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marcum battery

MrSloppy

By MrSloppy
in Ice Fishing

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hanson Grand Master

hanson

Posted
Posted

First, I'd double check to make sure that the cable from the battery is actually hooked up to the back of the flasher unit. They can sometimes work themselves loose.

Second, I'd say your battery is shot but the DCS meter is reading 100% so that might not be it. Does it still read 100% when the charger is not hooked up. I left my battery hooked up in mine over the summer once and it wouldn't take a charge anymore, the DCS happened to read 0% when that occurred.

My initial response is something isn't hooked up and to double check your connections.

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MrSloppy Apprentice

MrSloppy

Posted
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thanks for the quick replies. When the charger isnt hooked up, it reads 0. Im assuming that means a dead battery? Everything is hooked up. How long do these batteries usually last? This one is only two years old.

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Matt Johnson Grand Master

Matt Johnson

Posted
Posted

Did you leave your battery connected to the DCS charger all summer? If you did, then your battery is shot. The DSC will slowly drain your battery over time and then it forces your battery to retain that memory and it won't power-up once winter rolls around. It'll have with any battery and charger system that's left plugged-in during the off-season. Your read-out will say 100%, but once the unit powers-up it will drop down to 0% almost instantly.

I'd say try hooking it up to a new battery and see if it works. If it doesn't, then I'd start thinking about a bad fuse or connection...

Or, you might just have a lemon for a battery. Some of those batteries don't last as long as others.

I made the mistake of forgeting to un-plug my DSC read-outs from my batteries one year, and come next winter I had a bunch of dead batteries, but the unit itself was fine once a new battery was connected...

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hanson Grand Master

hanson

Posted
Posted

Quote:

When the charger isnt hooked up, it reads 0. Im assuming that means a dead battery?

Yep. Dead Battery.

Time to make a trip to Fleet, GM, or Cabelas.

These batteries will last quite awhile. The one problem, like Matt mentioned, is if you leave the battery connected to the DCS for any length of time (the summer), the DCS will drain the battery and it won't take a charge after that.

I had a Zercom Colorpoint that I sold a few years ago that still had the original battery in it, so it was 7 or 8 years old.

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iland99 Community Regular

iland99

Posted
Posted

Same thing happened to me this year, I forgot to unplug the DCS over the summer. I bought 3 batteries at the same time about 3 years ago, and the other two are still going strong. I won't forget to unplug it again!

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JBinSD Apprentice

JBinSD

Posted
Posted

This is the first time i've heard your supposed to unplug the charge meter when storing. I charged my battery once in June but left the meter on after that and the baterry doesn't seem to take a charge like last year. I turned the unit on a couple of days ago and let it run for almost 2 days so the battery isn't shot, I'll see how it charges now.

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LMITOUT Grand Master

LMITOUT

Posted
Posted

Same story here. First summer with the Marcum and left the DCS connected which resulted in a battery that is only good for a paperweight. mad.gif

I was used to my Vex where I gave it a good charge when ice fishing was over and then another when ice fishing started and everything was good.

I noticed at Runnings they have an electric fence battery (same size as the Marcum) but is 12A-h. Although the 7A-h is sufficient for a day or two on the ice, this would be nice for those who are out longer and can't get to a charger.

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ice_it_06 Proficient

ice_it_06

Posted
Posted

FROM MARCUM USER MANUAL:

NOTE: It is recommended that you disconnect the DCS from

the battery during extended periods of non-use. The LCD

display will draw a small amount of power needed to activate

the display and may discharge the battery over long periods of non-use or storage.

I bought my LX-3tc last Feb. Used it for one hour and its been hooked up all year since. Have charged it a couple times when it got to 80%. Hope I havent trashed the battery before really using it !! It's unplugged now (lol)

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Bigbartguy Experienced

Bigbartguy

Posted
Posted

sorry to dredge the post up again but:

is it ok to leave the darn thing plugged into an outlet all summer?

or is the big prob leaving it plugged into the digital display meter over the summer w/o leaving the charger plugged in also?

sorry I'm a little slow on this one

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Northlander Grand Master

Northlander

Posted
Posted

Either disconect it off the battery or make sure you give your battery a charge every couple weeks. I disconect mine and only connect it when charging or going to use it.

I also ruined a battery the 1st summer I had my LX-3 by not unplugging the digital display.

Dont leave it plugged in all summer!

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Iceboy Collaborator

Iceboy

Posted
Posted

I think Northlander saved my butt a couple of years ago when my Vexilar was dead upon arrival at the Burntside Bash. Fishing lake trout without a Vex would have sucked, so I am still thankful that he had an extra battery for me to use. Guess we didn't catch anything anyways, but at least I knew there weren't any trout down there. grin.gif

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Dave Grand Master

Dave

Posted
Posted

JMO but, I still don't think you got an answer to your direct question, Bigbartguy.

"is it ok to leave the darn thing plugged into an outlet all summer?" Yes

If the DCS meter is only connected to the battery, and the charging transformer is not plugged into the AC outlet, the DCS meter will drain your battery. I think that's the problem most people here are having.

If the DCS meter is connected to the battery AND the charging transformer is connected and plugged into the AC outlet, you should be able to leave your Marcum battery in "charge mode" all summer. That's what the DCS is for.

The DCS is designed to maintain the battery in the off season...and that means the display meter needs to be connected to the battery and the charging transformer needs to be plugged in.

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trapperdirk Proficient

trapperdirk

Posted
Posted

Quote:

JMO but, I still don't think you got an answer to your direct question, Bigbartguy.

"is it ok to leave the darn thing plugged into an outlet all summer?"
Yes

If the DCS meter is only connected to the battery, and the charging transformer is
not
plugged into the AC outlet, the DCS meter will drain your battery. I think that's the problem most people here are having.

If the DCS meter is connected to the battery
AND
the charging transformer is connected and plugged into the AC outlet, you should be able to leave your Marcum battery in "charge mode" all summer. That's what the DCS is for.

The DCS is designed to maintain the battery in the off season...and that means the display meter needs to be connected to the battery and the charging transformer needs to be plugged in.

Well said Dave and only thing I could possibly add is that with all things electrical especially chargers they have a lifespan and why we disconnect all at times . It will take many hrs or years to burn out chargers but it will happen and I only keep my DCS and battery plugged in in the winter 24/7 and when not in use disconnect battery from the DCS and DCS from wall jack . 3 years on my LX-3 battery and charger and I have drained the battery by using it and had to use the backup on long trips that lasted for days without a power source to reboost it and it's still going strong . Recharge every trip and maintain your battery .The DCS system does both all winter and better to leave plugged in than the digital readout to drain all summer or unplug the battery if you wanna leave it . No drain no hurt or keep it in maintenance .

TD

TD

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Dave Grand Master

Dave

Posted
Posted

Quote:

Uh oh... I think I need to run home and unplug my DCS display from the battery... and maybe get a new battery!

Personally, I think you'll be fine IF you plug the transformer in once a month and recharge the battery to 100%. I leave my DCS meter connected to the battery and recharge once a month or so. I believe that to be exercising the battery (draining and recharging). Maybe I'm wrong but, it's been working fine for me.

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Doonbuggy Community Regular

Doonbuggy

Posted
Posted

Sounds like I just found out why my LX-3 will not charge up! What type of battery do I want to get as a replacement?

I'm assuming I should have undone the two little clips to the battery when I was done icefishing for the year.

DB

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Dave Grand Master

Dave

Posted
Posted

Quote:

I'm assuming I should have undone the two little clips to the battery when I was done icefishing for the year.

Yes, you should have. Or, leave the transformer plugged in and leave it in "charge" mode.

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