The Briny Bar - Running time for fish finder

Running time for fish finder - 12volt battery

Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: The Briny Bar
Forum Description: The place for general chat on saltwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=74934
Printed Date: 16 Jun 2026 at 1:16am

Topic: Running time for fish finder - 12volt battery

Posted By: Tomatron
Subject: Running time for fish finder - 12volt battery
Date Posted: 23 Jan 2012 at 7:52pm

Hi there, I have a 4m tinpot and am thinking of getting a fish finder. Looking at the Lowrance Mark 5x fish finder - looks like good bang for buck at $350- $400.

However, I have no idea how much power it will use. I plan to run it off one or two batteries that I use for spot lighting, the little 12volt 7 a/h rechargeable ones. Currently there are no other sources of battery on the boat as the engine is pull start and no alternator so the FF will be dependant on the 12v battery/s

See this link:

http://www.lowrance.com/Products/Marine/Mark-Series/Mark-5x/ - http://www.lowrance.com/Products/Marine/Mark-Series/Mark-5x/

All I am after it an approximate battery time, given that the battery is full and that the back light will be turned off. If they can run a 55w spot light for about an hour, I could only assume that a FF would use substantially less power than the spotlight ...

I have no idea with power measurements, so in lay mans terms would be good.

Thank you in advance for your input!

Tom

Replies:

Posted By: Skoti
Date Posted: 23 Jan 2012 at 7:58pm

Give Far Quirk a PM , he has a system like this in his 12 footer .

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COVID is no joke !
One former patient was so brain damaged after , he thought he won an election he lost by 7 million votes .

Posted By: Dagwood
Date Posted: 23 Jan 2012 at 8:52pm

Running a B&W Garmin 140 off a Dick Smith Gell Cell battery (from burglar alarms etc). I'd be guessing at the capacity of it but it seems you'd measure the run time in days not hours. I chose a cheap sounder with the voltage display. When it gets close to 12 volts, I pull it out and charge it. Haven't been caught short yet.

Posted By: Fishing Addiction
Date Posted: 23 Jan 2012 at 9:29pm

I use basic lowrance and can get several outings off single charge on 7.2m/amp hours

Posted By: wotfish
Date Posted: 23 Jan 2012 at 9:35pm

Hi there, the HDS 5 sounder draws aound .7A max, which would give a theoretical max run time of 10 hrs. I've got an HDS5 combo that I run off a 7AH battery and I get pretty much a full day use out of it (7 or 8 hours)....

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What? Fish? Where?

Posted By: Cigar
Date Posted: 23 Jan 2012 at 9:56pm

The manual lists typical current draw at 0.25 amp, so you should get up to 28hrs from a 7ah battery.

Posted By: CoastalStan
Date Posted: 23 Jan 2012 at 10:47pm

Real time useage is going to be around 6-8 hrs. Most fish finders will switch off once the voltage drops to 8-9 volts. Kayak fishing guys use them and will help you out with some ideas re wiring them up. Lots of options like running in series and best ways to connect them (lugs can break off if you arent careful)

Posted By: "Scooter"
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2012 at 6:58am

I run an Lowrance X40 Pro off a 7A 12 volt and so far have had 12 hours out of it over three four hour sessions,an I've yet to run it flat.

Posted By: Tomatron
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2012 at 7:28am

nice. That all solves my question. Found heaps of info in the yak section.

Posted By: JK
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2012 at 7:29am

Made a portable setup on my old IRB using one of those SLA batterys you mention and used to get about 3 or 4 trips out of it so probaby 10-12 hours. Never ran it flat either.

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LedgeNZ LBG

Posted By: Muppet
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2012 at 7:30am

Just keep it topped up after each trip it will be sweet.