When looking at batteries they can have several numbers on them including Amp Hour (Ah), Cold Cranking Amps (CCA), Marine Cranking Amps (MCA) and Continuous Discharge Amperage (lithium batteries only). These different ratings tell you what the battery is capable of in terms of power for your motor.
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Amp Hour (Ah)
- The Amp hour (Ah) rating is how long the battery can run the motor. The higher the Ah rating, the longer the motor will be able to run.
- If you picture a battery to be like a bucket with a tube coming out of the bottom going to the motor, the Ah rating is the amount of water the bucket can hold when full.
- Example: If you are running on max speed for a 112 lb motor, the motor has a maximum amp draw of 52 amps. This means the motor will pull 52 amps from the battery. If you have a 60 Ah battery, the battery would only last for about an hour ((60Ah x .85) divided by 52 amps = .98 hours). If you have a 110Ah battery, it would last for a little over an hour and 45 minutes ((110Ah x .85) divided by 52 amps = 1.8 hours).
Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)
- The Cold Cranking Amps (CCS) shows how well the battery can start an engine in cold temperatures. CCA states how many amps the 12 volt battery delivers at 0°F for 30 seconds.
- In general, the CCA is not used when determining battery performance for a trolling motor.
Marine Cranking Amps (MCA)
- The Marine Cranking Amps (MCA) shows how well the battery performs in colder temperatures. MCA states how many amps the 12 volt battery delivers at 32°F for 30 seconds.
- In general, the MCA is not used when determining battery performance for a trolling motor.
Continuous Discharge Amperage
- The Continuous Discharge Amperage is how many Amps the battery can let the motor pull at once.
- If you picture a battery to be like a bucket with a tube coming out of the bottom going to the motor, the Continuous Discharge Amperage is how wide the tube is to let the water pass through to get to the motor.
- Example: If you are running on max speed with a 112 lb motor, the motor has a maximum amp draw of 52 amps. If you were going to run the motor on max speed for an hour, the battery needs to be able to give the motor at lease 52 amps for the whole time it is on max speed
