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 Post subject: What battery do I need?
PostPosted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 6:14 pm 
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Well, they tell me now that my new 2015 Pro Angler 14 will ship on the 13th of October and to add a week to that date for delivery. In the mean time, I'm preparing myself with what add ons I will add to it.

First I want to add the Lowrance Elite 4HDI and maybe some lights to be seen in case I decide to fish at night. I did a search and didn't find anything quite like what I'm looking for on this forum. I don't want to spend an exorbitant amount for a battery and at the same time I don't want to buy a battery that's not right for me. What are the cheap alternatives? What are you guys using?

I'm guessing that the longest I would stay out is about 5 hours.

Carlos


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:17 pm 
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I also will be picking up my new PA14 in a couple weeks in Florida. I recently went to Cabela's to look at fish finders and bought the Elite 5 HDI on sale for $350. While there I also bought their
12 volt 8 amp battery for use with fish finders for about $24. This battery had great reviews and users claim to get 2-3 days use from a single charge. I have been using this set up at home in the demo mode to get familiar with the Elite and the unit works great. You can get the battery with or without a charger, I chose to use my 2 amp charger I already had. Can't wait to get it on the water. So check out Cabela's website.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:34 pm 
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Here's the link for the battery. http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas- ... l+Products


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:48 pm 
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Location: North Carolina
Carlos,

Not sure it is the least expensive option but I recommend the Hobie Fishfinder III install kit with the 9AH battery. The kit gives you everything you need including the bracket and you can install in either the rear storage hatch or attach to mast post in front storage compartment. I actually have two of the batteries installed back to back on the front mast post. I am sometimes out on trips for 3-4 days with no access to power so have second battery for back-up.

I have Elite 5 HDI FF and LED lights pretty much everywhere (Front Nav, Fishing lights on front sides, lights in front deck, light on rear deck and lights in all storage compartments. My last 4 day trip took every last miliamp of both batteries but that was a 4 day trip. A 9AH battery will easliy last 5 hours. If you choose not to get the Hobie kit you can get any 9AH gel cell locally.

Congratulations on the new PA. I am heading to the NC coast in the morning for a week. Will be first time mine has seen saltwater but am looking forward to the trip.

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Keith Black

2014 PA 14 Olive
2014 WS Ride 115x Camo


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:51 pm 
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Location: Hillsborough, Nj
All you need is a 12V, 7-9 amp gel battery.... The kind that's common in emergency lighting and uninterrupted power supplies for computers. Should cost between $25-$45 depending on amps and where you buy it. You'll also need a charger... The Battery Tender Junior is perfect for these batteries and will keep them totally charged year round. I use one battery(mounted in the rear hatch of my PA12) for my Lowrance Elite 5HDI and use a separate one (mounted in the hull on the sail tube in the Hobie battery mount) for Nav, interior and outer fishing lights. I've been out at night for more than 7 hours and have never had a power problem. I charge the batteries when I get home and in a few hours they're fully charged and ready to go. I'm only using two batteries for safety sake... Nav lights are most important at night!
Hobie sells a complete kit to power the Lowrance that comes with everything needed to mount and power it. You should have enough power if you use LED lights too. I just chose to have a separate battery for my lights.
Hope this helps.

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Bob, NINCO1
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"A wet bird never flies at night"


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:05 pm 
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Location: Bethany, OK
The Lowrance will probably be the main draw. The manual for that model says 0.75A, so 5 hours is 3.75AH.

The LED lights can be a very small draw if you go with just what's necessary, or quite a large one if you go overboard like some I've seen! :mrgreen: I have the basic nav lights on my kayaks, red/green up front and white on back, each side a 3" strip (total of 4). That's plenty to be seen over a mile away even before dark, according to some comments I've received. Only draws about 150mA, so in 5 hours uses just 0.75AH.

Some of the fishing kayak LED kits people have installed around here have several FEET of LED strips - the things are lit up like Times Square! They draw considerably more power.

I bought my batteries at Batteries Plus. Just the basic AGM sealed lead-acid battery. They have an incredible variety of sizes and shapes to choose from, check prices as they'll have two same-capacity batteries priced quite differently. For instance, the one that fits an APC UPS will be considerably pricier than the one that's just a cube even though they're the same AH rating.

I also use the Battery Tender Junior. Excellent and simple device for keeping these smaller batteries charged.


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PostPosted: Sat Oct 04, 2014 6:40 pm 
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Based on what you guys are telling me, is this a good one? $33.06 delivered.

https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/56363 ... 00SF2.html

Carlos


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PostPosted: Sat Oct 04, 2014 9:19 pm 
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Location: Hillsborough, Nj
Carlos,
That's got the current ( 10 amps) and similar to what Random Joe is using.
I'm recommending a Gel Cell battery. Without going into lots of detail about the differences in battery chemistry, and reasons, a Gel battery may be superior ( and even safer) for our uses. It's the type of battery Hobie includes in their kit as well as the type of battery they include in their Livewell. It'll cost a bit more, but it will also be smaller and lighter and should be longer lasting as well. Random joe is right about the choices and sizes available. We both recommend the same charger because it can handle either type of battery and is fully automatic.... Connect it to the battery and it will sense what it needs, charge it and then automatically drop down to a trickle charge and maintain the battery at it's peak voltage for as long as it's connected.... Unlike cheaper chargers that you have to disconnect after a certain amount of hours or you'll ruin the battery.
Having said all that, the bottom line is... the battery you linked to, would work for you!

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Bob, NINCO1
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"A wet bird never flies at night"


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 12:55 pm 
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With my other kayaks I used one of the 7-9 Ah UPS type batteries that sell for around $20. For my Hobie I bought the Hobie wiring kit and battery bracket and for that I needed to also buy the Hobie battery with its sealed connectors and the Hobie battery charger. A little more expensive by about $20 for the battery but as it should last for at least 4 years it is a trivial expense in the overall scheme of things. I can't see the value in spending hours of my time to save twenty bucks.

With Hobie a big part of the value for me is that the Hobie products all integrate extremely well, work well, and are reasonably priced. No other kayak manufacturer comes close by any measure in doing this.


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 6:13 pm 
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Location: Hillsborough, Nj
Wintersun,
You're right about Hobie product integration, and if you're happy with the Hobie kit, then go for it. One of the great things about this Hobie pastime is finding out that there's many ways to "skin a cat", and the guys on the forum have many workable ideas.
Good luck and good fishing.

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Bob, NINCO1
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"A wet bird never flies at night"


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