|
|
Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | Hi all! I will be going up north for 5 days in a couple of weeks. The area that we are staying is pretty remote. It will be tough to charge the batteries. I just need some advice here. Would it be a good idea to hook it up to the outboard to charge off of the alt. If not, any other ideas for getting them charged would be greatly appreciated.
good lungen,
Joel |
|
| |
|
Posts: 3913
| Here's one good option....
Start with two batteries. After the first is drained, ask a small business (beer store, bait shop) or even a private citizen if they will allow you to charge the battery overnight somewhere on their premisis. In exchange for a couple bucks, of course. You don't have to return to get it until you need it, 'cause you have the second battery.
Another option - spend the bucks and get high efficiency trolling motors. My new 55# Min Kota Maxxum is amazing, the thing will run for a days on a single charge of a high quality battery. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 69
| Hiya,
Check out putting in a Lazarus System. The Lazarus System was created by Jim Wentworth from Fish-Lectronics in Nisswa for the In-Fisherman boats back in the 1990s. It's a freaking ingenious system (Wentworth is one of the best ever when it comes to boat rigging) and works amazingly well. I had one on my old boat and loved it.
You can see how to set one up at: http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine/articles/IF2704_rigging_rechar...
Cheers,
RK
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 393
Location: Kawarthas, Ontario | Charge it off the motor and get yourself a solar charger. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 44
Location: St. Louis, MO | Word of caution; check the manuals that came with your electronics. You could be damaging the equipment (trolling motor, sonar,etc.) if left plugged in due to an over-voltage condition when using your main engine's alternator. I have a Perko switch in my boat to charge my two deep-cycles while motoring and I fried the electronics on my original Auto-Pilot trolling motor the first time that I used the Perko. You'll be surprised at the various voltage levels that an alternator on a mid to large size engine will put out..
I have a solar charger for remote application, It works OK.. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1247
Location: On the Niagara River in Buffalo, NY | Besides the above recomendations here are a few more options for recharging those rundown batteries in the wild.I have a Honda Generator and run a plug in the onboard 3 bank charging system installed on my boat.You could use a Power Convertor plugged into a cigarette lighter of your pull vehicle and run the battery charger from there.Then there is a charging system that connects between your pull vehicle's alternator and the boats battery system,for charging on the ride back from the launch to camp.A slower system would be a solar battery charger,charging one battery all day, while you run the next one down and switch them each day,but you need a bright day for acheiving a full charge.Then one real good investment is a higher output alternator for your outboard motor,one that puts out 6 amps at idle,connected to all the batteries with voltage isolators at each battery so not to over charge.This system will also require the battery switch box so the charging batteries are off line,then when the trolling motor batteries are fully charged switch the slector switch to recharge the starting/electronics battery while your system runs off of 12 volts from both of your other electribc trolling motor batteries in 12 volt paralel.Recommended to shut of the boat before making the selector box switch from 1 to 1 + 2,so as to not get a spike of high amp voltage to your electronics that could do dammage.But most likely you will never rundown the starting/electronics battery with the 6 amps at idle and the system would recharge the electric trolling motor batteries while trolling or underway.The Honda Generator is the best for me,power when needed for everything from charging,the ceramic heater in the fall,George Foreman Grill,coffee pot and blender for a cold drink!
Capt. Larry
Edited by LarryJones 5/24/2003 9:00 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 3913
| I think Captain Larry has it nailed. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | If you need an excuse or can get away with buying a new toy get the small 1000 watt honda 4 stroke generator. they sip the gas and are very quiet. We would fire them up at night and let them run/charge until they ran out of gas about 6 or 7 hours later. Put them a ways from the tent and you will be able to get some sleep. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | Thanks for the info guys. I'll have to see which option suits me best.
Joel |
|
| |
