Tackle Test: Power when you need it
Editor’s note: For more in-depth articles like this one about fishing gear, learn about a subscription to FLW Outdoors Magazine or Walleye Magazine.
——————————————-
Of all the equipment on a bass boat, none is called into service more frequently than the batteries. Take away the boat’s power cells, or the ability to recharge them, and fishing performance is sure to suffer. Simply put, batteries provide the juice that brings a bass boat to life.
What follows is a series of items that are sure to enhance the battery compartment of any fishing rig:
Tournament Saver Pro Elite
A dead cranking battery can put you in a bind. Here’s a handy device to get you out of trouble in a matter of seconds – without ever leaving the driver’s seat.
What’s the purpose?
Large-screen electronics and constant livewell use can strain a cranking battery so much that it might not start the big engine at the end of a long fishing day. Tournament Saver Pro (TSP) is a hard-wired battery jumping system that automatically jumps power from the trolling motor battery to the cranking battery. Activate it by depressing a small button.
How it performed
While I have never drained my cranking battery to the point it would not crank my outboard, a quick test of the TSP jumper switch indicated the unit functions just as advertised. Walmart FLW Tour Open pro Keith Combs of Huntington, Texas, has been using TSP since its inception and claims it’s saved him valuable time in tournament situations on three different occasions.
The install
The housing mounts to any flat surface with ample room inside the battery compartment. It installs with four stainless pan-head machine screws. Installation takes less than two hours using easy-to-follow instructions and basic hand tools, including a wire fish, drill and Phillips screwdriver. The push-button switch can be installed on the dash or another location that offers easy access from the driver’s seat. I installed the switch by drilling a 1/2-inch hole through a brace beam beneath the dash on my Ranger 521VX.
Specs:
Dimensions (inches): 7 1/2 (L) by 4 ¾ (W) by 3 1/2 (H)
Compatibility: 24- and 36-volt systems
Price: $249
Contact: tournamentsaverpro.com
R&R Design Aluminum Battery Trays
Standard plastic battery trays can become brittle and crack, tear or break over time. R&R Designs says its aluminum trays will be there for the life of the boat.
Design
R&R trays are 1 inch narrower than most plastic trays, providing a more snug fit for heavy marine batteries while also conserving floor space in the battery compartment. Six recessed screw holes are machined to elevate the tray about 1/8 inch off the floor so that water can escape from beneath.
Construction
Made from heavy-duty .090-gauge marine-grade aluminum and welded at the corners, they are designed to withstand years of abuse without bending or breaking.
Strap it down
Each tray comes with a polypro tie-down strap equipped with an easy-to-lace buckle and unique lock-down system. The two-piece strap attaches to either side of the tray using brass grommets. There are no stitches to break. It’s definitely more durable than a plastic tray, and the easy-to-latch buckles are the simplest I’ve seen.
Specs:
Dimensions (inches): 13 1/4 (L) by 7 (W)
Material: aluminum
Finish: powder coat
Price: $49.50
Contact: rnrd.com
Minn Kota MK 460D Charger
If battery chargers were gauged as race horses, this one would be a Triple Crown winner. Designed for use with 36-volt systems, the charger pulls on digital technology to deliver 60 amps of
total output (15 amps per bank) and restore drained batteries quickly, efficiently and safely.
Gobs of juice
I used the charger to replace its nondigital predecessor, the standard MK 460, and it consistently provided recharging times that fell within the advertised recovery window of three to five hours. If you’re currently using a 40-amp charger in combination with good quality batteries, expect to see recovery time gains of one to two hours with the MK 460D in place.
The digital advantage
Minn Kota’s digital linear technology closely monitors battery temperature, current and voltage to provide precision charging that is carried out in three modes – bulk, absorption and maintenance – to prevent overcharging and enhance battery life.
Watch it happen
Users can determine the charging phase by referencing color-coded LEDs on the face of the unit. Constant amber indicates bulk charging until reaching 75 percent. It then switches to a flashing sequence as the current tapers off during the absorption mode. Lights flash green for 24 hours at 100 percent charge, then change to solid green to indicate the charger is no longer delivering current. Power automatically kicks back on if battery voltage drops below 12.6 volts while in storage.
Other digital models
Minn Kota’s digital technology also is available in one-, two- and three-bank chargers that deliver 5, 6 or 10 amps per bank.
Specs:
Amp displacement: 60 (15 per bank)
Weight: 31 pounds
Size (inches): 14 1/2 (L) by 6 ¾ (W) by 8 (H)
Price: $469.99
Contact: minnkotamotors.com
Hyundai 2000si Portable Inverter
Electricity is something most of us take for granted until it’s gone. Here’s a portable power plant worth having along on any road trip, just in case you need it.
Why portable power?
Bad weather or other factors can knock out the power at the motel or camping area when you least expect it. A portable power source with sufficient output is handy for running all sorts of stuff, including battery chargers, lights, fans, microwaves, power tools, radios and
computers.
Sight-fishing power
Hard-core sight-fishermen might spend eight to 10 hours per day running the trolling motor on high-36 speed in search of bedding bass. Keeping a quiet running inverter/generator onboard allows for maintaining a charge all day, eliminating the need to carry spare batteries.
Performance factors
Paired with the proper extension cords, I used Hyundai’s 2000si to power a Minn Kota MK 460D battery charger, two lights, a fan and a laptop computer simultaneously in my truck camper. The 3.8-hp engine cranked easily and provided whisper-quiet operation for more than five hours on a full tank (1.8 gallons) of fuel.
Compact design
It’s small enough to place in a pickup bed or boat floor without getting in the way. The four-stroke engine is fully enclosed by a sleek polypropylene frame that features a handy carrying handle on top. The control panel offers two 120-volt AC outlets, one 12-volt DC outlet and an economy switch to reduce fuel consumption when the motor is not under a load.
Figuring a load
It’s important to know the number of amps a device pulls while running to determine if the inverter/generator will power it. Multiply the amps by 120 to get the required output wattage. It must fall within 2,200 watts.
Example: The Minn Kota MK 460D pulls 10 amps, which, multiplied by 120, equals 1,200 watts of consumption.
Specs:
Peak power: 2,200 watts
Weight: 71 pounds
Amps: output: 16.6; max circuit: 20
Size (inches): 20.6 (H) by 12.9 (W) by 22.6 (L)
Starting method: manual
Price: $599.99
Contact: walmart.com or hyundaipower.ca