Best Battery for a Minn Kota Trolling Motor

"Best" here means Minn Kota's own good, better and best battery rows, not a brand pick.

Direct answer: Minn Kota's chart calls for a 12 V deep-cycle marine battery of at least 110 Ah for best results: group 24 (70 to 85 Ah) for good run time, group 27 (85 to 110 Ah) for better, group 31 (95 to 125 Ah) for best. Its 24 V motors, like the 80 lb, take two batteries in series; 36 V motors take three.

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Group 31 deep-cycle marine batteries on Amazon

Minn Kota's battery rows

Minn Kota rating	Group size	Amp-hours
Good run time	24	70–85 Ah
Better run time	27	85–110 Ah
Best run time	31	95–125 Ah

Source: Minn Kota battery and wiring charts, Rev. 8.17.2021. All rows are 12 V deep-cycle marine batteries.

Pick your motor

Thrust Battery amp-hours (one battery)

Thrust, voltage, draw and breaker

Thrust	System	Max amp draw	Breaker	12 V batteries
30 lb	12 V	30 A	50 A @ 12 VDC	1
40 lb / 45 lb	12 V	42 A	50 A @ 12 VDC	1
50 lb / 55 lb	12 V	50 A	60 A @ 12 VDC	1
70 lb	24 V	42 A	50 A @ 24 VDC	2
80 lb	24 V	56 A	60 A @ 24 VDC	2
101 lb	36 V	46 A	50 A @ 36 VDC	3
112 lb	36 V	52 A	60 A @ 36 VDC	3

Source: Minn Kota battery and wiring charts; full table in trolling motor amp draw data. Battery count is system volts ÷ 12. Minn Kota notes max amp draw is intermittent, not a continuous rating.

How to use it

Find your motor's thrust and system voltage above. Single-motor pages: 30 lb, 55 lb, 80 lb, 112 lb.
Buy one 12 V deep-cycle battery per 12 V of system voltage, all the same group and age, wired in series.
Pick the group from Minn Kota's rows. Group 31 is its "best" row, and its 95 to 125 Ah range is where the 110 Ah recommendation sits.
Estimate runtime: Ah ÷ amp draw. At full throttle that is the floor, not the typical day.

Frequently asked questions

What battery does Minn Kota recommend?

A 12 V deep-cycle marine battery, at least 110 Ah for best results. Minn Kota's chart rates group 24 (70 to 85 Ah) for good run time, group 27 (85 to 110 Ah) for better and group 31 (95 to 125 Ah) for best.

How many batteries does my Minn Kota need?

One per 12 V of system voltage. Minn Kota's chart lists 12 V, 24 V and 36 V motors, so that is one, two or three 12 V batteries in series. The 80 lb motor is 24 V, so two.

What breaker goes with it?

Minn Kota's chart lists a breaker for each motor, for example 60 A at 24 VDC for the 80 lb and 60 A at 36 VDC for the 112 lb.

How long will it run?

Divide battery amp-hours by amp draw. At the chart's max draw, a 110 Ah battery on a 50 A motor is 110 ÷ 50 = 2.2 hours. Max draw is intermittent, so most trips draw less and run longer.

Sources

Compiled with AI assistance from the sources below. Spot an error? Email jpanasuk@gmail.com.

Minn Kota, Battery and wiring charts, Rev. 8.17.2021. https://minnkota.johnsonoutdoors.com/sites/default/files/2023-01/min_productmanual_tm-battery-charts.pdf. Accessed Oct 10, 2026.