2019 FX21 LE
2019 Sho 250
Humminbird Solix 15
Humminbird Solix 12
Humminbird Helix 12
ML
Ionics
Ultrex iLink
I'm running 2 12v 50ah lithiums for my 75# motorguide and have been for a 4 months now. Spent a week on Toledo Bend. No issues fishing till dark. 15lbs a piece and last way longer than any group 27 I've ran.
Well after installing, charging and checking everything yesterday headed to the lake today. Well it’s a given, the Sho and Relion RB100 HP don’t play well together. I had several shut downs all between 4400 and 4900 RPM. Very disappointing but at the end of the I want reliability so out with the Relion cranker and in with a Odessey or X2 AGM.
2019 FX21 LE
2019 Sho 250
Humminbird Solix 15
Humminbird Solix 12
Humminbird Helix 12
ML
Ionics
Ultrex iLink
After getting home and while removing my cranking battery I hooked up my charger to charge my trolling batteries. I have one battery switching back and forth from 25% to 100% charged. The others 2 are fine, switched banks on the charger and still doing the same thing. I think my luck with lithium’s is not turning out well at all. I was told there could be ghost voltage at the first few cycles, this bothers me. I think there all going back, no happy at all...
2019 FX21 LE
2019 Sho 250
Humminbird Solix 15
Humminbird Solix 12
Humminbird Helix 12
ML
Ionics
Ultrex iLink
Thanks for reporting back. I know it sucks to spend that kind of money and get disappointed. I'm still on the fence but being I have the sho I'm pretty much out for a starting battery.
I had troble with my relion starting my merc. My starting battery was running through a master switch to the motor along with my other electronics..rerouted the motor leads directly to the battery and the problem went away..
USN Retired
2020 Basscat Caracal
2020 Mercury 225 ProXS 4s
The charger is a MinnKota PC 460 and was on AGM, I switched banks on the charger and it was doing the same. I’ve went and bought 4 X2 AGM and have removed and replaced the Relions.
I have used many Lithium batteries that were made by Relion, Fromeco sells them in a smaller version. Used them in the RC Turbine Jet Hobby. They have the BMS protection built in as well. Safe charging and no need to ever balance charge..
I’ve had them fail and do the same on charge, whole different ball game here.
These two issues today was enough for me, not worth the hassle. My original plans were to just change the cranking battery. Now after the issue with the trolling batteries I’m out.
I’m not looking for a work around to the issue.
2019 FX21 LE
2019 Sho 250
Humminbird Solix 15
Humminbird Solix 12
Humminbird Helix 12
ML
Ionics
Ultrex iLink
I have had charging issues with my Relions, also. I've had one bank on my Dualpro that "times out" on on its charge part of the time. It's intermittent, so You don't know whether it'll work or not. I put a timer on the charger power cable that turns it off, then on after 30 minutes and that seems to do the trick. And the charger has been set for lithiums. Other than that, the batteries do a good job. Too much invested to give up on them---four 100ah batteries.
Well I’m just not at ease with them after yesterday’s mishaps. I’ve taking them back and got a full refund. Something, not sure what, is wrong with the one trolling battery.
Got my 4 X2 Power AGM’s installed, charged and ready to go.
The weight savings isn’t worth the problems..
Last edited by chrisansilver; 06-13-2018 at 08:50 PM.
2019 FX21 LE
2019 Sho 250
Humminbird Solix 15
Humminbird Solix 12
Humminbird Helix 12
ML
Ionics
Ultrex iLink
I started out with the minn kota 460 as well...It would not charge my Relions fully. I sent in a dual pro and had it reprogrammed for lithium, not a single problem since. I get a full charge on the trolling system in about 3 hours. The crank gets discharged more so it takes a little longer...Its my experience that proper charging is essential to full performance from these batteries.
USN Retired
2020 Basscat Caracal
2020 Mercury 225 ProXS 4s
ProMariner no issues charging.
Lithium batteries are really pretty solid today. The only way to see if you have a full charge is to check the voltage. 14.4 = fully charged for LiFe cells.
The stupid protector(BMS) and the charger may not be happy with each other.
By far it was the best HP gain I could get for the dollar spent(WEIGHT LOSS) . The bonus was the better performance from the trolling motor and the fact that it would run longer during the day and charge faster. Add in a on the fly charger and the trolling motor batts almost don't need to even be charged as you do a few good runs on the lake.
Thanks, I understand the charger situation but still doesn’t change the fact that Relion and Sho don’t play well together. Also the 3 Reps from Relion I spoke with told me that the PC460 on AGM was a great match.
When I switched banks on my charger the one battery was still going from 25% to 100% charged rapidly. So again at the time I was aggravated not only with the cranking battery but the trolling battery also.
My boat runs great, with speeds well over 70 mph loaded with 2. Speed is not the issue, I want my trips to be enjoyable to the lake, they would not be if you can’t run over say about 4000 RPM. The Relion trolling batteries didn’t have much punch when I ran them at the lake, I know that’s due to fact one was bad or didn’t take proper charge. I failed to mention the date on my troller batteries were 7-17..Regardless I’m out, maybe when I go through the new set of AGM’s that have 5 year non prorated warranty I’ll try again.
I will go Lithium Pros if I ever want to test the waters again.
im very disappointed to say the least.
2019 FX21 LE
2019 Sho 250
Humminbird Solix 15
Humminbird Solix 12
Humminbird Helix 12
ML
Ionics
Ultrex iLink
Understand...its a lot of money to not be satisfied...Reps sell batteries, the minn kota works, just not very well in my experience. With that kind of investment.. another 120.00 to insure proper charging seemed like a no brainer to me...good luck with whatever you go with.
chrisansilver,
I've been running Relions for three years now and have nothing but positive things to say about them. The cranking battery is 100ah, and three 80ah for trolling. All charged with a four bank Dual-Pro that has been re tooled for Lithium. Another difference though is that I'm running a 2013 Merc 250ProXS. Certainly understand though that you want to have piece of mind/reliability on the water.
I’m glad to hear that their working out well for you. I haven’t read any issues running the cranking battery with a Merc. But again it’s a known issue with the Sho. I truly wanted to keep the trolling batteries. My plans when we left the lake was to just change out the cranking battery. As stated above the one trolling battery was not acting right. Just made my day even worse, was beyond frustrated.
Good luck, thanks for the comments, Relions will never be purchased again by me.
2019 FX21 LE
2019 Sho 250
Humminbird Solix 15
Humminbird Solix 12
Humminbird Helix 12
ML
Ionics
Ultrex iLink
Well, I ran my Relions dead Friday, which wouldn’t have been a big deal, except I run an Ulterra and it wouldn’t stow. After about an hour of fooling with my jumpstart wiring and using a booster pack, I finally got enough juice to get it to stow. Problem with lithiums is that they go from full voltage to dead almost immediately and there’s not a good way to monitor the state of charge. At least I managed to avoid having to do a manual stow on the motor. Now the batteries don’t want to charge. Appears I may have wasted 5 grand. Really bugs me.