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This is how I wired my LED lights

DTro

By DTro
in Ice Fishing

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DTro Grand Master

DTro

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I think this should work pretty well this year for my LED lights. First off I bought a small insulated soft sided lunch cooler for my battery. This will work nice for transportation. and to minimize damage during travel.

photobucket-2268-1323466727351.jpg

Then I utilized the idea that was passed along my way from Aanderud (thanks Brian) to use stackable banana style plugs. I wired alligator clips for the battery side then a small section of lead with female banana adapters.

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With the velcro closure on the lunch bag, I can keep the adapters ready for action.

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Here are the male banana adapters I wired to the lights. One for positive and one for negative. The beauty of them being stackable is that you can add as many as you want as they plug into each other.

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and the finished product before being ziptied to the overhead poles

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I think I'll wire up a cigarette lighter adapter with these banana plugs too in case I need to charge my phone or whatever. The possibilities are endless with this configuration!

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DTro Grand Master

DTro

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I bought all the connectors at Radio Shack, and the lights are those cheap jobbies from overseas I bought a while ago. These here are a little better quality http://outdoorprostore.com/products-page/brands/firebrite-led-ice-house-lights/

That's a good idea about the tape. I think I'll wrap a piece of velcro around it. Then I can just leave it connected and clip the charger to the adapters when it needs juice.

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DTro Grand Master

DTro

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The last lights I had, I shoved em in a section of clear plastic tubing for protection then zip tied em and left them up all year. This time I'm going to see how durable they are and left em "naked"....a little cheaper as they don't give that tubing away, and a little less work which is perfect since I'm pretty lazy. cool

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CAMAN Grand Master

CAMAN

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I like your ideas, but one thing I would change is scrap the alligator clips and install a couple crimp on connectors like these..

1232606397AbwfiO.jpg

I've used 'gator clips in a pinch and they just don't want to stay on those little battery posts when jostled around. The crimp connectors slip on and stay on and come off easily if you need to change batteries.

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DTro Grand Master

DTro

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another question as I am electrically ignorant: how did you connect the male adapters to the led lights? do you happen to have a picture up close? looks good!

There is a little access panel on the end of the plug that opens up and then the pin comes out. It has a hole in it and you solder the wire to it, put the pin back in and close the access panel...voila.

I think they also sell solderless plugs too.

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DTro Grand Master

DTro

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I thought about that caman and that will also work well too (better actually), but I've noticed that some of those little 12v batteries actually have a little different size spade adapters. Not sure why, but this way I can move my assembly from battery to battery with ease.

But yes there is more futzing around with the alligator clips.

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aanderud Grand Master

aanderud

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I like your ideas, but one thing I would change is scrap the alligator clips and install a couple crimp on connectors like these..

1232606397AbwfiO.jpg

I've used 'gator clips in a pinch and they just don't want to stay on those little battery posts when jostled around. The crimp connectors slip on and stay on and come off easily if you need to change batteries.

I used this type of connector on my lights a couple years back, but I think that if I was doing it again I might go with the alligator clips because if you either forget your battery or it dies on you, the gator clips will more easily be connectable to your sonar battery. It'll get you through the night.

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BoxMN Grand Master

BoxMN

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Thanks for the tips guys! I use a combo of the sandwich case, the spade connectors and the two prong plug, but I can see how having the system dtro has is better for the stackable outside the sandwich case is nice. Also the alligator clips being able to slide onto a different battery easily is nice. I think I may make a trip to Radio Shack today and give this a try.

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lipripper Newbie

lipripper

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full-26142-14741-spadeterm.jpg

These spade terminals are stackable as well. I have these on my vex so I can add lights ect. when needed

You need to be careful with these as they are exposed and could short out where the others are enclosed and can't short out. Just a thought. Smoke in a shack makes it hard to breath.

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harvey lee Grand Master

harvey lee

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I use the Otter Sportsman Caddy and have my light strings wired to the caddy with a toggle switch.

My battery is velcroed in the corner of the caddy and stays put very well.

When I need a charge, I take one out and put another battery in place. Takes a minute to remove the battery. I do use the stackable spade connectors now and they do work very well.

I do the the connectors Dtro has used and may switch to them when mine stop working whenever that might be.

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      Just Food and Drink

      By Wanderer · Posted

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      Problems with Yetti

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