Lowrance Mark 4 battery set-up?

[bgriff]

Can those of you who use a Mark 4 FF tell me what kind of battery set up you've found works best. I was thinking about going with an 8AA battery configuration because of the size and it would be inexpensive, but I don't want to have to change batteries every time out.

[scorpioreno]

I use a 12v 12amp motorcycle battery. But I was told there is a 12v 12amp battery that is smaller than a motorcycle battery. It is a battery that they put in Deer feeders.
http://www.batteryplex.com/productpi...AH-Battery.jpg
http://www.batteryplex.com/deer-feed...V-12AH-Battery

[Boondock_RES]

Just a note with the AA batteries, you cannot use 8 rechargables, which was my initial plan. Rechargables only have 1.2 volts instead of 1.5 like the regular batteries. You'd need 10 as opposed to 8. I ended up buying a sealed 12 volt from radio shack.

[Beerboy]

I have a sealed 12 volt 9 amp battery like these here http://www.batteriesplus.com/products/3032-0/5580-Outdoor-Sports-Equipment-Batteries/690995-Humminbird/Ice-385ci-Fishing-Locator/1.asp It runs my FF w/ GPS all day and then I just put it on a trickle charger overnight. It is in a Pelican box, which is overkill. If I were doing it over I would just glue closed cell foam in the forward compartment of my yak to create a small half box. The mounting solution will depend on the specifics of your yak. And that battery suggested by scorpioreno looks like just the ticket. 12 amps will keep you running forever.

[dhayward]

I just bought a mark 4 and decided to give the AA a try. I've been out twice now, say 5 hrs total and they are still powering it. It will probably die right as I need it!

[ronaultmtd]

I have the Elite 5 DSI Gold and a 12ah12v AGM battery- that battery is a bit of overkill as I can usually get three fishing trips out of it before I need to recharge the battery. I pushed it once and went on my fourth trip and started getting wild readings, dimming of the screen, etc. before the unit stopped working. Having a dead battery in the middle of a fishing trip isn't what I wanted and taught me a lesson- the color chart plotters burn a lot more juice than a mono color or a standard fish finder-

[Katfish Jones]

I have a Mark 4 and power it with a 12 volt 7 amp hour sealed lead battery I got from a local battery store. It cost me like $27 or so. The same type that is deer feeders or emergency lights. I have used it for between 10 to 15 hours before charging it and have never read anything below 11.9 volts. I charge it with a little Battery Tender Jr. So far it works great and the Mark 4 has never died on me

[Tall_Timbers_Kayaker]

I have a Mark IV that I powered with AA cells. It will work down to approximately 9 volts so you could use 8 rechargeable AA's but I am not sure how long they will last. I got 8 to 12 hours from my AA's depending upon the temperature. Batteries work better when it is warm. I switched over to a sealed lead acid alarm battery (7 Amp Hours I believe) from radio shack. I charge it with a Battery Tender Jr. as you need to be careful not to boil the electrolyte in a sealed battery. It lasts forever as I tend to charge it when it gets under 12 volts. I have no idea how long it would take to get it to the 9 volt range. I'm thinking in the long run the sealed lead acid is cheaper.

[DonV]

I have this sealed 12 volt one from Amazon. $15
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Fits almost perfectly inside the cheap Walmart drybox with room for the wires and fuse. and a little pool noodle for cushioning. Used a 2 wire flat trailer connector fed through the box. Some heavy duty Velcro on the box in in the kayak and I'm good to go. I was going to go the AA route but for the $20-30 I got invested, I figured I'd eat that up in AAs regular or rechargeable pretty quick. I wasn't to sure about the durability of some of the AA holders either.Also got some ideas to use the setup for camping.

Added some pictures if anybody is interested.

[bgriff]

Thanks for all the info, I've decided to go with a sealed battery I found on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NYN7EM/..._26725410_item

[BassMoore]

The battery you chose bgriff will last about 3-4 trips before needing a charge.. pending how long your out. I have a battery of the same amp and V and i have gone 5 times now about 5+ hours a pop and have not recharged yet.