battery question - need more juice?
 

So I followed YakDout's suggestion on how to mount my new HDS-5.

So to summarize my new FF in 3 words or less .. "I LOVE IT".

Took it out for an exploratory trip with my buddy and fellow BWEdger Kevin (aka Silbaugh4liberty) this past Sunday. The guys were impressed with the quality of the image, and kept asking if it was streaming HD, Netflix or DirecTv. :D

Anyway, I loved it till my full charged battery died about 3 hours into the session. Got it home and found the voltage had dropped to 11.52 Volts.

According to the manual, it can use a power source from 10 to 18 volts so I'm not sure why it suddenly powered off. I didn't to take a chance on rebooting and ruining the battery so I fished 'visible structure' without it.


So my question - what size battery SHOULD I be using to power this thing? Would be advisable to up the voltage, the amps or both?

i'm currently using a 12 v, 5 amp battery. Any suggestions on how to get more usage for this electronically challenged angler?

Thanks.

Battery amps
 

8 amp would be more sufficient for short trips , probably 7 hrs or 8 max . 10 amp for longer trips , maybe 8 - 10 hrs , and 18 amp can power larger 7 " screens all day. If you do long trips on the water , I would recommend at least a 10 amp battery as to reduce , or eliminate power problems . Also it us recommended to have a 3 amp fuse inline . A lot of helpful guys should chime in right about now . B

12V 5amp? I didn't know they made them that small...............that appears to be your problem.


These are the specs for the HDS-5

Power Supply: Input Current 0.7A at 13VDC with backlight on, 0.4A with backlight off

Its not the 12volts that's your issue, its the amps, you don't have enough amps in that battery. I would suggest that at a minimum you get a 12v 12amp battery and if you have the money get a Bioenno LiFePo4 battery, they're expensive but they run and run and run.

battery juice
 

[QUOTE=jorluivil;195143]12V 5amp? I didn't know they made them that small...............that appears to be your problem.

Once the FF shut down, the battery got a chance to "rest" and the voltage came back up to 10+ volts. If you had tried to run the FF again, the battery would have powered it briefly before the unit shut down again.

Thanks for the input. I will definitely be including a fuse on the new battery as well.


Its a battery I used for a smaller FF. It was plenty fine for a day out on the water but then again it didn't draw as much juice as the new one.

I looked up the Bionenno but didn't see a 12 amp battery. I see a 10 amp or 20 amp option. The price difference is substantial at $84 vs $222. Could I get away with a 10 amp?



I have heard that this also damages the battery so that it won't hold a charge as long too.

I have a 12 v 14 amp battery last me all day

Didn't you throw that one overboard after it caught fire?

Shut up Tony:D