Replacement battery needed, For portable sonar

After many years of service, my 12 volt 7 AH battery is showing its age: a full charge now only lasts about 4 hours. Any recommendations for a replacement? I'm thinking perhaps lithium. Thanks!

I was waiting to change to a LiFePO4 battery for a while now. Then I picked up once of those ice machine packages for $150 at RadioWorld and to my surprise, it came with another traditional battery. but then I saw the LiFePO4 equivalent on Amazon for about $45, which is about the price of a "normal" battery. It came, I charged it up using the charger I got for my 12V 100A LiFePO4 battery for my trolling motor. Have used it three times now and wow, the weight difference alone is incredible. Unless something really bad happens to it, I can't imagine going back to the old batteries. The other batteries will likely go into my my small UPS box for my computer since I don't have to lug that thing around with me.

Yes to the switch to the change to a LiFePO4 battery for all reason from Flukes. Depending on how you transport/carry your sonar/camera/etc., check the dimension of the battery's case. Up to 10 Ah battery the cases are likely the same sizes. At 12 Ah they become wider to accommodate the cells. My original lead-acid 7 Ah that shipped with the underwater camera would shut down in less than 4 hours; the 10 Ah lithium runs all day. The 12 Ah would not fit the unit. Weight savings is great and so are the declining prices now for lithiium.

That's good to hear about the Amazon Batteries.
I've been wanting to get an extra battery for my 40V Ryobi chainsaw - but don't want to pay $300 at Home Depot. I saw the ones on Amazon, but wondered about quality etc.

A few years back I switched out my old battery for my sonar with a Dakota Lithium. What an amazing difference. It's lighter, I can run 3-4 days without charging it. I usually charge it after the 3rd trip - just so it doesn't die on me for the next trip, but I understand they just keep going and going.

I was looking at the Li-Time batteries (100 Ah) for my trolling motor on the yak. (I'm just getting into it.) They seem inexpensive, and should be able to run the trolling motor and sonar all day, I think.

Check Total Battery in Barrie.

Best prices around for any batteries I buy.

SDC

I was going to replace my trolling motor batteries with lithium, but after reading more I'm a bit leery. Because there been issues with fires. I know guys that store them in a shed away from the house, but I don't have that ability. Just can't make up my mind, the fire issue if true scares me. I know there was a fire in a town not far from me where the house was destroyed, fire department blamed it on a lithium battery they had in the garage. I can store in boat, but wouldn't want a fire there in the winter either.

Thanks for all of the feedback, guys!

Do you have an Ion ice auger.
I have 2 battery's that I use. One for the auger and one that I use for my Fishfinder.
Ion has a slip on converter for battery's with 2 usb ports and a barrel plug for 12v.


https://ioniceaugers.com/products/gen-1-pow...I6no2aBASV4QLhD

just replaced my 7ah battery in my marcum flasher it was 8 dollars cheaper at simcoe battery in midland than total battery in barrie both good choices for replacement batteries.

Yes Yes Yes.....LiFePO4

My whole kayak is powered with these ...... love them......half the weight.....charge twice as fast.......last twice as long.

powering my trolling mower.
https://www.lakesimcoeoutdoors.com/forums/i...=post&id=440194

Powering my electronics with a inline regulator.
https://www.lakesimcoeoutdoors.com/forums/i...=post&id=440202

Arnie

Anyone using Milwaulkee lithium ion batteries can get a 12 volt converter for them and run their graph on them. That’s what I did instead of buying a lithium brick battery.

For my trolling motor, I also picked up Minnkota battery box to give it some protection from the water. You can charge it in the box through the external terminals. Some battery boxes also have USB, etc. ports too.

What Disco said about step-down converters....it would be a great option that I was looking at as well but didn't do that because the battery I needed was pretty cheap (the converters were like in the $30-35 range and saw them for other brands of batteries (like Dewalt, Ryobi, Rigid). The ones I saw stepped down from 18V to 12V with minimal loss. I don't think I have seen anything that can go from 40V to 12V though but I don't know for sure....seems like a huge step.

I was quite concerned about that as well. I do have shed to put them in but not sure how they do in extreme cold conditions and in the summer heat (the shed can get pretty hot with little ventilation). I have to wonder if the Li battery issues are due to damaged batteries (some people are not too gentle with their stuff). I was thinking of storing in the basement but on bare concrete to reduce having combustibles around (at least maybe reduce spread of fire if one goes?).

Yes and Dewalt has them too.

Arnie

Good idea, nice to know.?