Off season Ion care/service

[Roccus]

Today was a sadder day than yesterday, I emptied my truck  washed my ice fishing  clothes and stowed my gear..
Electric augers are simple, but a few things you can do can make them good for next season.
First remove the flighting. Clean the stub ends and screws  with solvent,( brake clean works well) do the same with the screws that hold  everything in place. Pay special attention  to the  condition of the   6x1.0 mm grade 8 screw that holds the flighting to the quick release or power head, if it worn.( see picture) Replace it it could save your flighting from going to Davey Jones Locker) lightly grease the stub ends and apply a small amount of blue loctite to the treads of the screws( using blue allows to to take it apart, red Is peminant)
Tighten all the screws, at this time, check the handle screws and screws that retain the bearing on the drive housings, spray  the blades with a silicone based lubricant this will prevent rust, replace the blade protector  and remove and charge the battery, once charged do not reinstall it, I like to clean the contacts with contact cleaner, store in a soft sided cooler ..

[ScotNH]

Great advice. This type of maintenance is definitely worth the time and effort. Thanks for sharing.

[800stealth]

I still haven't unloaded the Yukon and your stuff is ready for next season lol.
Solid advice, go through it all now before you store it and no problems come 1st ice...

[Roccus]

I still haven't unloaded the Yukon and your stuff is ready for next season lol.
Solid advice, go through it all now before you store it and no problems come 1st ice...

Got up at 4:30 , ate breakfast  and got to it, stored my smitty up overhead in the garage, my wife and I took the winter cover off the koi pond, cleaned the filter and trimmed  the plants, I had fish on ice from Thursday that needed cleaning, after I finished.. I looked at the boat and pulled the cover.. one season  ended, aother begins.

[AQUAASSASSIN]

Well done!

[SALMONEMIA]

Got up at 4:30 , ate breakfast  and got to it, stored my smitty up overhead in the garage, my wife and I took the winter cover off the koi pond, cleaned the filter and trimmed  the plants, I had fish on ice from Thursday that needed cleaning, after I finished.. I looked at the boat and pulled the cover.. one season  ended, aother begins.

Nothing is over.

[AQUAASSASSIN]

Nothing is over.

John Rambo!

[Roccus]

Nothing is over.

It's not over until WE say it is.. it wasn't over when the Germans bombed pearl harbor .. and it's not over now(thank you  Bluto-animal house)

I guess you are right, it's not over, this is next!

[mowbizz]

It's not over until WE say it is.. it wasn't over when the Germans bombed pearl harbor .. and it's not over now(thank you  Bluto-animal house)

I guess you are right, it's not over, this is next!

LMAO...love that movie. Beauty haddock there!

[Lv2hunt]

Nice looking haddock cant wait till trips this summer water looks really calm must of been a good day

[Guinea]

I was going to ask about the battery, so now I know, thank you! I knew to keep it removed, but wasn't sure if I should fully charge it or not first.

Most of my gear stays in the car until the snow melts. The path isn't easy to drag gear through, and one year my portable went for a ride down the hill when I lost control lol.

[mowbizz]

Preventative maintenance is absolutely a good thing!
Regarding my Ion, I just take the battery off and hang the whole unit from my basement wall from bungees. Zero moisture in my basement, thankfully so I’ve never had rust/corrosion issues. Actually, when I was ice fishing I was always a stationary fisherman... No running and gunning so rarely did my battery ever go below a full charge. 2 holes in the bobhouse and 2 for outside traps. More holes were drilled when moving the shack for tiedowns of course.
Much respect for your methods of preventative maintenance and fab work Roccus...some of us are a bit lazy, me included, and tend to only “maintain” if a problem is noticed. We get by. 

[Roccus]

Preventative maintenance is absolutely a good thing!
Regarding my Ion, I just take the battery off and hang the whole unit from my basement wall from bungees. Zero moisture in my basement, thankfully so I’ve never had rust/corrosion issues. Actually, when I was ice fishing I was always a stationary fisherman... No running and gunning so rarely did my battery ever go below a full charge. 2 holes in the bobhouse and 2 for outside traps. More holes were drilled when moving the shack for tiedowns of course.
Much respect for your methods of preventative maintenance and fab work Roccus...some of us are a bit lazy, me included, and tend to only “maintain” if a problem is noticed. We get by. 

I dont mind lazy people that dont do maintenance, they make me ALOT of money, part of this "how to" was to help prevent a flighting form going to Davey Jones locker... those bolts I high lighted wear and become loose, I'm just trying to save people money.. as far as the battery goes, the reason you want to remove it is just in case it develops a leak or short( even dry cell batteries can split and corrode).. it will save you a massive headache in the form of a corroded auger.. batteries of all types SHOULD be removed and periodical charged ( batteries stored in a discharged state can  sulfate), they will last longer and not potentially destroy your equipment...

[mowbizz]

I dont mind lazy people that dont do maintenance, they make me ALOT of money, part of this "how to" was to help prevent a flighting form going to Davey Jones locker... those bolts I high lighted wear and become loose, I'm just trying to save people money.. as far as the battery goes, the reason you want to remove it is just in case it develops a leak or short( even dry cell batteries can split and corrode).. it will save you a massive headache in the form of a corroded auger.. batteries of all types SHOULD be removed and periodical charged ( batteries stored in a discharged state can  sulfate), they will last longer and not potentially destroy your equipment...

All good tips and all true. Thank you! I do own a 12V power bank which I use to keep my outdoor machine batteries charged and ready on the bench. Very nice unit that can maintain 5 batteries at once. The Ion battery, even when I take it out from storage, still shows a full charge! Amazing!