50 or 100ah Li Battery?

ifsteve

ifsteve

Steelhead
So I AM modifying my Outcast Fish Cat Scout. In talking to Outcast its a fairly simple process. So I have ordered a TM on Prime days this morning and need to also order a battery.

It seems like a 50am should be sufficient for a 50# thrust TM and its half the weight of a 100ah battery (and less cost although thats not too important), I don't want to carry more weight than I need but also don't want to be short on power. I don't typically use the Scout on very big waters, thats what the boat is for.

So what does the brain trust on here say?

TIA
 
I use a Watersnake #24, PWM, and a 36AH LiFePO4. Weight of everything is maybe 15 pounds. Use on 7.5 foot rotomolded pram. I do not need to go too fast, works great. The draw with 24# and PWM can fish for three days. Like to go slow backwards to cast indicators along weed banks.
 
Thought I would be good with a 50ah. That's why I now own a 50 and a 100.
The 50 would work unless the wind came up, then it wasn't enough. Nice to have the extra power of the 100 for those nasty times.
 
The batteries are so cheap now. I’d get a 50. If you find it’s not enough for some days, get another. Take both when you need them, one shorter days. I just bought a LiTime 36v for my 3hp electric outboard. Blue tooth is easy and reliable so I always know my state of charge.
For all my batteries I have installed them in an inexpensive box with handles and quick release couplers. Makes transporting and hooking up a breeze. In the pics is a box with a 50ah battery that did not have Bluetooth so I installed a real battery monitor. I want an accurate readout on my battery level if I don’t have a backup.
Personally I’ve never come close to loosing charge w a 50ah but I don’t troll.IMG_0415.png
PS .
You can significantly increase range on a electric motor by throttling down from full.IMG_0416.png
 
LBL said:
The batteries are so cheap now. I’d get a 50. If you find it’s not enough for some days, get another. Take both when you need them, one shorter days. I just bought a LiTime 36v for my 3hp electric outboard. Blue tooth is easy and reliable so I always know my state of charge.
For all my batteries I have installed them in an inexpensive box with handles and quick release couplers. Makes transporting and hooking up a breeze. In the pics is a box with a 50ah battery that did not have Bluetooth so I installed a real battery monitor. I want an accurate readout on my battery level if I don’t have a backup.
Personally I’ve never come close to loosing charge w a 50ah but I don’t troll.View attachment 186770
PS .
You can significantly increase range on a electric motor by throttling down from full.View attachment 186769
Click to expand...
I need to do some thru-fittings for my case I have like that which I use for my Livescope black box. Would make things much easier to deal with.
 
I had a 50 with my old non-PWM Minn Kota and routinely had to fall back on the oars when the battery would die. I got a 100 with my new PWM MK, and haven't gotten below 75% charge yet, the PWM is really good for battery life.
 
PhilR said:
I had a 50 with my old non-PWM Minn Kota and routinely had to fall back on the oars when the battery would die. I got a 100 with my new PWM MK, and haven't gotten below 75% charge yet, the PWM is really good for battery life.
Click to expand...
Which model MK did you buy?
 
ifsteve said:
So I AM modifying my Outcast Fish Cat Scout. In talking to Outcast its a fairly simple process.
Click to expand...
I'd be interested in know what Outcast recommended for a motor mount. I made a PVC one that cam straps on without any mods to the boat. It works fine with a Minn Kota C30 but is probably on the heavy side after the addition of the launching wheels.

I agree with recommendations above to try a 50Ah first and then add a second if necessary for multi-day trips. I've been using a 35Ah AGM with a PWM controller and keep in the shotgun shell box behind the set. I try to run the motor at 60% or less and haven't run yet on the lakes I fish. I only use the motor for changing spots, not for trolling. You'll have a lot more useable capacity with a 50Ah lithium.

Good luck with your project.
Ken

20210708 5.jpg
20210904_215742765.jpg
 
I use a Jackery 300 with a 100 watt solar panel. Here it is with a 40 watt panel: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G429L5B...5e4-8043-d68cd5d360fb&pd_rd_i=B0G429L5B4&th=1

That makes for a very lightweight system on my Outcast pontoon boat.

Here is the previous system I used: https://usbackroads.blogspot.com/2012/05/?m=0

I have since replaced the sealed lead acid battery with the very small Jackery battery. It sits in the pocket of the pontoon. The aluminum backed solar panel has been replaced with a 100 watt Jackery panel that sits on top of a "dog door" panel behind the trolling motor and rests on the pontoons, tied down with electrical ties.

I still use the small Mini-Kota trolling motor. It worked great this past weekend until the in-line fuse broke heading to the motor. I need to replace the fuse inside the 12-volt plug with a greater amperage fuse. These were made for small electronics and not a small trolling motor. The trolling motor and battery together weigh less than 10 lbs.

I can turn on/off the motor with the switch on the battery. As I noted in the article it is better to pull than push the electric motor. I just steer with my fins. I do carry a set of oars for emergencies just in case the electrical set-up goes wrong.

I only use the set-up on windy, large lakes. Otherwise I just stick with fins. As noted, it works really well in the wind.

The most difficult part is finding a small electric trolling motor. Seems these days everybody thinks better is better. I even called Mini-Kota for parts, but no longer available and they didn't think there was much demand for very small electric trolling motors.

Mid-west mentality at work.
 
Haggis57 said:
I'd be interested in know what Outcast recommended for a motor mount. I made a PVC one that cam straps on without any mods to the boat. It works fine with a Minn Kota C30 but is probably on the heavy side after the addition of the launching wheels.

I agree with recommendations above to try a 50Ah first and then add a second if necessary for multi-day trips. I've been using a 35Ah AGM with a PWM controller and keep in the shotgun shell box behind the set. I try to run the motor at 60% or less and haven't run yet on the lakes I fish. I only use the motor for changing spots, not for trolling. You'll have a lot more useable capacity with a 50Ah lithium.

Good luck with your project.
Ken
Click to expand...
Ken, its really pretty simple Glue on a Scotty Pad using NRS PVC glue then add the Outcast motor mount. The only downside is that when you do this you can't use the Scotty anchor mount anymore as the TM setup goes in the same place. Once I get all the parts and install it I'll try and post up a pic.
 
ifsteve said:
Ken, its really pretty simple Glue on a Scotty Pad using NRS PVC glue then add the Outcast motor mount. The only downside is that when you do this you can't use the Scotty anchor mount anymore as the TM setup goes in the same place. Once I get all the parts and install it I'll try and post up a pic.
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Thanks for the info. I wondered if the glue on mount would work - I never thought of following up with Outcast. Pictures of the completed mount would be appreciated.

Check out this previous thread from 2024 on installing a trolling motor on a Stealth Pro. Lots of good ideas on motor control, battery boxes as well as anchoring. Specifically look at post 13 (mine) and post 16 (@Rio Grande King ) for a solution that Phil Rowley came up with for a rear anchor hung off the Outcast motor mount. Post 16 of that thread has a reply from Phil and a great closeup picture. Since that was a year and a half ago, you might want to contact Phil directly to see if he has "matured" his anchor design at all and/or incorporated a Scotty Anchor Lock.

Good luck.
 
Thanks, Ken! I am actually surprised that Outcast doesn't market the glue on pad for the TM mount. Seems like a no brainer to me. Maybe they just want guys to upgrade to the OGS model. Now that said the OGS version IS tougher than the Scout model using a glue on pad. .The OGS pas is welded on.
 
ifsteve said:
Thanks, Ken! I am actually surprised that Outcast doesn't market the glue on pad for the TM mount. Seems like a no brainer to me. Maybe they just want guys to upgrade to the OGS model. Now that said the OGS version IS tougher than the Scout model using a glue on pad. .The OGS pas is welded on.
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Even more curious, Outcast apparently marketed a version of the Scout with a welded rear IGS pad in Korea for a while.

18x Assassin - Korea Rear IGS patch.JPG
 
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