What are DC to DC Chargers?
The best way to charge your lithium batteries is with a lithium battery charger back at the house, dock, or storage unit. Cost can become an issue for some as higher output amperage battery chargers tend to become more expensive. A great way to charge your batteries effectively while also being cost effective is using a DC to DC charger.
This type of battery charger will pull amperage from your motor's alternator to charge your trolling motor batteries throughout the day. These DC to DC chargers can come in the form of battery chargers like the Powerpole Charge. These power diverters can also come in the form of stand alone DC to DC diverters like the Powerhouse Lithium Run and Gun System. Some positives of DC to DC chargers are:
- Less time to get to a full charge at the end of the day
- Depending on motor run time, trolling motor batteries are topped off at the end of the day
- Cheaper alternative
These DC to DC chargers may not work for every situation on the water. In cases where trolling motor batteries are being depleted deeper, they still need to be on a charge at home, the dock, or storage unit. Some marine applications need to be able to charge the cranking or house battery with all of the alternator's output, this is where a DC to DC charger may not be best. Another downside is that the motor has to be running to charge the batteries.
From personal experience, a DC to DC charger has allowed me to not have a lithium battery charger at my storage unit. Most fishing I will do is run and gun or hitting many fishing spots in a day. Running a DC to DC charger has allowed me to keep my cranking batteries and trolling motor batteries topped off. Some places where I fish, I need that extra charge at the end of the day to keep my batteries full. Examples of this include: fishing in thick grass all day, trolling on 100% to look for bed fish, and heavy current.
DC to DC chargers are a great addition to any boat to keep your batteries charged up and give you peace of mind on the water. If you have any questions about whether a DC to DC charger will work for you or if you are looking for the right one, send us an email at sales@lithiumbatterysource.com.
Written by Hugh in partnership with Fishing Map Cards and Fishfinder Coach.