# Jump starter battery for fish finder?



## Scadsobees (Sep 21, 2006)

Has anybody used a portable starter battery for a fishfinder?

Such as....
https://www.amazon.com/DBPOWER-8000...18741626&sr=8-8&keywords=battery+starter+jump

I have a little Garmin Striker 4 that I wanted to try either ice fishing and/or on my canoe. Yes, I know it's not what I really want to use and there's better tools, but it's what I have and I don't want to sink a lot of money into it right now.

I've been toying with the idea of buying one of those jump starters anyway, and if I can use it successfully for this, it would give me an even better reason to buy one.

I know I can get a 12V lead acid battery for around 20-30, and have a charger, but it's heavier plus I have no other use for that battery.


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## flyrodder46 (Dec 31, 2011)

I have had one of the jump packs for several years and used it a couple of times. The one time that I used it for a whole day of starting my 50 hp. motor the first time out for the year it worked great and still had power to spare after 6 hours of use. Don't know how long it would last in constant use on something like you have, but would not be afraid of trying it.
The one thing I would look for is a unit that will work on a V8 engine, the one you have a link for is good for a smaller 4 cyl. Just a thought.


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## Scadsobees (Sep 21, 2006)

flyrodder46 said:


> I have had one of the jump packs for several years and used it a couple of times. The one time that I used it for a whole day of starting my 50 hp. motor the first time out for the year it worked great and still had power to spare after 6 hours of use. Don't know how long it would last in constant use on something like you have, but would not be afraid of trying it.
> The one thing I would look for is a unit that will work on a V8 engine, the one you have a link for is good for a smaller 4 cyl. Just a thought.


Good to know, and have had the starter battery go dead a few times, but then I usually just pull start it.

I think they're designed for a surge, but they also usually have a little flashlight as well as charging ports for phones, so I'd imagine it would work ok for the slow drain of a small Garmin.

I'll probably go for one, yes I think I'll look for something designed for a bigger engine. I usually am not out for more than a few hours.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

I've used my 12V jump box plenty of times to run a fish finder and other small load 12v items. Mine had an outlet like a cigar lighter that I made a pigtail for and put alligator clip on. Never used enough power out it that I couldnt jump a sled, quad, car or truck if needed.

Here's what mine looks like, the battery clamps clip to the backside of the charger so they dont flop around and get in the way.


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## jasperdog (Nov 8, 2007)

I would think a jump starter would work fine.
I have been using a big motorcycle battery that fits in a bucket to run a small trolling motor on some ponds I fish and even that has worked.i just keep an eye on the battery gauge on the motor. 
They make lithium ion jump starters too( but more money) if you want to go real lightweight...


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## Scadsobees (Sep 21, 2006)

Excellent, thanks! 

I don't know too much about the electrical side of things, so I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't damage anything. 

There's a lot on the kayak sites, but most of what I read recommended the lead acid batteries so I just wanted to make sure.


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## Scadsobees (Sep 21, 2006)

I had assumed the fish finder needed somewhere around 12V....

So I was getting ready to buy a battery pack, and wanted to make sure the voltage would work with the ff, and checked the voltage on fish finder....well it works between 8-20 V. 

So instead, I hooked it up to my 20V 1.5 ah drill battery, and it ran like a champ for more than 2 hours, dropping the battery only a volt!

It looks like I'm in business!


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## FishManDan (Mar 24, 2013)

Have my jump box with me all the time. Use to run my Aqua vu in the winter and back up to jump cars and truck. Loaned it to a guy at the boat ramp last Sept to jump a V8 inboard boat he was test driving. No problem.

FYI opened a dead one to strip it and recycle. Inside was a 12V battery just like the aqua vu used.


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