Power Management

[WCBasser]

I just added 2 Garmin Echomap Ultra 126sv units and a Livescope Plus unit to my boat. To power all the electronics + livewell aerators, I added a new 100 amp-hr AGM battery. After running the electronics + 1 livewell aerator (on an intermittent timer) all day (even putting the console 126sv into "sleep" mode while I was on the front deck fishing), my voltage displayed on the bow Echomap dropped to 11.6 V after starting with a fully charged battery.

My 2004 200HP Optimax started easily and ran normally off the same 100 amp-hr battery. I have a switch between the new battery and my old group 24 crank battery (which was fully charged) so I wasn't at risk of being stranded, but I was surprised how quickly the big new battery was depleted.

A couple of questions:
1. How low can the supply voltage go before the image performance degrades on the Livescope Plus or the Echomap Ultra units? Is this an issue at all?
2. I think it's common while bass fishing to need to run livewell aerators, Livescope, and two fishfinder units for most of the day. How are you managing the power needs of all these accessories on your bass boat? Any best practices you can share?

Thanks,
-Robert

[red devil]

I’m running a 1222 and 1022 with two live scopes a 32 and 34 and a 7610 on the console. Was having some voltage issues until I got an Oddessy arm 31 and ran 10 gauge wire to each black box and one 10 gauge wire to a fuse panel for the graphs. It works well but if I get to running the pumps and what not I have to start the big motor at least every 2 hours or it cranks slow and the check engine light comes on on the smartcraft.

[bigsdaddy]

Might consider going stand alone lithium for your units and black boxes. Amped outdoors can help you, as well as people on here, on what size to get for your load. I'm just running a 102sv and one black box for the 34 system, but at the end of a hard day I'm still around 13v. I bought the Amped 30amp tall and a small charger for around $225. They have different one's with higher amps or the same purpose. https://ampedoutdoors.com/collections/lifepo4-battery

[Keoweefishing]

I'm running a 12" GPSMAP, plus 12" Humminbirds on my boat. Have the Ionic Lithium battery for cranking and electronics - never have an issue running everything all day. Voltage stays at 13 all day long.

[PMantle]

2. I think it's common while bass fishing to need to run livewell aerators, Livescope, and two fishfinder units for most of the day. How are you managing the power needs of all these accessories on your bass boat? Any best practices you can share?

Thanks,
-Robert

My barely one year old AGM left me stranded this summer, so I went with an Ionic 125 to avoid the hassle of adding another battery. All good after that.

[WCBasser]

I was hoping for an alternative solution, but it sounds like I simply need to add battery capacity.

Looking at the load, 3 amps each * 2 12" Garmin Echomap Ultras = 6 amps, + 3 amps for Livescope Plus, + 3 amps each * 2 livewell aerators * 50% duty cycle = 12 amps total load. For an 8 hour fishing day, that's 8*12=96 amp-hours, so it's no surprise a 100 amp-hr battery was struggling. Simple math. I was just hoping for a solution other than BOAT = break out another thousand!

In the interim, I'll be more diligent to put my console unit into SLEEP mode while fishing and to turn off the Livescope when not needed. If I'm not fishing a tournament and can leave the livewell aerators off, I should be OK.

Thanks everyone!

[LWINCHESTER2]

It's a tough market. Prices on the LiFePO4 vary widely. At one end of the price scale is Battle Born. At the other end is something like CHINS on Amazon or some others even cheaper. I've had one 100ah of each for about 2 years now. Can't really tell a difference in performance yet. The difference may be in how long they last. I'm not recommending either one. When you're looking at something supposed to last close to 10 years, 2 years don't tell you much. Good luck.

[Mcjenson]

Those livewell aerators are a huge draw, I've noticed in a summer tourney running them on constant even with my 125 AH lithium I'm down below 50% on a normal tourney day when I'm running all my graphs / livescope. If I was running AGM's I think I'd probably have to look into adding a 5th dedicated electronics battery.

[WCBasser]

Glad to know I'm not the only one having to manage an energy crisis during a summer tournament.

Next time out I'm going to try being really diligent about turning off the Livescope during runs and when I'm not using it, along with putting the console Garmin unit into SLEEP mode when I'm fishing. If that doesn't do it, next spring I think I'm looking at some lithium battery purchases.

[PMantle]

Glad to know I'm not the only one having to manage an energy crisis during a summer tournament.

Next time out I'm going to try being really diligent about turning off the Livescope during runs and when I'm not using it, along with putting the console Garmin unit into SLEEP mode when I'm fishing. If that doesn't do it, next spring I think I'm looking at some lithium battery purchases.

I did that and still was left stranded by a 1 year old AGM. My lakes just don't have long enough runs I guess.

[WCBasser]

Sorry that happened. I do have a small Group 24 flooded lead acid that is dedicated to starting and nothing else, so I don't think I'm risking getting stranded. I could "borrow" some energy from that battery if I dared, but for now I'm treating it as a dedicated crank battery and carrying all our "house loads" on the 100Ah AGM. My risk is losing electronics or live well aeration - not ideal, but not the same as getting stranded. I also have a pair of jumper cables in the boat, so maybe one of the trolling motor batteries could pinch hit if needed.