04-01-2004, 08:07 PM
[cool][blue][size 1]Radio Shack has lots of small 12 volt batteries. Don't know if you have any up there, but we have chain outlet her called Batteries Plus. Look in the yellow pages and you will probably find at least a couple of battery specialty stores.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]This one down here has racks of different size batteries for everything from golf carts to hand tools. Some of them are quite compact, but just be sure you get at least a 4 amp/hour...for a full day of fishing without totally draining your battery.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]There are some high-end chargers that will maintain a battery at peak level and turn off when they are charged. I doubt the one you got is that sophisticated. I would not leave it on all the time. If nothing else, it will wear out the charger faster. They all generate heat while charging. Don't know as I would want to trust that they would not burn out and cause a fire.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]As might be expected, my 6 amp panasonic battery is about 30% lighter than the 7.5 amp that I just replaced for TubeBabe. Every ounce and every cubic inch counts when you are trudging a tube to and from the water.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]About the cable. If you are not likely to be wanting to rotate the unit back and forth to a boat, you can cut and splice the cable. That's what I have been doing, up until my most recent Cuda. As shown in the pics I sent, I folded the cable up and stuffed it inside the 2" PVC pipe on which I mounted the display.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]If you want a diagram on the cutting and splicing, PM me. I think I still have one somewhere. Otherwise, you start by cutting the cable about three feet back from the display...and a foot or so from where your transducer connection is high out of the water. You do not want the splice to get wet.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]To prepare the two ends for splicing, you will notice that there is a coated center wire, surrounded by lots of fine bare silvery wires. You need to strip the whole cable back about two or three inches on each end, and then strip an inch or so off the covered center wire. Twist the two ends together and solder them. Now, gather all the individual little silver wires from each end and twist them together...soldering them also. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]You can finish the job with electrician's tape. However, I would recommend shrink tubing. If you use that, you will have to thread it onto one of the ends of the wire before you join them together. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Oh yes, if you do not know about insulating one set of wires from the other, do not do this at home. Let someone with electrical knowledge do it. You must make sure the two sets of wires...inside and outside...do not come in contact after splicing. Modifying the wires nullifies your warranty so if you short it out, you do not get a replacement.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]All in all, it is fairly easy to cut and splice. Just be sure you think it through before you do it. Or as my dad (the electrician) used to say..."measure twice and cut once".[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]If you don't wanna cut the wire, break out the duct tape. Bunch the wire up in a tightly folded bundle and duct tape that sucker. It is bulky and heavy, but if you ever want it for a boat...or sell it to someone who has a boat...it will still work.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Anybody have a need for a whole lotta leftover cable from modified sonar units? I still got some, and it doesn't move worth a hoot at yard sales.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][size 1]This one down here has racks of different size batteries for everything from golf carts to hand tools. Some of them are quite compact, but just be sure you get at least a 4 amp/hour...for a full day of fishing without totally draining your battery.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]There are some high-end chargers that will maintain a battery at peak level and turn off when they are charged. I doubt the one you got is that sophisticated. I would not leave it on all the time. If nothing else, it will wear out the charger faster. They all generate heat while charging. Don't know as I would want to trust that they would not burn out and cause a fire.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]As might be expected, my 6 amp panasonic battery is about 30% lighter than the 7.5 amp that I just replaced for TubeBabe. Every ounce and every cubic inch counts when you are trudging a tube to and from the water.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]About the cable. If you are not likely to be wanting to rotate the unit back and forth to a boat, you can cut and splice the cable. That's what I have been doing, up until my most recent Cuda. As shown in the pics I sent, I folded the cable up and stuffed it inside the 2" PVC pipe on which I mounted the display.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]If you want a diagram on the cutting and splicing, PM me. I think I still have one somewhere. Otherwise, you start by cutting the cable about three feet back from the display...and a foot or so from where your transducer connection is high out of the water. You do not want the splice to get wet.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]To prepare the two ends for splicing, you will notice that there is a coated center wire, surrounded by lots of fine bare silvery wires. You need to strip the whole cable back about two or three inches on each end, and then strip an inch or so off the covered center wire. Twist the two ends together and solder them. Now, gather all the individual little silver wires from each end and twist them together...soldering them also. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]You can finish the job with electrician's tape. However, I would recommend shrink tubing. If you use that, you will have to thread it onto one of the ends of the wire before you join them together. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Oh yes, if you do not know about insulating one set of wires from the other, do not do this at home. Let someone with electrical knowledge do it. You must make sure the two sets of wires...inside and outside...do not come in contact after splicing. Modifying the wires nullifies your warranty so if you short it out, you do not get a replacement.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]All in all, it is fairly easy to cut and splice. Just be sure you think it through before you do it. Or as my dad (the electrician) used to say..."measure twice and cut once".[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]If you don't wanna cut the wire, break out the duct tape. Bunch the wire up in a tightly folded bundle and duct tape that sucker. It is bulky and heavy, but if you ever want it for a boat...or sell it to someone who has a boat...it will still work.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Anybody have a need for a whole lotta leftover cable from modified sonar units? I still got some, and it doesn't move worth a hoot at yard sales.[/size][/#0000ff]
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