Deep Cycle Batteries

[crappace]

I may have posted this before, sorry if this is a repeat. I just got a 14xs6.5 foot fish house with a v front. Looking for advice on battery power for it. three interior plus one exterior light on one then the furnace on another. who makes a good deep cycle and what should i look for? also, does anyone ever run a line off there alternator or off the battery in the car so when they are going down the road its charging all the batteries?

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 09-18-2003).]

[Twitter]

Check the link on this site for the Stay-n-Charge. It should be just what you're looking for. It'll charge you're batteries while you tow your house. If you do a search for stay-n-charge here you'll find lot's of useful information.
Good luck with the new investment !
Bring on the ice !!!

[Note from Rick: Here is the Stay-N Charge site:

http://fishingmn.com/stay-n-charge/

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 09-19-2003).]

[crappace]

I am not finding it when i search this forum. suggestions?

[Twitter]

If you go to the main forum page and from there, the "fishing equipment" link in the top left it will get you purchase information. I'll try to find some old posts regarding it.....probably in the expert / equipment forum.
Chris

Use the search feature at the top and type in stay n charge. If you select the expert/equipment forum it will pull up 10 or 12 threads.
I think Jim Payne is the inventor/owner of the product and can answer any questions you have on the forum probably.

Good Luck !

[This message has been edited by Twitter (edited 09-17-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Twitter (edited 09-17-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Twitter (edited 09-17-2003).]

[Kaz]

Crappace: I saw your post before, and answered, but it's gone?? I have a fish house and have two deep cycle batteries for the TV, Marine Radio, and of course the lights. Before you asked about the furnace power. That is covered by the the Gas controller to the thermostate. I also use a #10 wire to the front of the hitch from the batteries to charge the batts while I'm driving too. Be sure to place the batteries as far forward as possible, the weight of them effects the center of gravity more than I expected. Foward helps keep the tongue weight in controll. I've also got a small Honda Generator for 120vac for the Microwave, that's great for soup or heating any other food, coffee, even made some Walleye on the ice using it. I fish LOTW out of Lighthouse Gap. If you fish there too, then Marine Radio channel 82 or FRS channel 7/11 is a must, not only for safety, but the info passed between fishermen is valuable too.. Sounds like you will have a good time on the ice this year....Kaz

[This message has been edited by Kaz (edited 09-17-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 09-18-2003).]

[crappace]

Thanks for the tip. my furnace has a blower on it which needs a battery of its own i guess. Thats what the dealor told me at least. I know it has a blower and it needs power inorder to run. the heater is up front and both batteries will be up front as far as posible too. i have the v front like i said and up there is a three top range with an oven undernieth, i wont need a microwave.

The #10 guage wire you run from the pos and neg of both batteries or do you have them set up in parallel? then do you hook them up to the battery on the truck?? The Stay-N-Charge product sounds like what you are doing already, right?

thanks for the help Kaz

[Kaz]

Crappace: Yes I tied the two batteries together in parallel with the #10 wire. I then added a run of #10 to the hitch so I can charge while underway. I guess they have a kit you can buy which does the same thing. Yah, if you have a blower on the furnace, then you will have to make a run to that too. I bought mine from Batteries Plus for about $65 each. They have three different sizes. I got the middle one. They run everything for about two days before I need to charge them. I do that with my 1000 watt generator and a charger that puts out 50 amps. If you can, add an antenna mount to the roof for VHF radio. A Maxrad NMO mount can be used for most any antenna, and the roof acts as a groundplane. I have two of them because I also have a Ham Radio on board for when the fishin is slow...Sound like your rig will be very comfortable. Before I had a place at LOTW, I spent many nights on the Ice and was never uncomfortable... Come ON ICE!!!! I see from your profile your from Eden Prairie, I'm in here in Plymouth and if need any help, give me a holler. Where are you going to use it mostly?? Do you fish LOTW??? It's a blast up there when the "Eyes are Hot". I'm retired so I go up moistly during the week. Let me know how the install is going ....Kaz

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KAZ

[This message has been edited by Kaz (edited 09-17-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Kaz (edited 09-17-2003).]

[Guest]

Just a thought? Have you consider a Soler trickle charging system to maintain your DCB's while at rest?

Some of them are not all that expensive these days. You may be able to get one reasonable at a Menard's or a like home center store? They are often used in 12V yard lighting systems these days, or on fencers for cattle containment systems.

You may be able to run the fan off the soler unit during the day, and then off the deep cycle battery reserves at night?

This link may give you an idea of the options available for you to get a working system up for your shack.

http://www.geocities.com/trac7670/energy.html

Components needed to get started on a charging system.
http://home.san.rr.com/tapsak/SHome.html

Just an option you may wish to look into?

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Backwater Guiding
"ED on the RED"
[email protected]
701-281-2300

[This message has been edited by Backwater Eddy (edited 09-18-2003).]

[JIM PAYNE]

SORRY FOR THE DELAY ON GETTING TO YOU ON THE STAYNCHARGE. SORRY MY WEB PAGES ARE OUT BUT THEY WILL BE UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS I HOPE.
MAYBE YOU ARE THE ONE I TALKED TO ON THE PHONE TODAY AND IF YOU ARE THEN THE STAYNCHARGE WILL TAKE CARE OF ANY BATTERY CHARGING YOU WILL HAVE. THE ORIGINAL WILL CHARGE UP TO THREE BATTRIES FOR YOU IN PARELEL. WE WILL BE MAKING UP A RUN ON THE REDUCERS IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS SO YOU CAN ADD IT TO YOUR ORIGINAL AND CHARGE ALL THOSE SMALLER 7AMP BATTERIES FROM THE ORIGINAL.
WE ARE REALLY STARTING TO GET THE PRODUCTS TO MOVE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND AS SOON AS I GET MY DAUGHTER UP TO SPEED ON ALL THIS PAPERWORK I WILL BE ABLE TO SPEND MORE TIME ON THE FORUMS TO HELP ALL YOU GUYS ON KEEPING THOSE BATTEIES UP TO CHARGE. GOOD LUCK.

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JIM PAYNE

[Surface Tension]

crappace
I know of the heater you have. You'll like it quite a bit, but the blower eats batteries. Buy 3 deep cycle batteries. You'll need the third for a spare for the heater. If you can stow them in the shack where its warm you'll get a lot more life out of them also.
Look for a high Amp hour rating when purchasing a Deep Cycle battery. I haven't noticed any difference between brands but recommend getting the extended warranty. Sam's Club has the 115Amp hour Stoways for around 70 bucks. Keep the water level up, charged and don't bang them around and they'll last years.

[Rick]

Here is the Stay-N Charge Site:
http://fishingmn.com/stay-n-charge/