Why We Don’t Recommend Using the Power-Pole CHARGE with Lithium Batteries

As lithium marine batteries become more common on boats, it's critical to ensure your charging system is fully compatible. At Abyss Battery®, we often get asked if our lithium batteries work with the Power-Pole CHARGE system. While it technically can be used, we do not recommend it, and here’s why.

Power-Pole CHARGE Lacks a Lithium Wake-Up Function

One of the biggest limitations of the Power-Pole CHARGE is its inability to wake up lithium batteries that have entered a low-voltage protection state.

When a lithium battery is deeply discharged, its internal Battery Management System (BMS) will shut it off to protect the cells. A proper lithium charger includes a "pulse" or "wake-up" mode to safely bring the battery back online. Unfortunately, the Power-Pole CHARGE lacks this functionality.

This means that if your Abyss Battery is fully drained, the CHARGE system won't recognize it, and you’ll need to:

• Manually disconnect the CHARGE ring terminals from the battery

• Reconnect them

• Then plug the charger back in

Only then might the battery reset and begin charging. This is frustrating and unnecessary when better lithium-compatible options are available.

Risk of Accidental Battery Drain

Another major issue is phantom discharge. The Power-Pole CHARGE can act like an inverter and slowly drain your boat's batteries if not properly managed. If you forget to turn off the CHARGE in the C-Monster app, and don’t leave it plugged into shore power, you could return to find completely dead batteries—without any obvious warning.

This affects all battery types, not just lithium—AGM and lead-acid are equally vulnerable. But for lithium systems where voltage protection is crucial, this kind of drain is a serious problem.

If You Still Want to Use the Power-Pole CHARGE…

We understand some customers already have the Power-Pole CHARGE integrated into their boat. If you're comfortable manually resetting the battery and actively managing the app, it can be used to charge Abyss Batteries.

However, we strongly advise understanding the risks and maintaining shore power when docked.

A Better Solution: Lithium-Specific Chargers

To avoid these issues altogether, we recommend using a dedicated lithium charger like our:

• 🔋 SHARK™ Bi-Directional DC Charger – Designed for charging and power redistribution between start and trolling batteries, with full lithium compatibility.

• ☀️ MANTA™ MPPT Solar Charger – Ideal for off-grid, solar-powered charging with smart wake-up features built in.

These chargers are built specifically for lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries, offer plug-and-play setup, and won’t leave you guessing or stranded.

Conclusion

While the Power-Pole CHARGE may work with Abyss Batteries under certain conditions, it’s not optimized for lithium technology. Without a proper wake-up function or safety protocols to prevent discharge, you’re left managing manual resets and app settings—hardly ideal for serious anglers and boaters.

Choose a charger that’s built for lithium, maximize your uptime, and protect your investment. At Abyss Battery®, we’re committed to delivering reliable marine power solutions you can count on—every trip, every time.