12-22-2004, 05:16 AM
How to make you finder run on AA rechargeable batteries.
Go to the local electronics store (Home Depot or Lowes may have it) and pick up a 10 AA series battery pack (you can tell it is series because the direction of the batteries alternate). It will not work if you get them in parallel. It'll run you about $1.50.
It needs to be 10 AA for rechargeable batteries. All the rechargeable AA batteries I've seen are 1.2 V. Hook them in series and you get 12 volts. If you get a parallel, you'll only have 1.2 volts and finders won't run on anything less than about 8-10 volts. If you're using disposable alkaline batteries, they are all 1.5 volts, so you will run on 15 volts, but that doesn't seem to have a negative affect on the finder or you can get a 8 AA battery pack to make 12 volts. Then you can hook your finder to the battery pack in a whole bunch of ways. You have the 12 volt connectors, you can solder your wires to it, or my personal favorite, I just strip the last 1/4 inch and put the wires next to the terminals when you put in the last 2 batteries. They have never come loose or caused me any problems. I also have a 12 volt connector on the wires when that it more convenient.
Then get some sort of plastic box. You can get these almost anywhere for around 1 dollar and drill a small inlet for you power cord. This will insure you don't get any water near your batteries and it keeps you from yanking on the wires next to the terminals.
I put it in a tackle box with my transducer mount and the whole thing including the batteries weighs less than 5 lbs. and will reach down to 35" under the ice. Here is my setup:
It's pretty easy, took about 30 minutes from start to finish after I got the battery pack, tackle box, pipe, and plastic container. Whole thing cost me less than 10 dollars, but I already had the rechargeable batteries and charger. 10 reachargeable batteries will run around $15. My charger is an energizer 15 minute charger, but only holds 4 batteries at a time, so it takes 3 cycles, but total charging time in less than 1 hour. A fast charger has save my bacon several time because I can never remember to charge my batteries until I'm getting ready to go. Well that's the end of my novel, hope it comes in handy for someone.
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3](edit) Please resize the pictures to no more than 400 pixels wide for posting. Attachments can be as large as you want. Thanks BLM[/size][/black][/font]
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Go to the local electronics store (Home Depot or Lowes may have it) and pick up a 10 AA series battery pack (you can tell it is series because the direction of the batteries alternate). It will not work if you get them in parallel. It'll run you about $1.50.
It needs to be 10 AA for rechargeable batteries. All the rechargeable AA batteries I've seen are 1.2 V. Hook them in series and you get 12 volts. If you get a parallel, you'll only have 1.2 volts and finders won't run on anything less than about 8-10 volts. If you're using disposable alkaline batteries, they are all 1.5 volts, so you will run on 15 volts, but that doesn't seem to have a negative affect on the finder or you can get a 8 AA battery pack to make 12 volts. Then you can hook your finder to the battery pack in a whole bunch of ways. You have the 12 volt connectors, you can solder your wires to it, or my personal favorite, I just strip the last 1/4 inch and put the wires next to the terminals when you put in the last 2 batteries. They have never come loose or caused me any problems. I also have a 12 volt connector on the wires when that it more convenient.
Then get some sort of plastic box. You can get these almost anywhere for around 1 dollar and drill a small inlet for you power cord. This will insure you don't get any water near your batteries and it keeps you from yanking on the wires next to the terminals.
I put it in a tackle box with my transducer mount and the whole thing including the batteries weighs less than 5 lbs. and will reach down to 35" under the ice. Here is my setup:
It's pretty easy, took about 30 minutes from start to finish after I got the battery pack, tackle box, pipe, and plastic container. Whole thing cost me less than 10 dollars, but I already had the rechargeable batteries and charger. 10 reachargeable batteries will run around $15. My charger is an energizer 15 minute charger, but only holds 4 batteries at a time, so it takes 3 cycles, but total charging time in less than 1 hour. A fast charger has save my bacon several time because I can never remember to charge my batteries until I'm getting ready to go. Well that's the end of my novel, hope it comes in handy for someone.
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3](edit) Please resize the pictures to no more than 400 pixels wide for posting. Attachments can be as large as you want. Thanks BLM[/size][/black][/font]
[signature]