteries and cautions the use of lithium batteries.
Suzuki tests with lead acid batteries.

A link for an article from outdoor wire to an article that that states Yamaha and Suzuki outboards do not approve the use of lithium batteries.

When going to Suzuki website I could not find anything.

I called Yamaha directly and asked them when I was looking into it for my boat.

Mine works fine on a 90hp suzuki 4stroke

I am a Suzuki dealer, as of today, Suzuki forbids lithium batteries for starting batteries.
They are researching it now and I will post an update on whether or not they will be allowed.

Iowaboy1 wrote:

I am a Suzuki dealer, as of today, Suzuki forbids lithium batteries for starting batteries.
They are researching it now and I will post an update on whether or not they will be allowed.

Thank you.
I definitely don’t need to buy a new starting battery right now. It will be interesting what they come up with.

dbright wrote:

Full draw what motor are you running? I looked into doing the same last year and after digging into why mercury doesn’t recommend using lithium for a cranking battery on their motors under 150. I decided it was not worth the risk for the weight savings for me.

Just a FYI Mercury’s service bulletin actually states you can run Lithium on all engines 75-600HP. However they do give specific specs the battery needs to comply with.

hillhiker wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>dbright wrote:</div>
Full draw what motor are you running? I looked into doing the same last year and after digging into why mercury doesn’t recommend using lithium for a cranking battery on their motors under 150. I decided it was not worth the risk for the weight savings for me.

Just a FYI Mercury’s service bulletin actually states you can run Lithium on all engines 75-600HP. However they do give specific specs the battery needs to comply with.

It has been awhile since I had looked but either way my 60hp merc is still a no.

I have ran a heated Ionic 125ah
house battery for my 250 SHO and 3 graphs for the last 2 years and have had no power issues so far.

Anyone running a lithium starting battery on a Honda 150 or larger?

Full draw wrote:

Li Time does make a 140 Ah starting battery but that battery is $600.

That’s the one I purchased on Black Friday for $400. At the time it was the only one they had that was rated for starting! The other one’s all said not to use for a starter batt because they can’t supply the CCA! It is a heated model so you can charge below 32 deg ambient temp! I am installing that and 2 Weise 100 AH group 31 today! I am running all of my electronics including a Helix 9 and a Garmin 106 with a 93sv networked to livescope off of the starter batt! I have a friend that rigged the same way for the last 2 years with zero issues! All 3 are group 31 and they weigh less than half of what my 31 lead acids weigh.

Going on year 6 with my 50 Honda and lithium batteries.Started with a 12v100a LBP brand,and then upgraded to a Ionic 125 heated one.460 hours on outboard,kinda wondering when it will let out the magic smoke?Highest voltage I have seen was 13.8.The LBP battery was qualified to use with a Yamaha SHO,which a lot of the flats boats guys run.Same with the Ionic.