storing aqua vu batt.

[raddeester]

this is my 1st season with the aqua vu (did we get rooked or what with this fast warm up? lol)

anyway, for those whom have this cam what do ya do with the battery in the off season? how often do ya chg it? where ya keep it?  any help would be appreciated, not sure how often ill use it in summer, cant see how it would work off a boat moving but will try it, ....i do have the fin and ballasts

[LoneWolf]

You do the same for the A-V as you would do for the Vex battery. You want to charge it every month or so with the trickle charger - 1/2 amp . You want to store it at room temperature - not freezing but not 90 + degrees either. I store mine in the basement.   

[big walleye]

Lonewolf how long does it take for you to charge your battery. i think mine is finally died. It will not charge anymore. At least i hope it is my battery? What charger do you have for yours?

[LoneWolf]

I have the 1/2 amp charger that came with it and also a 2 amp charger also made by A-V. If I were to charge mine from near empty with the 1/2 amp charger it takes about 12 hours. If I use the 2 amp charger it takes about 3 hours. The 1/2 amp charge is better for the battery in the long run so I try and use that most of the time on my A-V and Vex. If my battery is low on either and I'm going out again I will use the two amp charge just because I don't have the time. 

[big walleye]

Lonewolf this might be a dumb question but how many years do these batteries last. Howdo you know when the battery has called it quits???

[LoneWolf]

It's never a dumb question - that's how we all learn. I've been able to get about 5 years on average from my batteries. I've been doing this for about twenty years now and charging about once a month really does make a difference. A perfect example was a friend of mine who would put it away and forget about it. The second season it was draining sooner and the third season it was shot.
The easy way to know when you need a battery is when it drains quicker. For example if you would normally get 20 hours of use on a Vex with a fully charged battery and now after 10 hours you're three quarters low. You can probably finish out the season but you'll need a new one next season. Once they start discharging quicker it only goes downhill.
I doubt after one season the battery is shot - it's probably something else. After the battery is fully charged I would check the connections to the battery, check the fuse and check the camera connection.
                                         Good luck !

[big walleye]

thank-you very much lonewolf. the battery is actually three years old,. The camera however is new. I will however double check everything you mentioned. How do you know when your battery is charged?

[LoneWolf]

The only way I know how to check if the battery is charged without an indicator light is with a volt meter. While the battery is charging test to see the voltage. You want it to be at least 14.5 volts but not more than 15 volts. Hope this helps !

[big walleye]

Lonewolf that is great informantion. Thank you very much and good luck fishing.