How to Choose the Right Fish Finder Battery in Canada

As it stands right now, if a shopper purchases a fishing sonar or fish finder in the market, they will likely need to buy a battery for that unit unless they already have one or own a boat with a dual purpose battery. If you’re reading this article, we’re going to assume that your scenario sounds more like the former than the latter. 

Not to worry! This article is going to be your comprehensive and really long-winded “how-to-buy-a-battery-for-your-live-sonar-guide”. 

When it comes to the Brand of battery, we unfortunately will not be recommending any in this post for a few reasons. Everyone is different and has different circumstances that make their situation unique. The brand/type of battery that might be right for you may not be the best choice for someone else. That said, our goal is to share the information we have learned about batteries in the market that have worked for our PingLive Sonar unit and what we think are the most important considerations.

When customers purchase their first unit, they often ask a variation of the following questions:

• What brand of battery should I buy?

• How much power will I need?

• How do I keep my battery water proof?

Before we get too complicated, let’s start from the beginning.

The Battery Basics

There are some terms you should know when shopping for a battery:

• Voltage (V) Definition: The amount of electrical potential a battery provides. Many portable fishing sonar units run on 12V systems. Using the wrong voltage can damage the unit or cause it not to function so it’s important to get this one right.

• Amp-Hour (Ah) Definition: A measure of how much electricity a battery can supply over time. For example, a 10Ah battery can theoretically deliver 1 amp of current for 10 hours, or 2 amps for 5 hours. This is good to workout before you purchase if you’re planning long days on the water.

• Watt-Hour (Wh) Definition: Measures the total energy capacity of the battery. Calculated by multiplying volts by amp-hours (Wh = V × Ah). Helps estimate run-time and energy efficiency.

• Lithium vs. SLA: 

  • Lithium is lightweight, offers a longer lifespan, faster charging, and more consistent power output—but comes at a higher cost.

  • SLA (Sealed Lead Acid) batteries are cheaper upfront, but they’re heavier, have a shorter lifespan, and charge more slowly.

• Recharge Cycle Definition: One complete charge and discharge cycle. Lithium batteries typically have anywhere from 4-5 times more cycles and therefore, have a longer battery lifespan.

• Discharge Rate Definition: How quickly a battery can safely release its energy. Fast discharge rates may be necessary for high-power units but can drain the battery quickly. With fishing sonar products like the PingLive, this is unnecessary.

• Waterproof/Water-Resistant Ratings (IP Ratings) Definition: IP ratings like IP67 or IP68 show how well the battery or case resists water and dust. We highly recommend considering these ratings, especially if you will be using your unit while kayak or ice fishing.

The Questions You Should Be Asking

So, you have just purchased or are thinking of purchasing a fishing sonar unit, you’ve just learned the battery basics, and now you’re wondering where the best place to start is for finding the right battery to power your unit. We’ve found that the whole process of trying to find a battery can get very daunting very quick, so ultimately we have found the best place to start is with a few questions:

What voltage does your fish sonar company recommend for your particular unit?

In your sonar’s user manual or installation guide, you should have a recommended voltage range and minimum amp current capacity for stable performance. This is often the framework you want to start with when looking for your battery.

PingLive Sonar Setup Guide: Power & Connection Instructions

For example, in the PingLive installation guide, under “Part VI Configuration and Connection”, we recommend that when powering and connecting the sonar’s router, that the router will need to operate “within an input voltage range of 11-24V and requires a minimum 6A current capacity for stable performance.”

This gives us our starting place. We now know we will need a battery that at least has a nominal voltage of 11 and at least a 6A current capacity.

If we look at the Lifepo4 12V 12AH as an example, we can see that the 12.8V nominal voltage surpasses our requirements for the PingLive sonar’s 11V requirement. We can also see that the Lifpo4’s Discharging Current of 10A surpasses PingLive's 6A current capacity requirement. This means that both voltage and amperage requirements are met by the Lifepo4 battery for the PingLive and it is therefore a good option for satisfying power requirements. Remember, the higher the Ah rating, the longer your sonar can run on a single charge. Lastly, it is a lithium battery so we know it might be a bit more pricey, but is likely to last us longer and have a little more reliable performance.

As a side note: Many sonar companies have tested their products under a variety of different power sources and may have even struck strategic partnerships with battery manufacturers with the goal of simplifying the purchasing process for buyers, as well as ensuring they have a reliable solution. This means that when the company you buy from recommends a product, it is likely a good bet for your sonar unit. However, sometimes there isn’t a recommendation or there may be alternative options that are better for you for a variety of reasons, most commonly, price. 

Therefore, it is a good idea to check if your sonar comes with a recommended battery brand, although it is important to know that you can use the considerations mentioned above to look for your own solutions should you have a preference.

Are Small Batteries as Good as Big Batteries?

Again, the answer to this question is, it depends. When considering the size of battery you should purchase, first and foremost you need to ensure that regardless of the size, the battery will be able to safely power your fishing sonar. 

Is there anything else you need to power with your battery?

The size of a battery is typically associated with the power of the battery. Therefore, bigger batteries are often used for sonar units or set ups that require more power. When comparing larger more complex live scope systems from companies like Garmin or Hummingbird it is not uncommon to come across setups that require up to 32V of power. 

This ultimately means a bigger and more expensive power source. However, when compared to Accuphy’s PingLive Sonar, a range of only 11-24VDC is required. This is possible because unlike other units, PingLive uses your iOS device as the monitor for sonar instead of a separate unit. This means that customers can save money on a smaller battery that is also more practical for space requirements.

What Environment Will You Be Using Your Sonar In?

Identifying what type of environments you’re likely to be fishing in will also go a long way in picking the right battery (and sonar unit) for you. If you are looking to deep water fishing where you need more powerful sonar units, you will naturally be using a boat and a larger battery. However, if you plan on spending more of your time in medium to shallow waters, fishing from a kayak, or ice fishing, a sonar unit that does not require as much power would be advantageous. This is because anglers that like to be more mobile will likely prefer a lighter and more compact battery that is simple and light to move around.

A typical LiFePO4 10AH 12.8V battery weighs around 1kg/ 2.2lb, takes minimal space, but can last 4-7 hrs constantly on a typical day out. Compared to other systems, PingLive doesn't have a heavy bulky black box (for data processing), the processor is integrated into the PingLive transducer which is only 2.38Lb.

In contrast, a Garmin lvs34 needs 15-25AH battery to run 5 hours constantly. Compound this with the weight of the black box, and then the weight of the transducer (another 5.53lb without battery), as well as the battery itself; let’s say the 20AH LIFEPO4 which is typically 5.5lb. The difference between the two is the PingLive system in total would amount to approximately 5lbs altogether and is much cheaper battery, while the Garmin setup would weigh a total of 11-15lbs or more and is significantly more expensive and complex to set up.

For ice fishing, the environmental impact becomes even more noticeable:

• Lithium batteries with low-temperature protection or built-in heaters perform much better in freezing conditions, maintaining power longer and ensuring reliable operation for sonar or electronics.

• SLA( Lead Acid) batteries, while more cold-tolerant for charging, tend to lose capacity quickly in extreme cold and add unnecessary weight when portability matters on the ice.

If you're fishing in sub-zero temperature environments, a lithium battery with BMS and cold-weather support is worth the investment.

For more on what to look for in a portable sonar unit, we recommend reading our article on the Best Portable Fish Finders in 2025.

Where Will You Be Storing Your Battery?

Similar to the last section where we discussed the impact of your fishing environment on your decision, related and equally important is the conversation of where you will be storing your battery. Your environment will play a significant role in this. If you are on a kayak, there are limited places you can store it. However, on a boat or in a fishing hut, you will have more options.

Does My Battery Need to Be Water Proofed?

The type, size and location of the battery will often depend on whether you need it to be water proofed. We recommend looking into waterproof options for most fishing scenarios as water will naturally be around. However, this is less critical if you have a boat with compartments you can store a battery or a fishing hut with shelves to keep the battery elevated. 

In this step, we recommend using your best judgement. If you have limited space and options for storing a battery, better to go with a more compact and waterproof unit. If you have more space and options, you have a wider selection to choose from.

Build Your Own Water Resistant Power & Router/Brick Box for PingLive

Post Purchase: Practice Good Battery Maintenance

Once you have purchased your battery, make sure you are following battery maintenance best practices to ensure your power source continues performing well. Best practices include:

• Store in a temperature neutral or cool space that is dry;

• Keep your unit up and off the ground on a shelf or surface;

• Make sure to charge your battery regularly, even if you are not using it. Batteries should be charged at least once every 3-4 months. This will keep your unit performing optimally while you are out on the water;

• Charge your battery after use before putting it back in storage; and

• Keep your battery away from children and pets for safety.

Pair Your New Battery with PingLive Sonar

Congratulations, you have just completed your fish finder battery 101 guide. If you have already purchased your fishing sonar device, we hope this guide was helpful in determining what the best power source would be for you. If you are still looking for a fishing sonar device, we highly recommend considering our PingLive Sonar product.

PingLive brings all of the features and benefits of many competitors but in a more portable and user friendly design which means anglers can spend less time setting up their gear and more time with their lines in the water.

PingLive Sonar product page