Battery for fish finder

[Weyes1]

Since I really can't run my bow mount fish finder off my trolling motor battery. Has anyone ever tried using a lawn tractor battery for running their fish finder or other electronics? At $16.00 a pop versus $50.00+ the money would be better spent on the tractor battery if it works. I was going to run wire back to the main battery but I couldn't fish the wire under the gunnel nor could I run to my accessory fuse box on my console. If anyone has tried this or uses this let me know how well this works. I'm no electronics wizzard.

Weyes1
Kevin Clark
weyes1@wamego.net

[instigator]

i run my gps and deptfinders off of a tractor battery no problem lasts a good while and cheaper than the alternative

[Marken]

A small 14 amp motorcycle battery would work just as well and
take up less space. It will run my Vexilar all winter with a
single charge.

[Keith]

I have a Power Sonic Model PS1270 that I use on my Vexlar ice fishing. It is the same battery that you see in the Cabelas catalog. I found mine at an electronic store for about half the price that Cabelas get for the one they sell. You can lay it on it's side and don't have to worry if they tip over. It is a sealed battery. Good luck. If you need any more info, let me know.

[Homer]

I picked up a small marine deep cycle battery that is about the size of a lawn tractor battery at Walmart a couple years ago, and it works like a honey. I used to use a motorcycle battery, but could never get them to last for more than a year.

[Pitts]

Motorcycle batteries are not deep cycle and will not take the discharge and charge cycles like a deep cycle will. Fleet farm sells a 30 amp hour deep cycle that is about the same size as a motorcycle battery but will work very well to power electronics and recharge again and again.
This would work very well to power your finder in the front. What kind of boat are you putting this on. I've been thinking of adding another deepcycle to the back to power all the electronics and get them off the starting battery for the main motor. Then I would add a small single charger and tie it in the same 110V plug to run both chargers at the same time to keep it topped off.
Good luck with your project

Pitts

[Weyes1]

I have a Tracker Pro Deep V17. I tried for hours on end to fish the wire from the front of the boat to the accessory fuse box on my console. I couldn't fish it from back to front either. I was using a deep cycle to power my fish finder then when my TM battery lost it's juice I would just switch batteries. But I was usually a little too late and would lose my bow mount fish finder. I think I will spend the $16.95 and pick up a tractor battery to run my fish finder. I'll still bring a spare battery only keep it in the back of the boat, just in case.
Thanks for the tips guys!

Weyes1
Kevin Clark
weyes1@wamego.net