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Topics - lucky13

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General Talk / Can you target inshore rock fish, even if C&R?

« on: November 10, 2023, 01:27:44 AM »

I don't know. My understanding is you can't target rock fish even if you let them all go. This guys is obviously targeting rf with specific gear. I reported his ass to CalTip. Hope I didn't wrongfully accused him.

General Talk / Youtube videos stopped showing up?

« on: August 17, 2022, 11:14:24 AM »

The videos I posted in some of the threads stopped showing up since yesterday. Did something changed on the forums?
https://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=98940.msg1108360

For Sale / Shark Shield tester : CLOSED

« on: August 15, 2022, 09:31:26 PM »

I ordered parts to make a small batch of Shark Shield testers. The tester is mentioned here...
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=98940.msg1108360
I'm offering these because I want to make some available to this community at a reasonable price. (I paid Ocean Guardian $62 for mine.)

It will behave the same as the tester sold by Ocean Guardian, https://ocean-guardian.com/collections/dive-series/products/multi-device-tester, except that I will not be installing the LED's on it as they don't serve a practical purpose. When the tester is attached to your SS, your SS will show a solid green light, indicating your SS is working properly. It will send out a shock every second or so. (Don't touch the metal part of the probes while they are touching the electrodes, unless you enjoy getting shocked.) This device basically allows you to confirm your SS is working while you're on land. I will provide a bit more info about the device after I put them together.

Parts should arrive within the next 2 weeks. I only have time and materials to make 10 testers. I do not plan to make more. At this point, I think the tester will be priced at $15. Shipping is another $5. Don't send money yet. Please post your interest in this thread.

Update 08/17/2022: Due to demand, I had decided to order another set of parts to make 10 more. I'll make a total of 20 testers. Second batch should be ready in 3-4 weeks. I will close the thread once 20 is reached.
Update 08/17/2022: The second batch has all been claimed. I'm not accepting more orders.
Update 08/22/2022: The first batch of parts arrived early. I'm practically done with the first batch. Will start sending PM to ppl on the 1st waiting list tomorrow.
Update 08/23/2022: Some production photos.

The package would come with a velcro strap. If you strap the probes on the side, you can use the SS with one hand.

Here's a short video showing the tester in action. Note the two-hand and one-hand operations.

Update 8/29/2022: 2nd batch is ready. Will PM ppl on the wait list.

-----------------------

Warnings:

First and foremost, please use common sense when you're using electronic equipment. Many things can kill you. If you don't feel comfortable operating the tester or the Shark Shield even, then stay away from such things.

Please do not operate the tester on the water. It is meant to be use on dry land and is not waterproof.

Please do not operate the tester for an extended period. It is not designed for such purpose. For example, you cannot use the tester as a capacity checker to figure out how long your SS will run before depleting the battery. The power resistor(s) inside the tester will get too hot. There's no reason to run the tester for more than a couple of minutes straight, but absolutely must not run it for more than 5 minutes continuously. (Well, maybe it can run for longer, but please don't try.)

Q & A:
Q) What exactly is a Shark Shield tester?
A) It is a tool that allows you to test your Shark Shield while its electrodes are not submerged in salt water. As you all know, the SS does not send out shocks until the whip is submerged in salt water. Therefore, you wouldn't know if your SS is working or not until you go to in the ocean. It would be a bummer to find out your SS doesn't work after you arrive with full gear at Bean Hollow, or SC

This tool helps you verify your SS actually works while you're on land.

Q) What does the tester actually do?
A) It provides 0.5 ohm of resistance between the two test probes. When you touch the two electrodes on the SS with the two test probes, it provides the 0.5 ohm resistance that the SS senses for. When it senses the right amount of resistance, it starts sending out high current pulses, which the tester would absorb. The LED light on your SS will stop blinking and change to a solid green, indicating normal operation.

Q) How do I use the tester?
A) The tester has two test probes (red and black). The tester does not require a battery to operate. First turn on the Shark Shield. It should go through the normal startup sequence, then shows a blinking green light. That means it is trying to sense the desired resistance between the two electrodes. (If at this time, your SS is blinking abnormally, or is beeping continuously, your SS is defective. The tester will not help you fix your SS. Contact Ocean Guardian for tech support.)
Assuming your unit is blinking green, you can touch one test probe with one electrode, and touch the other test probe with the other electrode. Polarity does not matter. You just need to touch the two test probes against the two electrodes. Make sure the test probes are touching the metal part of the electrodes. At this point, if your SS is working correctly, the green LED will stop blinking and turn solid green. You will also notice the zapping sound of the pulses. (Please don't touch any of the metal or you'll get zapped.)
If you're sure you touched the two test probes with the two electrodes, and the SS continues to blink green, it means your SS has problems. It is possible that you've hit the same corrosion issue that I encountered. You can decide to seek help from Ocean Guardian, or attempt to perform your own repair. It's your call.

Q) Where are the electrodes located?
A) One electrode is located about one foot from the head of the whip. The other electrode is located about one foot from the tail of the whip. They are both underneath the black plastic mesh covering the entire whip. If you pay attention, you will see the metallic color sections peeking through the black plastic mesh.

Q) Why do I see sparks when I touch the electrodes.
A) It is normal to see some sparks when you first touch the test probes with the electrodes. It happens normally when there is a small gap between the electrode and the probe. Remember, the SS is trying to send pulses of high current across the electrodes. Your tester is the closes thing between the electrodes. Sparks will fly. To mitigate that, touch the test probes on the electrodes with a solid contact. (But don't poke hard. Just touch electrodes with your probes to make a solid contact.) Even the tester sold by Ocean Guardian would spark.

Q) Can't you test the SS with a bucket of salt water?
A) Yes you can. The salt water provides the 0.5 ohm resistance between the electrodes. That is the same as testing your SS with the tester. The tester makes testing your SS much simpler and less messy. If you're trying to repair your SS at the workbench, you probably wouldn't want to dunk your SS in a bucket of salt water while you're working on it.

Q) How is this tester different from the one sold by Ocean Guardian?
A) The only functional difference between mine and OG's is, mine does not have the red and green LEDs. The LEDs on OG's tester indicate the change of polarity. The SS flip-flops the polarity of the electrical pulses it sends out. As a kayaker, I could not find a situation where I would need to know the polarity of the electrical pulses. I simply need to know if the SS is sending out shocks. Therefore, I eliminated the LEDs from the circuit. That helps reduce the cost of production as well. In addition, I made a conscious decision to not copy OG's design.

Q) How do I know if the tester is working correctly?
A) Use a Digital Multimeter to measure the resistance between the two test probes. it should read around 0.5 to 0.6 ohms, depending on how accurate your DMM is. If it is in that range, the tester is working correctly.

Q) My Shark Shield's blinking green LED doesn't become solid when I put the probes on the electrodes. Why?
A) Assuming you are using the tester correctly, it means your SS is defective. Most likely the wires have been corroded. Check here if you'd like to find out how to diagnose the corrosion issue... http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=98940.msg1108360
Unfortunately, this seems to be a common problem. I looked at 5 SS's where the owner thought their SS had a battery issue. 4 of them actually had corroded wires. If your's is corroded, I recommend sending your SS back to OG for a trade in.

Q) My Shark Shield doesn't turn on. Can I use the tester to check whether the SS is working?
A) No. Your SS must be powered on and booted up correctly before you can use the tester to check it. You can try charging your SS first. The battery pack inside the SS has a BMS that cuts off the power altogether if it is below a certain voltage. When this cutoff is reached, your SS would no longer power on. To release that power cutoff, you have to charge your battery. If your battery is not completely dead, the battery pack would be revived. If it is completely dead, no matter how long you charge the battery it would remain dead. You can PM me to see if I have any battery pack left. But getting a new battery is only worth while if the electrodes and wires are not corroded. You could try to power your SS with and external source for testing purposes, then use the tester to check whether your electrodes are in good shape. See the end of the referenced thread to find out how to check the health of your wires... http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=98940.msg1108360

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1st batch

1) Fisherman-x (shipped)
2) 123Engineering (shipped)
3) FishingAddict (picked up)
4) Mark L (shipped)
5) NowhereMan (shipped)
6) sebast (shipped)
7) Naoaki (shipped)

P-sherman (picked up)
9) bbt95762 (shipped)
10) Sakana Seeker (shipped)

-----------------------
2nd batch

11) Eddie (picked up)
12) AlsHobie (shipped)
13) Fishy247 (shipped)
14) alpha1 (paid)
15) Bshawk (shipped)
16) Papa Al (shipped)
17) Fishcomb (shipped)
18) skyfight (shipped)
19) zisco (shipped)
20) cj (shipped)
21) DrDave (shipped)
22) cam3087 (picked up)

Craftsmen's Corner / Diagnosed and repaired my Shark Shield

« on: August 15, 2022, 12:08:24 AM »

This article describes the steps I went through to discover and fix the issue in my Shark Shield. I will not encourage everyone to perform this fix. For those of you who don't have the time or patience to perform this repair, sending it in to Ocean Guardian for a trade-in may not be a bad option. However, for those of you who want to know how to check whether the electrodes on their Shark Shield are working correctly, this article may provide some useful info.

----------------------------------------

While testing FishingAddict's Shark Shield by dunking it in salt water, I tested my own SS model C to compare. I was surprised to find my model C was not working. I didn't know because the unit turns on like normal, and goes through the boot up sequence like it should. And yet, it didn't give out any shock when submerged in salt water. Including my own unit, I had seen four units that had this same symptom. My unit had only been used 4-5 times, and I washed it thoroughly after each use.

To begin with, I decided to bite the bullet and bought a Shark Shield tester. I began inspecting the SS more closely, and measured the resistance of each electrode. It appeared that one of the electrodes had a much higher resistance than the other. I had decided to get to the bottom of it by tearing apart whatever necessary. I suspected it to be caused either by corrosion, or by poor connection somewhere. There seemed to be a crease on the wire, but I was not sure if it's anything concerning.

I proceeded to remove the main board, then removed the nut that locks down the electrode that has high resistance. That came off easily. The connector looked normal.

So I decided to remove the metal connector from its sleeve, which was injection molded onto the connector. It took some persuasion, but I was finally able to pull the sleeve back. Seeing nothing unusual, I then cut open the plastic wire cover to expose the wire itself. Immediately, the metal connector fell off. It's now obvious that the wire had been severed internally at the crease I noticed earlier. As you can use, the entire wire had been rusted.

I began cutting open more of the wire. After 3-4 inches, I was convinced that the entire wire had been rusted, so I stopped stripping more wires.

I was hoping the wire is salvageable. I used a fine wire brush and Corrosion-X to clean and remove the rust from the exposed wire. It turned out that the rust was only on the surface of the copper. After the exposed wire had been clean and checked for strength, I believed the wire could still be used.
This is after cleaning. Reinserted the wire into the connector. Because the connector is stainless steel, I knew I wouldn't be able to solder the copper to the stainless steel without making a big mess. I decided to fill the connector with aluminum foil to pack the connector tight against the copper wire. Roughed up the plastic with sandpaper to get a better grip.

I then applied 3M Marine Adhesive Sealant 5200 and pulled the sleeve down to cover the connector the way it was. Let the 3M adhesive dry for 24hrs.

Measured the resistance between the connector and the electrodes to make sure they are within the expected resistance. Put everything back the way it was.

And the final test using the Shark Shield tester.
https://tinyurl.com/yckwrna2

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The following measurements should help you determine if your Shark Shield's electrodes are in good shape.
The resistance between one connector and the lower electrode (1 foot from the tail of the whip) should be around 1M ohms.

The resistance between that same connector and the upper electrode (1 foot from the head of the whip) should be around 1 ohm.

The other connector should have the reverse readings. Resistance between the connector and the lower electrode should be around 1 ohm. Resistance between the connector and the upper electrode should be around 1M ohms.
If your unit has similar measurements as above, your electrodes are physically sound.
(For reference, before I repaired the rust from my SS, the resistance in the corroded wire measured greater than 4M ohms between the connector and the bottom electrode.)

----------------------------------------

As I mentioned, I purchased a tester to help test the Shark Shield. When I opened up the tester and saw what's inside, I was surprised and pissed that they charged me $62 for that thing. I had ordered some parts to put together a batch of 10 testers. When they arrive, I'll make them available at a more reasonable price. Stay tuned if you're interested in one.

Craftsmen's Corner / Voltage converter for Shark Shield model "C"

« on: June 26, 2022, 11:29:44 PM »

The following info is nothing new. I just thought I should move the voltage converter info to it's own thread.

People who are interested in powering their Shark Shields with an external battery can do so easily. Assuming you have some sort of a 12v battery source, you can remove your dead SS battery, and re-route a couple of wires inside the Shark Shield and be able to power the unit with the external battery.

Model "A", "B" owners, you don't need the converter that I'm about to show in this thread. You just need to make sure your external power source connecting to the SS is between 9.6v and 12.6v to match the original battery pack. Re-route the internal charging wires to connect to the battery terminal. Soldering required. And please don't connect the SS to more than 12.6v, which exceeds the original battery pack's voltage. I don't know what would happen to the SS, and I don't want to find out.

--------------------------------------------

For model "C", you need to make sure your input power is between 7v and 8.4v to match the original battery pack. To make things easier for model "C" owners, I put together a little converter that you can install inside the SS. With this converter, you can connect your external 12v source to the SS to power it. The converter takes care of feeding the main board the right voltage.

You can use any available down converter that fits inside the SS enclosure, as long as it is within specs. I chose this one...
https://tinyurl.com/5n6rjbpe
To be more useful, I installed a voltage meter at the converter output. This way you can tell the voltage that is fed to the SS' main board.
I tested up to 24v input to this converter. I set the output to around ~8.0v.
This little drop-in is simple and requires no soldering. Best of all, you can revert this mod anytime.

(NOTE: If you're making the same mod with other converters, do not use one that has a built-in voltage meter. All of the ones with a voltage meter that I've seen require you to click some button to activate it. That is not possible if it is enclosed inside the SS.)

Here's a couple I put together...

This picture shows a better view of the wiring. All you have to do is remove the battery, then plug the converter between the charging wires and the battery terminal.

This is what it looks like when you energize the SS with an external battery. You want to see the right voltage is fed to the SS main board before turning on the unit.

This is how it looks when you turn on the SS.

Enclosed.

Please note the use of a 3D-printed external power plug. You can get more info about the plug here... http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=98036.0

-ernest

Craftsmen's Corner / 3D-printed Sharkshield charging plug and retainer

« on: April 16, 2022, 05:52:48 PM »

For those of you who want to power the Sharkshield with an external battery probably need a plug for the SS. It makes no sense to cannibalize the OEM plug from a working charger. I looked hard but couldn't find a source for the OEM plug, so I created one in Fusion 360. In my opinion, the SS has the worst design for a charging plug because the charging prongs are straight with nothing the plug can latch on to. Therefore, I also created a retainer clip that helps keep the plug stay connected better.

Here are some pictures of the plug...

The plug is designed to use this 3.5mm banana plug (only use the female connectors). The sticker has a QR code link where you can purchase them on Aliexpress.

Here's the retainer clip that helps keep the charging plug stay connected to the SS better.

Here's how the retainer clips on to the SS.

Retainer and the 3D-printed plug installed.

The retainer can also work with the OEM plug.

And here's a short video showing how to install the retainer clip and the plug...
https://youtube.com/shorts/Ie1MB9vB7b8

If you're interested, you can download the STL models of the plugs and the retainer and print your own. I test printed them with PLA material and seems to work well. Two models of plugs... one wire splits to two, and two wire input. You have to download both the top (curved) and the bottom (flat) to make one plug. You're supposed to solder the wires to the top end (within the cup) of the 3.5mm female connectors. After fitting the wire and the 3.5 connectors into the plug, you must glue the two halves together with Goop or something similar to prevent water getting inside. Apply plenty of di-electrical grease to the 3.5mm connectors.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/sw06kg12vy50xke/AADH8DtByRGCx8w8fFodVdDra?dl=0

Those of you who are interested but don't have a 3D printer, I could help you print one, but I only have several sets of 3.5mm connectors left. PM me.

-ernest

Craftsmen's Corner / Shark Shield voltage meter mod

« on: November 01, 2021, 08:45:25 PM »

The early versions of Freedom 7 (GU1000A and GU1000B) have a design flaw. You will never know how much charge you have in the Shark Shield. The only time you know is when battery is fully charged, or when it is fully depleted. This is not only inconvenient, it prevents you from being able to properly care for the battery. You are supposed to store the battery with about 50-60% charge.

I sourced the thinnest 3S voltage meter I could find, and modded it so that it could be triggered by a reed switch (similar to what SS uses). This allows me to piggyback on the SS switch (the big red knob).

Then glued the meter to the only spot inside the case that could fit it, as well as gluing the reed switch close to the SS power switch. This would allow me to operate the meter by leveraging the SS switch. While the switch is in-between the Off and On position, the meter would come on. But at exactly Off or On, the reed switch is deactivated. Therefore, the meter would not be drawing power while SS is positioned at Off or On.

The result...
https://tinyurl.com/ymtkc7pu

And while charging, you can also turn the switch to somewhere in-between Off/On, and be able to see the current voltage.
https://tinyurl.com/k5m7kwpw

The only caveat of this mod is that you need to make sure the Big Red Knob switch is not left at in-between Off/On, so that the meter does not continuously draw power. If meter is left running, it would eventually deplete the battery. The meter itself is not designed to run continuously.

ernest

Craftsmen's Corner / Freedom 7 Shark Shield battery and replacement info (picture intense)

« on: October 25, 2021, 03:55:04 PM »

NowhereMan's thread (http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=96475.msg1082188#msg1082188) on using external power source to energize the Freedom 7 sparked my interest in learning more about the Shark Shield batteries. The thought of using an external power source is interesting, but I want to retain the freedom and convenience of being able to deploy the Shark Shield at any location on the kayak without the dependency on an external power source. A Shark Shield having a good condition battery should last long enough for a day trip.

The manufacturer claimed that the battery cannot be serviced or replaced. I find that hard to believe, so I had decided to find out more about their batteries and hopefully learn how to replace them. The main goal of this thread is to document what I've learned about the SS battery packs, and therefore understand whether they can be replaced.

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Warning...

Lithium batteries can be dangerous if not handled properly. Please do not attempt to build your own battery pack unless you know what you're dealing with. This thread is meant to provide information about the Freedom 7 batteries. In no way am I encouraging people to build and replace their own SS battery. The info provided in this thread is strictly for educational purposes only. It is not meant to be a DIY tutorial, and therefore I will deliberately skip the step-by-step instructions on building the battery pack. If you decide to build your own and have a specific question on the pack-building process, feel free to PM me.

I should also mention the following...
Warranty for the Freedom 7 is voided if you unscrew the pack. Ocean Guardian claims that the enclosure is sealed by using a special tool to torque down the two security screws. You and I would have no way to re-torque it to the factory specs. Therefore, waterproofing is not guaranteed once you open the enclosure. For kayaking use, I don't think it would affect anything. But if you use your Freedom 7 for diving, the chances are, the seal will not be able to withstand the pressure that manufacturer claims it could sustain. The only way I think you can regain the waterproofing is by applying glue/sealant to the gap surrounding the entire perimeter of the case.

In reality, old/dead batteries are not covered under the warranty anyway. Ocean Guardian would rather sell you a refurb unit for ~$350 I think.

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If you're reading this thread, the chances are you want to know whether the Freedom 7 battery can be replaced? The short answer is YES, but one would have to build the battery pack. Once you have a new pack, it's a matter of de-soldering/soldering a couple of wires to replace the pack for SS Freedom 7 version A and B. Version C actually has a 2-pin JST connector, so no soldering needed. I know of one online shop in Australia selling replacement batteries for the Freedom 7, but I could not figure out which version of Freedom 7 they support. The batteries they mentioned do not match any of the SS battery I came across. Also, they cost $140 + shipping, and another $20 if you mail them your SS to replace the battery for you.

There seems to be three different versions of Freedom 7... GU1000A, GU1000B, GU1000C.

GU1000A (clear case) uses 3 Sanyo UF103450P (https://industrial.panasonic.com/ww/products/pt/lithium-ion/models/UF103450P) in series (aka, 3s). Each cell is rated at 1880mah minimum and 2000mah max. The pack contains a small Battery Management System board to provide high/low voltage cutoff and short-circuit protection. I do not believe the BMS provides balanced charging because I've never seen a BMS in that small form factor providing balance charging function. When fully charged, the pack is ~12.6v. Full discharged at ~9.0v. The BMS makes sure of that. The capacity of the pack is 22.2 watt/hr at best.
(This picture comes from NowhereMan's thread, with permission to re-use here.)

GU1000B (blue case) contains 3 Panasonic UF103450PN in series (https://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/597738/PANASONICBATTERY/UF103450PN.html). The cells are rated at 1880mah. It also has a BMS board similar to the one in GU1000A.

(This is the actual battery from my GU1000B.)

(plastic wrap removed...)

(exposing the backside of the BMS board...)

GU1000C (blue case) uses 2 Panasonic NCR18650BD cells rated at 3200mah each. The pack when fully charged is 8.4v. When depleted is ~6.0v. Capacity is 23.68 watt/hr according to specs.
(Interesting note. Although the 2 cell pack in the GU1000C is smaller than the other two, it contains more energy than the earlier versions. Battery technology had improved since a dozen years ago, and the newer Shark Shield took advantage of that.)
(This is the original battery pack from my GU1000C. Please ignore the single 18650 on the bottom left. It is there for size reference only.)

Please note, if you need a tool to unscrew the two security nuts to open the SS case, you can refer to the picture above. Look at how the screw driver had been modified by using an angle grinder. You can also try to bend the prongs of a fork to fit the security nuts.

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Putting together and testing a replacement 3s pack for the GU1000B/A...

Having seen what the original battery pack is made of, I'm fairly confident that I could build a replacement pack. The following describes my discoveries and test data. (Btw, my original GU1000B and GU1000C batteries are running in perfect condition. I don't actually need a new battery. I'm only doing this to satisfy my curiosity.)

So, I looked everywhere for those UF103450P/N cells. I was only able to find one place that sells these original cells in the 1000's. Other places sell OEM knockoffs, but I don't particularly enjoy dealing with knockoff cells. Even if I'm willing to go with no-name cells, they are 2-4 times more expensive than the alternatives which I'll go into next.

After taking measurements from the GU1000B (which should be the same as GU1000A), I was able to source some reliable batteries that would fit inside the enclosure with very minor tweaks. I had decided to try these Panasonic NCR18500A 2040mah lithium cells. I figured out that stacking three of these would fit inside the GU1000B and most likely the GU1000A as well. So, I bought six cells to test the capacity and fit, enough for 2 packs. First is the capacity test. They all exceeded their rated capacity of 2040mah. They also have a higher capacity than the UF103450P.

The 3s BMS that I tried is "HX-3S-A02". You can find it online easily.

This clip shows the testing of the 3s BMS low voltage cutoff happened at 9.56v. Too high. (Please ignore the batteries in this clip. I was testing the BMS using old batteries.)

Then I tested a different board where it cuts off at 8.3v, and another that cuts off at 7.8v. That translate into cutoff cell voltage around 2.76v and 2.6v, which is like 98-99% of the pack's capacity. I was a bit surprised by the inconsistency, but as long as they cutoff above 7.5v (3x 2.5v) there will be no issue.

I put together the 3s NCR18500A pack to see if it would fit inside the GU1000B and possibly GU1000A.

I then tested charging my 3s pack from the SS. It stopped at 12.57v [3x 4.19v]. Nice.

(And in order to fit the 3s pack inside the GU1000B, you would have to clip the plastic tabs (circled in red) with a flush cutter or dremel in out.)

(If you have model GU1000A, this is what you'll need to clip off. Photo by forum user Fish N' Chip. He stated... "I had to partially remove the circuit board slot and the larger posts in the bottom case. Mine didn’t have the small posts to remove. I cut them down and used my plastic welder to make the bottom flush with the case or it would not seat properly. The circuit board flex interfered with the longer supports and needed to go to the bottom of the case. Coaxed it all back together and fired it up. Everything seems to work as it should.")

(and the SS would power up...)

Next is to test the cutoff and capacity of the 3s NCR18500A pack. The BMS cuts off at 8.3v, and the pack puts out "1989 mah". That's more than the original SS battery. (BMS and capacity test completed. Just need to properly wrap the pack.)

I ran the same test with the original SS pack. It has "1841 mah", which is 39 mah below the specs. That's not bad at all for a 5 yr old pack. This confirms the original pack is still in great shape.

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Putting together and testing a replacement 2s pack for the GU1000C...

As I mentioned earlier, the GU1000C uses 2x NCR18650BD in series to put out 8.4v fully charged. 18650 cells are very easy to acquire and work with. I sourced some Panasonic NCR18650GA 3450mah 10A cells. Bought six, enough to make 3 packs.

These NCR18650GA cells are reliable and very well received by hobbyists. Spot-welding the pack is a piece of cake. Testing the BMS and the pack takes some time. The 2s BMS I tested with is the "HX-2S-A10".

I verified that each of the cells meets or exceeds the rated 3450mah.

Next is the 2s BMS test. Short-circuit protection works, and it has auto-recovery.

Then tested the low-voltage cutoff. Happened around 6.0v, roughly at ~90% of the total pack capacity. This would work just fine.

And finally hooking up the pack with the GU1000C to make sure it would power up.

(Please note, the batteries in the above clips are not the actual batteries to be used in the new pack. I used old batteries while testing the BMS only.)

At this point, I'm ready to put together the 2s pack with the new Panasonic cells. This picture shows the 2 NCR18650GA spot-welded together with the BMS.

The capacity test of the pack shows "3118 mah" for the pack. Although the cells are capable of above 3450mah, the BMS cuts off the voltage at around 6.0v, leaving about 10% of energy still in the pack. This would help the pack maintain a longer lifespan.

Next, I wanted to know how my pack compares to the original pack/bms. So, I tested the capacity of the original 2s pack from the GU1000C.

The original pack has "3002 mah", which means my new 2s pack has 116 mah (1.2 watt/hr) more energy than the original pack. As long as my pack has more energy than the original I'm happy.

This is the new pack after it's been properly wrapped...

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Final thoughts...
I think I can safely say that the Freedom 7 battery can be replaced. The replacement batteries of my choice put out slightly more than the original battery packs. I feel the Panasonic cells are a good choice because they are reliable, predictable, and relatively safe. Although my batteries have a higher capacity rating, the full potential was not realized because of the buffer at both the top and bottom ends decided by the BMS'. But at least the new packs performed better than the original packs.

What's next? I would like to perform a runtime test of the SS on the water and see how much energy the SS consumes. In order words, how long does the pack last. I think that's what really matters.

I would also like to test out those UF103450P/N cells that I found in China websites. I think I'll order a set to build a pack and test it. I'm always wary of batteries sold in Chinese websites because you'd never know what you'll get. If they perform according to specs, it means you won't need to modify the enclosure of the GU1000A/B. Simply de-solder the old pack and solder in the new pack. Almost as simple as swapping the 2s pack for the GU1000C.

Since the GU1000A/B do not provide a way to show battery voltage, and knowing the voltage level of the pack could help you maintain the battery life, I'm planning to add a voltage meter inside the enclosure of the GU1000A/B. Just waiting for parts.

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With all that say, I have a few new battery packs for the Freedom 7. PM me if you need one. First come first served. $40 for the GU1000C, $60 for the GU1000A/B. This would help recoup my material and shipping costs. It took me 2-3hrs to build a 2s pack, and 4-5 hrs for the 3s pack, not to mention the time spent on testing. Each pack has been tested to work correctly, and exceeds the factory specs. If there's enough interest, I may produce a small batch of them in the future.

Hope this info is useful to someone.
--ernest

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Update : 09/14/2022

I tested those UF103450P/N cells from China (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2251832767916373.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.740e1802ft5lAs). They claim to be Panasonic cells with 2350 mah. After looking at them in my hand, I doubt they are genuine Panasonic cells. My expectations on these are cells are low, but I went ahead and put together a pack anyway and ran some tests. It turns out they do hold their advertised capacity, but I wouldn't be able to verify how well they'll hold up in a long run. I ran 5 cycles on these cells. They were pretty spot on with their claimed capacity. This pack has 25% more capacity than the one in my original GU1000B.

So, if you were to put together a pack like this, you wouldn't need to clip any tabs on the lower enclosure. It would be a drop-in replacement for your depleted SS battery pack for GU1000A/B.

Here's the pack I put together.

And here are some capacity tests.

General Talk / Lost and found at MBK 8/22

« on: August 22, 2021, 10:59:54 PM »

I found something at the beach near MBK while launching today. If you lost something, let me know what you lost and what time you launched. It might just be yours.

For Sale / Diawa Saltist Star Drag reels $100 off

« on: November 10, 2020, 01:46:31 AM »

Just fyi,
TackleDirect has a $100 off Sale event going on for Diawa Saltist Star drag reels (Power Gear models).
https://www.tackledirect.com/daiwa-saltist-star-drag-conventional-reels.html

ernest

Craftsmen's Corner / DIY baitwell for anchovies

« on: May 10, 2020, 09:27:02 PM »

I bought a DIY baitwell from ncka before, but because it was a rectangular tank, I couldn't keep anchovies alive for very long. I've searched around and found a few designs, but not satisfy any of them. I finally built one from a 10 ga trashcan. Last week I had a chance to test it with almost 1/2 scoop of anchovies. The baitwell allowed the anchovies to swim in a vortex. They seemed very happy. Only a dozen dead after six hours of fishing.

The thing that makes my tank different is that I 3D-printed the rubber gaskets to conform to the contour of the bin on one side, and flat on the other side. (Green gaskets in the video.) This allows the fittings to locked in without warping the bin.

Also, the intake scoop is 3D-printed. I couldn't force myself to buy a Hobie baitwell intake for $12 plus $5 to ship. The one I made probably costs $0.25.

Thanks for looking,
ernest

Craftsmen's Corner / Modded seat for Hobie AI - updated

« on: May 10, 2020, 09:06:33 PM »

UPDATED - See post #5.

A few folks on the forum had modded their seat for the older model AI. I always wanted to replace my factory seat. After scoring a boat seat for $50, that motivated me to mod it for my 2012 AI. I hated the AI for the fact that you're sitting in a puddle all day right when you get in the water. Now I love my AI. I've used the seat a few times already and it is comfy and keeps my ass dry.

I should add that this is only a prototype. I'm looking for a good way to attach the seat. Until then, I'll just have it attached in back of the seat.

rgds,
ernest

Craftsmen's Corner / Electric Downrigger prototype

« on: February 04, 2020, 11:33:10 PM »

This is not a how-to, but I want to show my electric DR prototype. It was converted from a Scotty Laketroller. I was inspired by Tote's project a few years back, which you can find the link in my video description.
The main reason why I chose to create my own is because there isn't a commercial electric DR that is small and light enough to be installed on a kayak. I bought the motor about two years ago. I didn't work on it until a couple of months ago because the motor is in an odd shape. It's very difficult to mount it. I finally came up with a simple mount for it using a 3D-printer. After that, everything else was not that difficult.

The motor was purchased on ebay...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Makermotor-3-8-D-Shaft-gear-motor-12v-dc-Wireless-Remote-Control-Momentary/371055509341
, but the remote control feature broke before I was ready to put together this project. Besides, turning the motor on was too torquey, so I ended up just using the motor with a PWM which I purchased here...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MAX-10-50V-2000W-40A-12V-24V-48V-DC-Motor-Speed-Control-PWM-HHO-RC-Controller/201399689235

All the orange color parts were fabricated with my 3D-printer.

I will reduce the size and weight of this setup when I decide on the final design.

Thanks for looking.

ernest

For Sale / Sold - kayak live bait well

« on: August 18, 2019, 08:13:20 PM »

It's been sitting in my garage for years. It's yours for $50. I bought it from another ncka guy, who told me it was made by Ariel. Comes with a 6v SLA charger. The original 6v battery was dead long ago. You'll need to supply your own battery. The pump is rated at 12v, but the flow rate seems right with a 6v battery.

Thanks for looking.
ernest

General Fishing Tips / What's the difference between Lowrance TotalScan and TripleShot transducers?

« on: November 27, 2018, 06:16:20 PM »

Confusing as hell. I have a Lowrance Ti-7 with TotalScan already. I am in need of another transducer for my second kayak. Trying to undestand the difference between a TripleShot transducer and a TotalScan transducer. I always thought they were the same, but they differ by $150 in price. Someone please school me.

thx,
ernest