Need someone who knows 12v batteries

[MichiganHunter]

Ok if you know a web-site or if you just know your self I need help.

Q. I am going to bow fish this summer and have gotten a set of 250w lights and I was going to buy a 12v to 110 converter so I could use the total 500w lights as my lighting set up. But I was just wondering how long I would get off a deep cycle marine battery running at 500w draw. I was planning on taking 2-3 batteries for the lights alone...so who's the smartest on here and can answer this or find a website about this, THANK YOU ALL FOR LOOKING AND ANSWERING.

[92xj]

Ok if you know a web-site or if you just know your self I need help.

Q. I am going to bow fish this summer and have gotten a set of 250w lights and I was going to buy a 12v to 110 converter so I could use the total 500w lights as my lighting set up. But I was just wondering how long I would get off a deep cycle marine battery running at 500w draw. I was planning on taking 2-3 batteries for the lights alone...so who's the smartest on here and can answer this or find a website about this, THANK YOU ALL FOR LOOKING AND ANSWERING.

what size converter are you going to purchase and also are you going to have the batteries being able to be charged off an alternator on the motor?

[mike]

I think it will depend on how big of a deep cycle marine battery you have. How much reserve power and cold cranking amps it is rated for.

[MichiganHunter]

what size converter are you going to purchase and also are you going to have the batteries being able to be charged off an alternator on the motor?

It's a 750 max operation with a 1500 peak, and no just hooking right to the batt's as it's in my flat bottom boat.

[Texan_Til_I_Die]

First off, if your lights are florescent, it probably won't work. If they're incandescent, you'll need at least a 600W inverter (not a converter). Not sure about the run time, since the inverter will also drain the battery. I'd guess it would run a couple of hours, but don't quote me on that. All the bowfishing boats I see have gasoline generators running their lights.

BTW - When not in use, turn off both the lights AND the inverter, or you'll have one very dead battery.

[MichiganHunter]

First off, if your lights are florescent, it probably won't work. If they're incandescent, you'll need at least a 600W inverter (not a converter). Not sure about the run time, since the inverter will also drain the battery. I'd guess it would run a couple of hours, but don't quote me on that. All the bowfishing boats I see have gasoline generators running their lights.

BTW - When not in use, turn off both the lights AND the inverter, or you'll have one very dead battery.

I'll remember to shut that stuff off, I would like to run a generator but I'm in college and cant afford one, and no they are not florescent they are halogen.

[wtnhunt]

Running that high a wattage constant you are not going to get much run time with one battery. Two batteries will get you a bit more, how much will vary depending on the batteries you are using. Think the inverter you are considering(750 watt) will work just fine though for those lights. If it were me, I would get a battery isolator, and connect to the boats main 12 volt power supply so the additional batteries will charge when the motor is running.

[redkneck]

Dude, for 500 watts, you need a generator. 500 watts is a demand, not a deep cycle job. For the money, just get one of those small generators.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66516

[Leo]

You probably can simply hook the light directly to the 12v deep cycle battery without any extra equipment. Incandescent lights are essentially resistors, they don't need AC to work.

You won't get full 250Watt brightness out of the light because that rating is based on an input voltage of 110V. But it might be bright enough for you.