aerator electrical question

[Castaway]

Forgive me if this is a stupid question...Is it possible to take a standard aerator that you would use in an aquarium, cut the plug, attach clips to the end so that it can be attached to a deep cycle battery? Or would this not even work?

Currently I use an AC to DC converter off of a deep cycle battery and from my research this conversion depletes the battery faster.  I have tried to research this in depth more, but am not always understanding what I can and cant do. I used to run just the portable battery operated pumps but that gets old quick when you are away from a power source for a week at a time and constantly changing batteries.

Any help pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[buz23]

Most aquarium pumps are vibrating membrane type and that requires AC (120V).  So no, you can't take one and hitch it to a battery.  Either buy one made for batteries or get a small inverter.

[Kevin23]

No. But I will suggest you get one of the ac/dc ones that have batteries plus a wall plug. They are real nice. Runs 2 full days on 2 batteries and then you can just plug it in to the wall when you get home to save batteries.

Hard to believe nobody has come up with a rechargeable pump yet.

[fishermantim]

It's a conspiracy with the Goverment and the battery companies!
They want us to keep buying batteries to fuel the war on the piping plover and the boll-weevil!

Seriously, that would just be too logical!

(Sounds like a "shark-tank" idea!)

[Castaway]

Was trying to save some money but I guess I will just have to buy a DC aerator that I can connect to a 12 volt. Thanks for the help.

[taxi1]

A DC is pretty cheap to aerate minnows for a fishing trip if that's what you're trying to do. No sense in going to all that trouble.

[thomasthepikehunter]

A battery powered one can be had for around $10, but they are designed to run on D batteries. I have not actually looked, but if memory is correct, they are connected in parallel. This means they are designed to run on 1.5 volts. The only 12 volt aerators that you can connect to a deep cell I have seen are for live wells, and are very expensive. There are some rechargeable ones on the market that you plug in. When my current aerator dies, I am going to get the one in the link below. It even has a  car plug in, but I think it only allow it run on on that. It won't charge your batteries. There is a mod I do to mine that makes them run much longer, but at the cost that it makes them much louder. I should post a picture how-to some time. Its hard to describe, but the hole that the electric motor goes into is very close fitting, so the pump is quiet. What this does is cause drag which makes the pump less efficient. I drill out the hole to the next side bigger and use grease on it. It gives a little slop so the pump is louder, but it will run much longer.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Marine-Metals-Two-Way-Bubbles-Portable-Aerator/701080.uts?productVariantId=1208691&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=45-21522469-2&WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=00056482&rid=20

[Castaway]

That aerator from cabelas comes with a 12 volt adapter (cigarette lighter)...would that work if I cut the DC plug off and just directly connected it to a 12 volt battery? Why does something like that unit work with 12 volt or 110 volt adapters and a standard plug in the wall unit only good for 110 volt wall outlet?

[thomasthepikehunter]

The way I plan on doing it is you can get those female cigarette plug adapters for less than $10, that has clips on it. That way you can use it off a battery, or still off a car if you want. Its how I charge my phone in my fish house right now, and it works great.

here is the adapter.

http://www.amazon.com/Roadpro-Battery-Clip-On-Cigarette-Lighter/dp/B00065L2D8

The reason some work on 110v and other on 12v, and others on 1.5v is how they convert the energy. If you plug something meant for 110v into a 12v source, it most likely wouldn't work at all. 12v appliance into 110v and something fries. That big plug on a cigarette plug converts 12v to whatever a phone uses, which is 5v if I'm not mistaken. I am not an expert on these kinds of electronics, but if they follow the same laws as transformers, plugging a 12v to 5v adaptor into 110v would put 45.8v into your device. Not a good thing.

[Castaway]

Ill have to buy one and try it out. Thank you for the help

[Pieholeo]

I had the same thought cut an old one from the aquarium ended up having to get inverter

[Kevin23]

Absolutely not!! The adapter turns it from 12v to 3v. Putting clips and going straight to 12v will fry it.

[thomasthepikehunter]

Absolutely not!! The adapter turns it from 12v to 3v. Putting clips and going straight to 12v will fry it.

Good catch. I only thought could it be done, I never thought should it be done. The only real way is to get that adapter I posted to clip it to a battery. I have modified my post.

[Kevin23]

Or buy a female 12v electrical port (cig lighter) with pigtails and attach clips to those. Then plug your cig adapter cord into it. Should cost about $5 to set up.

[MT JigMan]

Marine metal power bubbles air pump looks like what you are looking for.  Not the least expensive option but is designed to do exactly what you have posted.  Hook the clips to any 12 volt battery and be done.  My friend has one and we use it to transport minnows to the lake and then put it in his boats baitwell for overnight trips.  Would imagine you could run a pump like this for days on a 7ah battery like most flashers use.

[thomasthepikehunter]

Or buy a female 12v electrical port (cig lighter) with pigtails and attach clips to those. Then plug your cig adapter cord into it. Should cost about $5 to set up.

I already mentioned this, I even put a link to one.

[Kevin23]

Sorry, I didn't see your link on my phone. I see it now on the PC.

[prospector]

I took my Frabill battery unit and hard wired it to a male USB connector. I power it on the lake with Dewalt or Milwaukee batteries attached to a USB device that both companies sell. Works great. Can even run it in the car on the way to and from the lake with a cigarette adaptor. Good luck!

[Idahogator]

With all this wire twisting ~ who has not experienced a smoke test ?   

[Kevin23]

I took my Frabill battery unit and hard wired it to a male USB connector. I power it on the lake with Dewalt or Milwaukee batteries attached to a USB device that both companies sell. Works great. Can even run it in the car on the way to and from the lake with a cigarette adaptor. Good luck!

I bet it kicks butt at 5v too!

[prospector]

I bet it kicks butt at 5v too!
[/quote
I use a one gallon bucket and have to turn it off once in awhile. The minnows start looking like Richard Simmons if they don't get a rest.