Shark Shield - DIVE01 - Battery Modification

While on a trip to Las Vegas for a work trip (2 years ago), I stopped into a Pawn Shop and they happen to have a Shark Shield for $35.00. It had a note that said the battery never worked, otherwise new. So I purchased it and figured I could order a new battery.

I contact them about acquiring a new battery and was told that the unit was no longer supported and to purchase a new unit.

So that lead me to this little project.

I didn't do a great job taking pictures until after I was complete.

Step 1: removed the battery from the unit and split the casing open, found that the original battery cells connection were very poor.

Step 2: removed the cells providing an empty casing with proper connectors (brass) to main unit.

Step 3: drilled two holes in casing for new wires to terminate at a common connector

Step 4: soldered the wires to the connectors, then sealed with wire covering.

Step 5: ran wires through the two predrilled holes, and epoxy sealed.

Step 6: reseal the casing for water proof seal

Step 7: attached common connector to wiring

Step 8: connect and use with battery on kayak for hours and hours of shark free fishing

Happy to answer any questions, here are some pictures which hopefully will help explain the above.
 

Very interested in this mod.  I hate that I get only 6 h of life out of my ss.  Would be nice to be able to attach a larger battery. 

Very interested in this mod.  I hate that I get only 6 h of life out of my ss.  Would be nice to be able to attach a larger battery.

+1

I only get about 5.5 hours out of my SS.

Btw, I was Googling and came across the discussion below. Apparently, they had plans for lots of cool mods to SS, including battery packs that could be swapped out during use. But it looks like nothing came of it, as the post is from 2014...

http://centralcoastkayakfishing.com/cckf/index.php?topic=2242.30

Very interested in this mod.  I hate that I get only 6 h of life out of my ss.  Would be nice to be able to attach a larger battery.

+1

I only get about 5.5 hours out of my SS.

I'm a solid five barely...

That’s the best $35 ever spent in Vegas! 

That must be an older model. My battery has a blue translucent housing.

Yeah, that looks like a different model than the one I bought about 3 yrs ago that has a blue case about 6" across and 1 1/2" deep - sort of a square with rounded corners..  I get about 5-6 hrs out of mine as well, which is more than enough seat time for me.  There's no obvious seams in the case, so I don't know how I'd put it together again if I ever got it open.  By the way, did you replace the batteries or use the original ones?  I just tie mine to the the side of my kayak near where I sit.  It gives a Tens Unit- like mild impulse when I put my hand in the water near it, and a nasty jolt if I touch it.  Never gets snagged in kelp and seems mostly abuse-proof.   

I wrote to Ocean Guardian asking that they make a kayak specific Shark Shield, or have the ability to tap into our FF battery because 5.5 hours isn’t long enough for kayaks. Another issue  I pointed out is that that the on/off switch is difficult to access when in the scupper hole.

First response was that I needed to place it in the scupper hole.

After trying to explain the same thing in a different way I got the second response and gave up.

The second response was that I need to make sure both electrodes are submerged.

Maybe a BOT response?

A few months ago I asked a question about battery life and got the response below.

<support@sharkshield.com> wrote:
​
Life of Lithium Batteries
If the voltage of a lithium-ion cell drops below a certain level, it's ruined. Lithium-ion batteries age. They only last two to three years, even if they are sitting on a shelf unused. So do not "avoid using" the battery with the thought that the battery pack will last five years.

Do Lithium Batteries deteriorate over time
YES, Li-ion battery will degrade over time. This degradation will affect both the charge capacity and the recharge cycle of the battery. There is nothing economical that you can do to protect it.
For Longer Life the simplest way is to charge it and discharge it at periodic intervals.

WHY DON'T YOU WANT TO STORE YOUR BATTERIES FULLY CHARGED?
Lithium-ion batteries; particularly 18650 batteries, which are in your  Ocean Guardian can only be charged for the recommended time of 4-5 hours. Why?  Because the battery life depletes when fully charged and stored at 4.2V; when  you store your lithium-ion batteries at 3.5V your battery life will last  longer. We recommend that you charge your unit before going into the  ocean.

... seems mostly abuse-proof.

This! Several times, I've forgotten that it was in the scupper hole and dragged my kayak over sand an rocks. It seems to be none the worse for the abuse.

I wrote to Ocean Guardian asking that they make a kayak specific Shark Shield, or have the ability to tap into our FF battery because 5.5 hours isn’t long enough for kayaks. Another issue  I pointed out is that that the on/off switch is difficult to access when in the scupper hole.

First response was that I needed to place it in the scupper hole.

After trying to explain the same thing in a different way I got the second response and gave up.

The second response was that I need to make sure both electrodes are submerged.

Maybe a BOT response?

I hang mine off the carry handle on the opposite side of my fishing line on my hobie. Easy to access, more submerged, and a little further away from my line. The Velcro designed to wrap around ankles works well for the handle too. I should probably leash it too...