HDS Battery Life and Charting Question - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

TCS · 01-29-2011, 05:17 PM

I've been playing with my new toy. Its pretty amazing, although the battery life is shorter than I expected. I picked up a new 12v battery at fastlane and its giving me just about 6 hours with a full charge. Does that sound about right?

I did have the screen on the brightest setting today.

Also, I did get the GPS model but not with nautic insight. Anybody know about a cheap option to get more detailed charts of our local waters into the unit?

In terms of the fishing today. Still slow, although the squid was plentiful around the corner in 120. A lot of squid were at the surface spawning in broad daylight. Got one with my hand when it swam up to the boat.

Go anyway, its super nice out there.

wade · 01-29-2011, 07:33 PM

my battery lasts all day 9/10hrs+, fished all day & hooped just the other night no prob.i was contemplating getting the nautic plainum card, but i will prob wait, considering the nautic stock maps are really detailed already with the 50/200 .

THE DARKHORSE · 01-29-2011, 09:37 PM

Hey Tom, from my experience the Hi Def units are more efficient and easier on the battery in general. I'm guessing you have a bunk battery, did you check it with a volt meter? If it's a 12V/12 amp it should last longer than that. I use a 12 volt/ 14 amp so I don't have to even think about it. When your sonar dies---it sucks!

I could be wrong, but I believe the high powered, color units will automatically turn off when it gets down to 10 amps. It's not like a bait-tank pump that will run until the battery is dead.

And I'd have to agree with Wade on the stock nautic map with the HDS 5---it's pretty bad a$$ if you asked me. In my opinion, you'd be wasting money unless you're fishing with that unit offshore.

TCS · 01-29-2011, 10:51 PM

Thanks, turns out I have software version 2.5. There have been updates two updates since then. Hopefully the update will help with the stock charting because right now it's a little underwhelming.

I'll talk to Jared about the battery and see what he thinks.

01-29-2011, 05:17 PM	#1
TCS Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 478	HDS Battery Life and Charting Question I've been playing with my new toy. Its pretty amazing, although the battery life is shorter than I expected. I picked up a new 12v battery at fastlane and its giving me just about 6 hours with a full charge. Does that sound about right? I did have the screen on the brightest setting today. Also, I did get the GPS model but not with nautic insight. Anybody know about a cheap option to get more detailed charts of our local waters into the unit? In terms of the fishing today. Still slow, although the squid was plentiful around the corner in 120. A lot of squid were at the surface spawning in broad daylight. Got one with my hand when it swam up to the boat. Go anyway, its super nice out there.

01-29-2011, 07:33 PM	#2
wade Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,214	my battery lasts all day 9/10hrs+, fished all day & hooped just the other night no prob.i was contemplating getting the nautic plainum card, but i will prob wait, considering the nautic stock maps are really detailed already with the 50/200 . __________________

01-29-2011, 09:37 PM	#3
THE DARKHORSE Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Seven minutes from the launch! Posts: 987	Hey Tom, from my experience the Hi Def units are more efficient and easier on the battery in general. I'm guessing you have a bunk battery, did you check it with a volt meter? If it's a 12V/12 amp it should last longer than that. I use a 12 volt/ 14 amp so I don't have to even think about it. When your sonar dies---it sucks! I could be wrong, but I believe the high powered, color units will automatically turn off when it gets down to 10 amps. It's not like a bait-tank pump that will run until the battery is dead. And I'd have to agree with Wade on the stock nautic map with the HDS 5---it's pretty bad a$$ if you asked me. In my opinion, you'd be wasting money unless you're fishing with that unit offshore. __________________

01-29-2011, 10:51 PM	#4
TCS Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 478	Thanks, turns out I have software version 2.5. There have been updates two updates since then. Hopefully the update will help with the stock charting because right now it's a little underwhelming. I'll talk to Jared about the battery and see what he thinks.