Just like in the Lord of the Rings where Gollum gets mad whenever someone tries to ‘steal’ his “Precious” ring, kayakers tend to lose their minds whenever they find that the trolling motor Battery is under some of the threats be it real or imaginary. Whatever the case is it, it makes perfect sense that paddlers should do something to protect the trolling motor Batteries from getting damaged either by falling from heights or by coming in direct contact with hazardous materials or chemicals.
Now, this is exactly the reason why you need to invest on a good Marine Battery Box so that the dangerous chemical materials that the battery contains does not get spilled out of control. This can lead to the massive hazard while you are out on the water and therefore, it has to be averted at any cost. This is the reason why you need to purchase a Marine motor Battery box to keep the battery safe and secure.
Marine Motor Battery Box acts as a protective cover for the battery and it ensures that the battery does not come in contact with hazardous materials that can trigger chemical reaction and expositions in some extreme cases.
Now finding the right Marine Motor Battery Box is not as easy as it transpires to be. Kayak Manual has prepared this Marine battery box buying guide so that you can make the right buying decision –
Best 6 Marine Battery Boxes
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Listed are the top 6 Marine Battery Boxes that money can buy. Check out the individual review and then reach a conclusion –
1. MinnKota Marine Power Center Battery Box
MinnKota Marine Motor Power Center Battery Box looks sturdy and stunning at the same time. Ideal for small vessels, MinnKota Trolling Motor Power Center Battery Box sports external battery terminals that allow users to connect both the charger leads and the trolling motor leads. What is even more remarkable is the fact that you don’t necessarily have to open the battery box to access the external battery terminals.
MinnKota Marine Power Center Battery Box flaunts a Built-in battery meter that displays the charge status. This marine motor battery box is best suited for those boats that don’t have any provision for battery compartments. You can easily tuck in a group 24- and 27-size batteries without facing trouble whatsoever.
Pros
- Red-Yellow-Green Battery Indicator.
- Internal breakers.
- Two rubber strips included. (helps in holding the battery in place)
- Manual reset circuit breakers included.
- Included are 12-volt accessory plugs.
Cons
- Not ideal for a higher thrust trolling motor.
- Positive terminal connection can get overheated.
2. IZTOSS Marine Marine Power Center Station Battery Box
IZTOSS Marine Power Center Station Battery Box meets all the guidelines laid out by American Boat and Yacht Council and United States Coast Guard’s Code of Federal Regulations. Tested vigorously under extreme conditions, IZTOSS Marine Power Center Station Battery Box comes out with flying colors. This Marine marine battery box will keep your battery safe and secure no matter what.
It can withstand contaminants, acids, oil leaks, hazardous gasses and what not! Its impact-resistant rugged structure is designed to keep an optimal environment for the battery to perform even when the outside temperature drops below -20 degrees Fahrenheit.
IZTOSS Marine Battery Boxes are UX resistant. Even if you leave the box under the sun for months, it will not degrade or it will not develop any cracks. IZTOSS Marine Battery Boxes are made from thermoplastic modified by UV stabilizers that adds to its extreme strength and durability.
Another major advantage of IZTOSS Marine Battery Boxes is that it is extremely lightweight.
Pros
- Lightweight, easy to carry around.
- Built-in battery meter.
- Easily accessible battery terminal.
- Included are auto and USB plugs.
Cons
- No as such.
3. Newport Vessels Marine Smart Battery Box
Newport Vessels Marine Smart Battery Box offers quick access to its terminals. Connecting the power cables of your marine motor should not be an issue as the smart motor battery does offer easy and safe passage to the terminals. You can even use this marine battery as a fully functional charging station. You can charge your mobile phone or any other digital assets on the move.
You can even check the current charge status of the battery by taking a look at its LED battery meter. Rubberized foot inserts allow Newport Vessels Marine Smart Battery Box to stay in its position no matter what. Rubberized foot inserts give the Smart Battery Box a good grip on the surface.
Pros
- Connect the motor to the battery ports without even opening the lid of the battery box.
- You can check the current charge level of the battery by pushing a simple button.
- Non-Slip Rubber Feet
- 12V accessory port and (5V – 0.5Amp) USB charger included.
- 2 years warranty.
Cons
- The strap is rather flimsy.
- Some buyers have complained about the faulty meter.
4. DCFlat Marine Smart Battery Box
DCFlat Marine Smart Battery Box can be fitted easily on a kayak or on a yacht. No need to open the lid of the Smart Battery box in order to connect your accessories or trolling motors to the battery port. DC accessories can be connected to the 12V accessory port and USB charger without putting too much efforts. DCFlat Marine Smart Battery Box is ideal for 24 and 27 size batteries.
Most marine battery users tend to complain about electrical surge that can significant damage to electrical equipment. Reset switch is integrated with this DCFlat Marine Smart Battery and this is what protect your digital equipment from electrical damages.
Thanks to the integration of Non-slip rubber feet, DCFlat Marine Smart Battery Box stays in place and does not move to different places whenever the boat gets struck by giant waves or the weather starts playing truant all of a sudden.
To make it easy to carry around, the company has included sturdy straps. These ergonomically designed straps are dustproof, windproof, rainproof, etc. No matter how roughly they get handled, these straps are not that easy to break.
Pros
- 1-year warranty.
- Great after-sales support.
- Dual USB sockets.
- Visual LED battery meter.
Cons
- Handles are not that strong. At the bottom part of the battery box, grips are located. Use those grips to move the DCFlat Marine Smart Battery Box around.
5. SeaSense 50090682 Unified Marine Deluxe Power Station Battery Box
SeaSense 50090682 Unified Marine Deluxe Power Station Battery Box is one of the most popular marine battery boxes available in the market. This marine battery box offers easy access to external terminals that means, you can recharge accessories directly from those terminals without opening the lid. SeaSense 50090682 Unified Marine Deluxe Power Station Battery Box is best suited for those boats and kayaks that are small in size and have no DC system in place as such. The charge status of the battery can easily be checked by pressing a simple button. What’s more, you can expect from a simple Battery box?
Pros
- Built-in the LED indicator.
- Circuit breaker included.
- Power socket included.
- Weatherproof.
Cons
- The lid does not stay on sometimes. You might have to use strips to keep the lid tightly closed.
6. Attwood Corporation 9082-1 Small Battery Box
Attwood Corporation 9082-1 Small Battery Box is totally acid resistant and extremely durable in nature. Numerous drop tests have been conducted by the company to ensure that this Attwood Corporation 9082-1 Small Battery Box can withstand even the most extreme conditions that either you or nature can throw at it. It can operate at an optimum level in -20°F to +120°F temperature which is more than impressive, to say the least.
Pros
- Included are mounting hardware.
- Drop tested.
- Acid resistant.
- Polypropylene Construction.
- Weather Proof.
Cons
- The lid does not stay on sometimes. You might have to use strips to keep the lid tightly closed.
Choosing The Right Marine Battery Box
There are a number of factors that you need to carefully consider if you wish to get the best Marine Battery Box for the money –
1. Protection
A marine battery box has to act as a barrier between the marine battery and the outside elements. The battery must be protected at any cost and this can only be achieved by stopping the outside elements like chemicals, water, impurities, etc from coming in direct contact with the battery. Sometimes, marine batteries releases toxic gases and acids that can cause significant damage to human or other boating accessories. So, the marine motor battery box must have a provision to release that gas and acid safely.
2. LED Indicator
Do you want to get stranded in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery? Of course, you don’t. But the question is how on earth you would know the batter is low? Well, there is an easy way out and that is investing in a marine marine battery box with an LED indicator. The LED indicator will notify you whenever the battery power starts running low. No need to get the battery out of the container box and get it tested by professionals.
3. Materials
Yes, plastics can be useful too. If you leave aside the mounting problem of plastic pollution, we have to accept the fact that plastic is an incredibly versatile and strong material. A Marine Motor Battery Box made from plastic can withstand all kind of hazardous chemicals. Moreover, plastics rarely interact with chemical and they are not corrosive in nature and which is plastic the first choice when it comes to creating a container to hold explosive and chemically reactive materials without blowing up the budget. Most marine battery boxes use high-grade plastics to withstand battery acids.
4. Straps
What is the point in having a marine battery box for your marine battery if it is not strapped firmly? The lid of the battery box can’t be closed properly unless you are using a heavy-duty strap. Keep the whole marine battery unit in the same place would be another major battle. So, you need to purchase a marine battery box that comes with tough and heavy-duty straps.
5. Durability
Marine battery boxes should ideally be made from high quality and sturdy materials. More often than not, marine grade plastic is used to manufacture marine battery boxes. The reasons are quite obvious. Battery boxes have to deal with issues like – corrosion, acid, temperature fluctuation and more and which is why these marine battery boxes have to be made from durable plastic.
6. Design
You need a simple container for the trolley motor battery of your boat. So, choose a simple design. Fancy motor battery boxes don’t have any fancy features. Remember that the purpose of having a marine box is to protect the battery and to please the eyes of the spectators. If you are focusing too much on the aesthetics, you are making a big mistake.
Why You Need A Marine Battery Box?
As marine batteries age, different chemical materials star leaking from them and these chemicals could be extremely hazardous to humans if come in direct contact. Unlike AGM batteries, flooded batteries tend to leak more acids and that means, they need a robust and strong battery box. Moreover, marine battery boxes do help a lot to extend the life expectancy of the battery itself.
1. Secure Mounting
The main purpose of investing your hard-earned money on the marine motor battery box is to ensure a secure mounting for your trolling motor. Since motor batteries have a deal with waves, strong winds, and vibrations, you need a marine battery box that helps the battery secure its place no matter what.
2. Water Resistant
The batter boxes have to be water resistant at any cost. However, the marine battery boxes don’t have to be waterproof because motor batteries need a certain degree of ventilation in order to operate at an optimum level. However, the battery box ideally should be designed cleverly so that the water does not get inside the box no matter what.
3. Lightweight
Unless you are Schwarzenegger, you would definitely hate the idea of purchasing a marine battery box which is too heavy to handle or move around. Try to find a battery box that has a large and strong handle so that you can move it around easily and effortlessly.
What About Smart Battery Box?
Yes, it looks that even these seemingly dumb battery boxes are getting smart thanks to massive development in the field of science and technology. Unlike traditional marine battery boxes that only act as containers, smart battery boxes have these following features that set them apart from others –
1. USB Ports
It may not be the most important feature that you should look in a marine battery box, but it can prove lifesaver in some extreme cases where you find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere and your phone is also dead. In such cases, a battery box with an easy to access USB port can save your day.
2. Battery Health Monitor
We need to accept the fact that just like any other batteries, marine batteries start acting up after a certain period of time. Therefore, you have to consistently check the current state of the batteries. Sometimes people do stupid stuff like – overexerting batteries by using amperage. This is the reason why all smart battery boxes need to a battery health monitor system that should reflect the health status of the battery in real time.
3. Battery Meter
How much power is left in your marine battery? Well, take out all guesswork with a LED display battery meter. It will display the battery level in real time. Which is even more remarkable is the fact that you can check the battery level by looking at the LED display panel without connecting or disconnecting anything.