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Thread: Battery question

  1. #1
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    Default Battery question


    My company is installing new emergency lights and is getting rid of several 12 volt batteries for them. They are fairly small, maybe 2 in. thick and 6 in. long and rated at 7.0 amp hours. My question is would these be worth keeping and maybe putting several in a box and wiring in parallel to run lights at night? How long could I expect them to power a light before fully discharging. I believe the light I normally use pulls 3.5 amps....2 hours per battery? Thanks

  2. #2
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    sry chip, no idea. Sounds like it might be more touble than it is worth if 2 hours is all you might get out of them before charging.
    Reaper, Where Fish come to Fry

  3. #3
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    Thanks, I was thinking maybe if I wired about 4 or 5 in parallel, I could get 8-10 hours. 5 together would still fit in a shoebox.

  4. #4
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    I've been told that running a battery past half of the amps starts damaging the battery.

    I've also understood that the faster one draws the amps, the fewer amps one will get from the battery.

    Battery boxes are good for lots of things. Even a break away box to apply electric brakes of towed vehicle.

  5. #5
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    Default I think it would work

    Quote Originally Posted by Chiplifter
    My company is installing new emergency lights and is getting rid of several 12 volt batteries for them. They are fairly small, maybe 2 in. thick and 6 in. long and rated at 7.0 amp hours. My question is would these be worth keeping and maybe putting several in a box and wiring in parallel to run lights at night? How long could I expect them to power a light before fully discharging. I believe the light I normally use pulls 3.5 amps....2 hours per battery? Thanks
    I personally would give it a try. I have a coonhunting buddy that used a 4volt emergence light battery (a lot cheaper than a "wheat light" battery) for his head light. He left it on tell it ran down from full charge and he said it was on for over 18 hours. I think he used a 10 amp hour battery but the more you tie together the higher this will be.
    _____________________

    may your livewells stay full, and your rods stay bent.

    Kevin

  6. #6
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    wired together they should work fine. since you are using a light that draws half the power of the batts, make sure that you recharge them immediately when finished to keep them from going completely dead. They may not recharge fully if run dead. Dead doesn't always mean that it doesnt' have enough power to run a light but it's close. the only problem that I can see with this is if one battery in the bunch is bad then you won't get all the amps you need. Charge them first then test them before you wire all of them up. Just my 2 cents
    Scott

  7. #7
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    Thanks for the responses. I think it's worth a try since they are free. I did try one last night and they seem to run my electric fillet knife and a 12v portable air compressor just fine.

  8. #8
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    Those type of batteries work well with Vexillar(SP?) units, and also portable fish finders too. I use one to run my portable Eagle 320. I also use a pair of them to run a 450GPH bilge pump that circulates water in my cooler type bait live well I made too. These batteries last pretty long if they are used on this low draw type stuff. I just use a trickle charger to recharge them with.

    I'm not sure, but I don't think a number of those type of batteries hooked up in sequence will give you the performance of what just one good deep cell battery will for running your other stuff. My 2 cents anyway. I could be wrong.

    <,"}/>{ Rippa
    Last edited by Tim The Lippa Rippa Mon; 09-08-2005 at 06:04 PM.
    Just one more cast, I promise!
    Common sense isn't all that common these days.
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  9. #9
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    Thanks Tim, I know i'm not gonna get anywhere near what i could get out of a deep cell, but the price is right (free) and I just hate to see something that may be useful go to the dumpster.

  10. #10
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    Thumbs up You're right....

    Quote Originally Posted by Chiplifter
    Thanks Tim, I know i'm not gonna get anywhere near what i could get out of a deep cell, but the price is right (free) and I just hate to see something that may be useful go to the dumpster.
    ...just try different applications ; continue to use what works... :D ....the price is right......I've always said, "If it's free; it's for me".....
    Tighten er down till ya strip it--then back off 1/4 turn..
    HEY,,Y'all watch THIS..........

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