My FF power supply

How are you guys charging 10 AA batteries?

My charger holds 8 AA batteries. So, I charge 8 then 2. Bought it at Fry's.
I think it came with 8 2000 AA.

Hi all,

This is my first post but how else to start but somewhere. I am mostly a row boat fisherman but sometimes fish from my kayak. Now recognizing (or not) that I am unable to figure out what is going on underneath my boat I have decided to plunge into the world of sonar/fishfinder and electronics. Unfortunately I am a novice when it comes to the world of wires. As I read through the posts on batteries and battery supply I see the value in making something small and portable. I am likely going to use an eagle cuda 168 FF since it has much of what I need and want (small, <$, features, portable) and want to make a AA setup. I am undecided or uncertain on which transducer to use so chime in if you have an opinion here. What I cannot figure out from looking at the pictures and the posts are the supplies I would need to make this work. I will probably get either a clear pelican or the rei clear bag. Would someone be kind enough to actually make a parts list and a place to get the supplies? I already deal with Thomas Distributors for rechargable batts so I know to get the holder from there and saw the link here. But what about all the connectors? I would really like to walk in or call or go to a website and ask for exactly what I need rather than say it is black and about 1/2 inch and I am using it for a kayak and spend the next 20 minutes back and forth trying to get the part I need when there is probably a name for it. (does that make sense?) Also, most of my fishing is freshwater. If it is saltwater fishing than it usually is wading and not from a kayak or boat.

I do have a soldering iron and 22ga wire and I mostly know how to use it.

Many thanks!

You can go to an electric supply store and call them "trailer hitch style connectors" and say they need to carry 12 volts and they should know what you mean.  You will need a pair per install.

print this photo for a pic of one, if you want.

i am on my second set in a year, so I got like 4 pair last time.

You will also need the little shrink-tube nut thingies to connect the wires themselves, no idea what those are called.

Thanks CafeCraig on the trailer hitch style connectors. Where do those get soldered on the battery holder? (do those get soldered on the battery holder). Since I do not have my sonar yet I do not know how the battery supply would be connected to the unit yet but I'm guessing I will have to add some sort of connector like another trailer hitch to the unit as well?!?

I tried looking for an Instructables or YouTube describing this but no luck. Maybe a little too esoteric for the masses but I did find some good woodworking info and ways to sharpen knives!

No probs...  I don't solder them.  If you look inside my dry box there in the pic, you'll see that I have just added an inline fuse to the hot wire and tied that up to the positive wire on the battery holder and wrapped, capped and taped it.    The same thing with the negative wire - just cap and tape inside the battery box.  Then both wires run out the top of the box through a hole I drilled + a wire seal or cable clam (ask your local West Marine).  I didn't solder anything - just twist, cap and tape.

Yes, the second trailer hitch connector is connected to the power wire of the FF unit.  It's the lower wire/connector in the photo you see.  The thick black wire you see at the bottom is to the FF head unit power.  (The FF has 2 cables branch off: power and transducer.)

man, there are some amazing set ups in here!

My ghetto FF power supply: Half of a broken drill and drill battery (14.4 V) + duct tape and drybag.

I get a full day with one battery, the battery clips in, and it is rechargeable.

Oh yeah.  Patent pending 

I like it, Auburn, duct tape & all! 

Do you have to have the piece of the drill for the connections or would it be possible to solder leads to the contact points on the battery? Anyway, I like the recycled use of the broken drill battery and it's still completely rechargeable.

I love it. Recyceled too. I share your same style.

So the 14.4v isnt too much for the ff?
what ff do u have?

I like it, Auburn, duct tape & all! 

Do you have to have the piece of the drill for the connections or would it be possible to solder leads to the contact points on the battery? Anyway, I like the recycled use of the broken drill battery and it's still completely rechargeable.

Thanks!  You could solder leads to the contact points.  I use the old drill connections; with multiple batteries the "clip in" function is very convenient.

I love it. Recyceled too. I share your same style.

So the 14.4v isnt too much for the ff?
what ff do u have?

I have a cheap Humminbird.  It takes between 12 and 15v.

That is so cool of the your power supply for the FF Adam.

Jedmo