New Ranger with Lithium Cranking Battery

[WranglerSS]

Stopped at a Cabela's yesterday and they had a new Ranger with a 250 ProXS and Tracker lithium cranking battery. Has something changed from Mercury?

[fishnfireman]

Aren't they the same ones who sent flyers with some boats claiming the motors were "factory" filled with Lucas oil ???
When your the largest --- what does it matter... I doubt mercury will buck them. May start seeing some warranties denied is all.

[Fishysam]

No, nothing has changed from merc, I'm not a lawyer but I assume white river is taking all responsibility for factory installed items.

[SilverFox579]

Gas something changed from Mercury?

NO.

AGM BATTERY REQUIREMENT (NO LITHIUMS) FOR 150 and LARGER 4-STROKE- UPDATED 4/23/2021

[EuropeanAM]

NO.

AGM BATTERY REQUIREMENT (NO LITHIUMS) FOR 150 and LARGER 4-STROKE- UPDATED 4/23/2021

^^^^^ This.

[Extremeboating]

Agreed. Don't run it. The risk is not worth it unless you have wired up your alternator or stator in such a way to handle the circuitry that lifepo4 batteries has and understand the way those setups work. At that point, however, you may as well kiss your warranty goodbye.

I went down this road recently and eventually found what I mentioned above. In short, don't do it and ask for a replacement AGM in place of the Lithium if you are going to buy that particular boat.

[Jeepdude665]

I just bought a new Ranger and it did come with (3) Tracker lithium’s for the trolling motor, but Interstate for the starting battery.

[Extremeboating]

I just bought a new Ranger and it did come with (3) Tracker lithium’s for the trolling motor, but Interstate for the starting battery.

Replace that interstate starting battery with a solid AGM battery PRONTO.

[Crappie Bob]

I would just buy an AGM battery and keep the Lithium for trolling motor or electronics. money ahead

[Jeepdude665]

Replace that interstate starting battery with a solid AGM battery PRONTO.

What’s the downside of the Interstate and the value of AGM? Haven’t had any issues so far, but don’t want any either. Thx

[gehol]

Interstate is a brand, AGM is a type of battery. Your Interstate may be an AGM.
What is an AGM Battery?

An AGM battery is a car battery designed for two jobs: delivering powerful bursts of starting amps and running electronics for a long time.
And here’s the big deal: They tend to last longer than a regular flooded battery.
The acronym stands for “absorbed glass mat” and that’s one of many improvements made to Planté’s original train light battery. Glass mats, cushioning the ultra-thin lead plates, will squish like a sponge. In turn, manufacturers can squeeze more glass mats and lead into one battery. More lead equals more power. Plus, that squish factor means the battery’s insides are packed tightly.
AGM batteries also have valves regulating the amount of hydrogen and oxygen gas allowed to escape during charging. They fall under a broader category of valve-regulated, lead-acid (VRLA) batteries, typically used for storing a lot of power for a long time or for long-running power uses.
Developed in the late 1970s, AGM batteries mostly served as backup power for telephone boxes and early computer rooms. Their use expanded over the decades to include motorcycles, military, aircraft, submarines and power banks for offices.
Now, they’re showing up in everyday cars and trucks. Why? What’s the big difference between AGMs and a standard, flooded battery?

[Extremeboating]

What’s the downside of the Interstate and the value of AGM? Haven’t had any issues so far, but don’t want any either. Thx

Interstate is a brand, AGM is a type of battery. Your Interstate may be an AGM.
What is an AGM Battery?

An AGM battery is a car battery designed for two jobs: delivering powerful bursts of starting amps and running electronics for a long time.
And here’s the big deal: They tend to last longer than a regular flooded battery.
The acronym stands for “absorbed glass mat” and that’s one of many improvements made to Planté’s original train light battery. Glass mats, cushioning the ultra-thin lead plates, will squish like a sponge. In turn, manufacturers can squeeze more glass mats and lead into one battery. More lead equals more power. Plus, that squish factor means the battery’s insides are packed tightly.
AGM batteries also have valves regulating the amount of hydrogen and oxygen gas allowed to escape during charging. They fall under a broader category of valve-regulated, lead-acid (VRLA) batteries, typically used for storing a lot of power for a long time or for long-running power uses.
Developed in the late 1970s, AGM batteries mostly served as backup power for telephone boxes and early computer rooms. Their use expanded over the decades to include motorcycles, military, aircraft, submarines and power banks for offices.
Now, they’re showing up in everyday cars and trucks. Why? What’s the big difference between AGMs and a standard, flooded battery?

Thank you.

In a nutshell, Interstate batteries used to be one of the best battery makers out there in the 90's but after the 2000's, the quality of their batteries has severely dropped and they are well documented in the automotive industry to have very early premature failures for no reason, sulfated cells tend to be a commonality with them. It even happened on my boat earlier this year and almost left me out there. In short, they are trash.

If you want a solid, well built AGM style battery go with Odyssey, or X2Power (Northstar) which is sold at local Batteries Plus Bulbs. It is my personal opinion especially due to all the vibration and shock that batteries see out in the water on any vessel, especially bass boats, that wet flooded batteries have no place in them.

They are expensive, but they are quality which will last you a long time and many seasons.

[gehol]

I have always had good results with Interstate. However, I have not used one in 2 or 3 years and they are now built by Exide and Brookfield instead of Johnson controls.

[RangerL21]

The Tracker Lithiums are approved Through White River marine group from Mercury.

[Diesel Pro]

Over the past few years I've changed out several of those "crappy" Interstate batteries that were only 8,10,11 yrs old. Unfortunately I was not smart enough to change to a better brand

As for lithium I'm in my second season of full Ionic lithium on my boat and my Solix has been absolutely rock solid with the higher voltage.

[Extremeboating]

I have always had good results with Interstate. However, I have not used one in 2 or 3 years and they are now built by Exide and Brookfield instead of Johnson controls.

Every single one I had ever come across no matter which vehicle it was in was either leaking out whether it be water, or acid, or would test out a dead sulfated cell all within a year or two from the indicated production date of it. The same exact thing happened to my cranking boat battery as well. Registered low voltage out of nowhere and by the time I actually was able to get it back to shore it showed signs of leakage. All signs pointed to a sulfated cell for sure.

I just cannot comfortably recommend a battery which has shown questionable reliability on something as critical as a marine application where the power source HAS to work no questions asked. Someone else's experience may vary.

There are only three main battery makers now, two of which you listed. I can't remember the third, but the pickings are unfortunately slim these days. I've heard some good things about the Deka Intimidator line, but that is AGM as well and not flooded.

[gehol]

East Penn, world's largest.

[EuropeanAM]

The Tracker Lithiums are approved Through White River marine group from Mercury.

"From Mercury" does not belong in that sentence. White River Marine Group would be the one that supposedly tested and approved them for use in their boat, and is responsible for supporting and/or correcting any problems that might arise from them.

Mercury has not approved any Lithium Batteries for use with their engines as of this time.