Lead-Acid to Lithium Trolling Motor Upgrade? Power Queen 24V 50Ah

Product overview

Power Queen 24V 50Ah LiFePO4 trolling-motor battery — a single-voltage 24 V lithium iron phosphate battery, nominal 50 Ah (≈1,280 Wh). It’s a Group 24 physical size, much smaller and lighter than typical lead-acid Group 27/31 batteries commonly used in 24 V trolling-motor setups.

Key features

• Capacity: 50 Ah nominal; independent test measured ~53 Ah (106.6% of rating).
• Energy: ~1,280 Wh (roughly equivalent usable energy to two 12 V lead-acid batteries in series).
• Weight: ~21 lb (vs ~50 lb per typical lead-acid battery — saves ~70+ lb when replacing two).
• Bluetooth-enabled BMS: state-of-charge, cell balancing, temperature, cycle count, fault alerts; app can monitor multiple batteries.
• Protections: low-temperature charge cutoff, overvoltage, undervoltage, short-circuit protection.
• Low-temperature behavior: will not accept charge below ~32–36°F (protects from lithium plating); can discharge down to about -4°F. No self-heating.
• Charging requirement: charger must supply ~29.2 V. Power Queen’s 20 A charger charges in ≈2.5 hours; 5–10 A chargers acceptable for overnight charging. Charger uses an Anderson quick-connect (supplied charger is not waterproof).
• Manufacturer/support: budget-oriented brand; support typically via email.

Performance and user experience

• Typical runtime: roughly 8 hours of average trolling/fishing on a properly matched 24 V trolling motor in a 17–18 ft light/medium boat (application-dependent).
• Reviewer anecdote: after 7 hours of active fishing the battery still had ~60% charge; reviewer believes a 10-hour day is often feasible, while 12 hours could be borderline depending on load and conditions.
• Cycle life: LiFePO4 chemistry offers thousands of cycles and much longer service life than lead-acid; owners often move batteries between boats.
• Physical fit: smaller footprint than Group 27/31 — may need minor battery-tray or foam-block adjustments but can free up space.

Pros

• Large weight and size reduction compared with two 12 V lead-acid batteries.
• Usable energy roughly equivalent to two 12 V lead-acid batteries but with higher usable percentage and cycle life.
• Fast-charge capable with an appropriate charger (20 A example).
• Bluetooth monitoring and robust BMS protections.
• Long service life and durability.
• Easy to add batteries in parallel for more capacity and redundancy.

Cons and caveats

• Requires a 29.2 V charger — most multi-bank lead-acid chargers will NOT work.
• Supplied charger is not waterproof; must be removed after charging unless you buy a waterproof solution.
• No self-heating — will not accept charge in freezing conditions until the battery warms.
• Manufacturer support is typically email only (common for budget brands).
• May require minor modifications to battery tray when replacing larger lead-acid group sizes.

Comparisons

• Versus two 12 V lead-acid batteries (in series): same usable energy for many use cases but at much lower weight, greater usable capacity (lead-acid “100 Ah” often only ~50% usable), and longer cycle life.
• Versus larger/36 V setups: tournament anglers sometimes build more complex parallel/series systems for redundancy and higher power; recommendation here is to start with one 24 V 50 Ah and add a second identical battery in parallel if more runtime or redundancy is needed.
• In capacity testing among many batteries, this Power Queen 24 V ranked mid-pack but still exceeded its rated capacity (106.6%).

Practical recommendations / setup advice

1. Start with one Power Queen 24 V 50 Ah and monitor real-world runtime via Bluetooth.
2. If you need more runtime or redundancy, add a second identical battery in parallel — cost-effective and each battery can run the motor alone.
3. Purchase a proper 29.2 V charger (Power Queen 20 A charger is an example). If you need on-board charging, buy a waterproof charging solution because the supplied charger is not waterproof.
4. Check battery tray fit — plan small adjustments if replacing Group 27/31 batteries.

“Ease into” lithium: buy one, evaluate with Bluetooth monitoring, then add a second in parallel only if needed.

Numerical / test data

• Rated: 24 V, 50 Ah, ≈1,280 Wh.
• Measured capacity: ≈53 Ah (106.6% of rating).
• Example runtime: ≈8 hours average fishing; reviewer had ~60% remaining after 7 hours.
• Charger example: Power Queen 20 A charger — full charge in ≈2.5 hours.
• Weight: ≈21 lb.

Unique points mentioned

• 24 V 50 Ah LiFePO4 ≈ usable energy of two 12 V lead-acid batteries.
• Lead-acid rated capacities are often misleading due to limited usable depth-of-discharge (~50%).
• Parallel addition of identical lithium batteries provides redundancy and modular scaling.
• Group 24 size — smaller than Group 27/31 — enabling weight and space savings (~70+ lb reduction vs two lead-acid).
• Low-temperature charging protection (no charge below ~32–36°F) and no self-heat.
• Bluetooth monitoring is highly recommended for state-of-charge and diagnostics.
• Supplied charger uses Anderson connector and is not waterproof.
• Budget-brand support typically via email; reviewer reported no issues across several units.

Speakers

• Single reviewer/presenter — all testing results and opinions come from one speaker.

Verdict

The Power Queen 24 V 50 Ah LiFePO4 is a solid, affordable upgrade for anglers using 24 V trolling motors on small-to-medium boats. It delivers comparable usable energy to two 12 V lead-acid batteries while saving significant weight, providing longer life and Bluetooth monitoring. Recommended as a starter lithium battery: buy one, evaluate real-world runtime, and add a second in parallel only if you need more capacity or redundancy. Ensure you purchase a proper 29.2 V charger and consider a waterproof charging solution for on-board charging.