Battery Idea for Lamping / Pigeon rotator

LIFFY FISHING

Hi guys, just sharing an idea, you might already know if not it might help.
If you know anyone or have an old jump start pack, no matter how cheap, & dont need it any more open it up and you will find a 12volt 17ah battery inside it, its not that much more in weight than the smaller batteries, I had a bum bag that goes around the waist it fits perfect into, and I got a cigar socket adaptor from the motor factors, cheap and 'green' good old recycle, now I can put the money towards a Lighforce 170 instead of the cheaper kit.

CJhaughey

I don't get it, why are people intent on using old batteries?
Just because they aren't starting a car doesn't mean they are good for lamping?
You might get light but it will be dimmer and run shorter than if you had a good battery and kept it charged properly.
You are as well to buy a good AGM battery and look after it, it'll be lighter and give better performance.

LIFFY FISHING

CJhaughey wrote: »

I don't get it, why are people intent on using old batteries?
Just because they aren't starting a car doesn't mean they are good for lamping?
You might get light but it will be dimmer and run shorter than if you had a good battery and kept it charged properly.
You are as well to buy a good AGM battery and look after it, it'll be lighter and give better performance.

Budget?

EPointer=Birdss

CJhaughey wrote: »

I don't get it, why are people intent on using old batteries?
Just because they aren't starting a car doesn't mean they are good for lamping?
You might get light but it will be dimmer and run shorter than if you had a good battery and kept it charged properly.
You are as well to buy a good AGM battery and look after it, it'll be lighter and give better performance.

My reading is if you can't afford a cheap start up kit or decent battery to get started, this is a way of getting out & about rather than waiting for funds to build up. I wouldn't knock someone for thinking outside the box. It goes without saying proper gear means better results but ESP post Xmas the budget methods might suit the majority you know...

Would be great if you could load up a few pics of that set up LF...
Pictures/ 1000 words & all that.

CJhaughey

I'm not knocking anyone for thinking outside the box, I know all to well how lean times have affected all most of us.
The point I am making is that carrying around heavy old batteries because they are free is a bit of a waste of time.
Lamping should be a bit of fun as well as a way of keeping foxes in check and if its a slog then its not fun.
I have found Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) to have good batteries in them. They can be got for very little money and free in some cases.
Alarm batteries are also good.
They key to having long life out of cells is keeping them correctly charged at all times.
Not running them flat and leaving them overnight before recharging them.
Intelligent chargers are the best way of ensuring that they remain fully charged without being overcharged.

EPointer=Birdss

CJhaughey wrote: »

I'm not knocking anyone for thinking outside the box, I know all to well how lean times have affected all most of us.
The point I am making is that carrying around heavy old batteries because they are free is a bit of a waste of time.
Lamping should be a bit of fun as well as a way of keeping foxes in check and if its a slog then its not fun.
I have found Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) to have good batteries in them. They can be got for very little money and free in some cases.
Alarm batteries are also good.
They key to having long life out of cells is keeping them correctly charged at all times.
Not running them flat and leaving them overnight before recharging them.
Intelligent chargers are the best way of ensuring that they remain fully charged without being overcharged.

Jaysus he said it fits in what's the yanks call a 'fanny pack'
If that's 2 heavy for an evenings lamping then my days years ago slogging old car batteries around were ill spent.
Get into the gym Man!
I don't disagree with your premise here, who could its logical but in a discussion around a cheap solution when budget doesn't allow anything new I just don't think it's well placed. Not having a go btw

LIFFY FISHING

http://db.tt/1v5zknlX

LIFFY FISHING

http://db.tt/ZwJ7qSZk

LIFFY FISHING

http://db.tt/6gMRqais

Sorry had to upload 3 pixs seperate, appreciate the comments,

clivej

What I have found out over the years was.

Get a dimmer for the lamp, this will extend the useful lamp time by a lot because your not got the lamp at full power.
The gel batteries are good to use. We have a 7 AmpHour one that is good for 2-3 hours of normal lamping
The 'UCaller Lamp' was as good as the Lightforce for less money, and can be got cheaper than shown here @€;59 and the switch was in a better place.
http://www.sportsden.ie/ucaller-eye-handheld-variable-beam-lamp.html

Wired up a 'Hella Connector' type outlet in the car from the battery, fused of course, one from the battery pack, and changed all the plugs over to the same connections.