90 Pounds Lighter, All-Day Strong. How upgrading to Lithium improved more run-time on the water.
My current rig is a Ranger aluminum RT188P powered by a Mercury 115 Pro XS. It’s a versatile, efficient setup and one that became even more capable after upgrading the power system. And when it comes to upgrades, I have realized that was even more important for my kids, especially my son who finished his boater safety and now enjoys independence on the water. We love fishing together in between sports as nothing is better than catching a topwater water bite at sunset with a Rapala Claptail™, or pitching shorelines with a CrushCity Pigstick™ The techniques are so simple and engaging because they simply catch fish.
Modern fishing boats are built around technology; but not all packages have the bells and whistles. So I made this year an upgrade year and added forward-facing sonar and now my power system becomes just as important as anything else on the boat.
For me the shift was the to Humminbird MEGA Live 2 and expanded to three Xplore units total. I currently have an Xplore 9 at the console and decided to add a 10” Xplore stacked on top of my 9” at the bow. That’s when I knew my battery setup needed to evolve, not just for today, but for what’s coming next, as I still have items on my wish list I hope to add.
With MEGA Live 2, three Xplore units, a Minn Kota Ultrex (24V), and full boat systems including lighting, pumps, and livewell, I was running a serious all-day electrical load. Not that I fish tournaments, but I certainly want to be able to feel confident that I’m good all day, if not all weekend when it comes to having fun on the lake fishing with the family.
My original three-battery lead-acid setup worked, but it wasn’t built for this level of demand. I didn’t want to manage power throughout the day. I wanted a system that just performed start to finish and also allowed me to know exactly where the power was at whenever fishing ended.
The Upgrade: Norsk Lithium, Fully Integrated
Starting & House Power
At the center of the system is the Norsk 12V 180AH Heated Lithium Marine Cranking Battery. This single battery now powers three Xplore units, MEGA Live 2, all lighting and accessories, and the livewell system. Everything in the boat—except the trolling motor now runs off this one battery. With my old set up, I would get worried if I was running my starter battery too low as I was fishing for long periods of time. That worry is thrown out of the boat. With Norsk’s Emergency Start Reserve (ESR) built into this starting battery, I have an additional layer of confidence knowing there is dedicated reserve power available to help get the outboard started when I need it most. I can simply check my status on my phone….. more about that later.
Trolling Motor Power
For running around chasing Bass and Panfish, I’m running a Norsk 24V 90AH Heated LiFePO4 Lithium Battery dedicated to my Minn Kota Ultrex 24V. It delivers consistent thrust throughout the day without voltage drop. My runtime for the trolling motor is Tripled at a minimum with visibility of exactly where the power is at every moment of the day.
To support the system, I upgraded to the EVO-TEC 12V+12V / 16V+24V – 3 Bank Selectable On-Board Charger. I chose a 3-bank charger to give me future flexibility, allowing me to add another 12V or 16V battery, split electronics across power sources, and prepare for next-gen electronics that may perform best on 16V. As I stated I still have a wish list for next year, such as Minn Kota Talon or Raptors and with my kid running the boat now who knows when he talks me into more electronics.
The Result: 90 Pounds Gone
Switching from three lead-acid batteries to two Norsk lithium batteries allowed me to remove approximately 90 pounds from the back of the boat. That translates into a better take off, improved efficiency and longevity, and more usable space. I also improved my spacing in the back of my boat, and now store my life jackets in back, which increases my storage up front. Let’s be honest, you can never have enough storage in a boat so any strategizing to free up space for more tackle is a win.
Power That Performs All Day with Real-Time Confidence: Norsk Guardian App
With forward-facing sonar and multiple graphs, voltage consistency matters. Lithium delivers stable voltage from start to finish, no mid-day drop-off, and consistent sonar clarity. With the Norsk Guardian app, I can monitor battery levels in real time, track performance, and know exactly how much power I have left. That level of insight brings a level of comfort on the water weather I’m running the boat and checking the status after my son has been out for hours.
A System Built for the Next Generation
One of my biggest goals with this upgrade was to make this boat something my son could grow into. Now that he has completed his boater safety certification, and is starting to fish on his own, these upgrades benefit me as a parent. It’s fun to watch him make decisions on the water, and gain confidence through his own experiences. If my son is anything like me, time on the water sits still when cranking a Rapala DT over humps, drop offs and points, or flipping around a CrushCity Janitor along the weed lines. Hours can go by when it seems like minutes.
With the Norsk Lithium system and the Guardian app, he will have visibility into the boat’s power. He can get lost in his day and let time fly by. He can easily see battery levels and understand when it’s time to plug the boat in back at the dock, which I confidently can say will always be when he chooses to, not when he needs to. That combination of simplicity, reliability, and feedback makes it easier—and safer for him to operate independently.
Don’t Overlook the Details
Depending on your current setup, switching from lead-acid to lithium may require a different battery tray. The good news is Norsk Lithium batteries are built to standard BCI group sizes, making compatible trays easy to find and readily available. A properly sized tray ensures a secure fit, clean installation, and dependable mounting on the water.
A Complete System Upgrade
This wasn’t just a battery swap, it was more lika a full system transformation. The result is a boat that is lighter, more efficient, more powerful, fully monitorable, and future-ready. “All day on the water” is going to change to “days on the water”. Fishing is about having fun, spending time with your family, teaching the next generation, but also giving them the freedom to confidently hit the water and create their own highlights and memories!
Final Thoughts
Upgrading to FFS pushed my electronics to the next level. Switching to a Lithium system, ensured my power system could keep up, not just now, but moving forward. It can be very easy to upgrade your accessories before upgrading the power source, but I have learned they go hand in hand. Once Lithium was integrated into the boat, there are many more options that will be considered to keep improving my set up.