Portable battery packs?

[bobbob]

I'm trying to find a portable battery pack (preferably lithium) that can support the following:

- can be used to boost a 60HP outboard
- can be used to power a minn Kota 30Amp Max draw for short distances (less than 1 hr run time)
- has a built in *safe* trickle charger that can charge off of 12V (so you could keep it plugged in all the time)
- weighs less than 20 lbs (ideally under 10 for lithium)

Bonus points for extra features like a built in compressor, built in inverter, etc.

Does anyone have any suggestions? The big sticking point seems to be my second criteria. It's difficult to find max amperes draw specs on these portable power packs. I've looked at just raw lithium 12V batteries but I would greatly prefer the convenience of the built in charger, etc.

[Russ]

Yup, the 2nd requirement is the problem.
Most of these things are made for quick jump starts, not long amp discharge.

Why not just a second battery? Cheap and meets your basic requirements. Then buy a compressor and inverter.

--Russ

[bobbob]

I did find the Noco Genius GB70 which claims to support up to 15A from the cigarette lighter socket. This would let me run the minn Kota up to the second highest speed. The problem is that the battery in this unit is only 5AH, so that is only a 20 minute run time. They are coming out with a 10AH model in June. I'm wondering if a cigarette lighter socket can safely support 15A draw for a sustained period of time....

I could just get a 12V lithium battery (Smart Battery for example) but ideally I would like something more turn key for charging and hauling around (I'd keep it in the car during the off season, for example).

[Highlander]

Just remember to check the number recharges it can take a lot of these booster packs r like only good for 300 recharges which is good for what they r designed for average motorist requiring a boost now & then they,ll last for approx 10yrs thats the most I,ve got out of them
But if u r going to be using it a a battery pack for ur electric motor I think u might only get 1yr out of it

J

[bobbob]

Point taken. For my purposes I would expect to use it less than 10 times per year as a tender motor battery so lifespan is less of an issue.

I was looking that the lithium batteries and the smaller size ones still have less than 30A Max draw (you have to go up to the $500 35AH battery before the minn Kota would be unconstrained).

[jrcanoe]

I have a 25 lbs 35ah sealed lead acid that I run my 10ft dinghy with. It is not too bad to lug around for jump starts. I had planned to buy another but after having enough range using it. I will get two 17ah instead to mount on the sides of the daggerboard case. My jump pack won't work for a trolling motor and says to only use the wall-wart.

[bobbob]

I did have a thought - getting two of those Noco packs and wiring them up in parallel should give me the 30 Amps I'm looking for. Starting to get a bit pricey though!

[WASP18]

Check out the reviews and details on this 12v lithium jump start pack. I was impressed when I read about it starting large V8's and diesel engines. I bought one from Costco and it just arrived. Neat little package and lightweight.
http://www.costco.com/Lithium-Jump-Star ... 01&refine=

[Bilgemaster]

With its little 18 Ah lead acid battery, there's probably not enough long term "oomph" in it to push a Minn Kota much further than from a mooring to shore and back, but I've been pretty happy with my "El Cheapo" Harbor Freight 5-in-1 Portable Power Pack. It has a nice little compressor, lights, USB port, 6 and 12 volt cigarette lighter style outlets, and of course jump start cables. Sure, its air pressure gauge is notional at best, and you'd do well to have a proper tire pressure guage handy, and its four lights pointing two forward and two back can't be individually controlled, and the USB for some reason starts an unnecessary cooling fan within, which is really just an extra unnecessary draw on the battery, but these small matters aside, it's a handy bit of all-in-one gear that I use a lot, and they often go on sale for 50-something bucks, which is hard to beat. You could use one of these little 1.5 Watt Solar Chargers to keep up a little "topping up" maintenance charge (though it would not do for any REAL charging), and that charger panel fits rather nicely in the galley window of my 26X with the included suction cups.

Some folks I've seen on YouTube reviews prefer to "go modular" with the 3-in-one unit (which just has dual 12 V outlets, jumper cables and light) on the theory that there's less to go wrong, and then just use a separate compressor, inverter, and whatnot in the 12 volt ports, but it sort of works out the same purchase-wise, and I prefer to just have everything all together right there and handy. Then again. I expect that your best option, given your requirements with the motor, might be to go more suitably "modular" by getting a semi-decent "Wallyworld" Marine or Deep Cycle Battery and a suitable "power station battery box" with a nice handle, external power points, battery meter and 12 volt socket like this one. Minn Kota and others sell similar units.

Anyhow, please let us know what you come up with and how it works out for you, as I and probably many others are literally in a similar boat.

[bobbob]

Thanks guys, but I don't think either fits the requirements. Bilgemaster, if I look at the user manual for your device it says the 12VDC outlets support a max current draw of 12A sustained. WASP18, I don't think your device even has a 12VDC output (other than the booster cables which are designed for maximum output for a brief period, and not for a sustained current draw).

I picked up a Noco Genius GB70 because there was a sale this week. The back of the device explicitly mentions an 18A max draw from the 12VDC outlet. The manual recommends no more than 15A, so it looks like they built some margin into that.

[Bilgemaster]

Thanks guys, but I don't think either fits the requirements. Bilgemaster, if I look at the user manual for your device it says the 12VDC outlets support a max current draw of 12A sustained. WASP18, I don't think your device even has a 12VDC output (other than the booster cables which are designed for maximum output for a brief period, and not for a sustained current draw).

I picked up a Noco Genius GB70 because there was a sale this week. The back of the device explicitly mentions an 18A max draw from the 12VDC outlet. The manual recommends no more than 15A, so it looks like they built some margin into that.

That NOCO GB70 looks like a very fine piece of equipment. It's currently on sale for $199.95 with free shipping on Amazon or from other retailers, so if you paid that or less you did well. My hunch is that the Genius might be a better fit for the uses you have in mind. It's certainly light and compact. As for the Harbor Freight unit, like I said, apart from perhaps very short hops, like to and from a mooring ball and shore, it would not be my first choice to push my portly presence around in the inflatable...and even if I did, I'd make damned sure the oars were there. Also, I probably wouldn't run the motor from the unit's 12V outlet, but rather from the jumper cables. I've had those 12V plugs get REAL hot running less than my fat ass to shore. One virtue of the Harbor Freight 5-in-1 is that it's all there for the grabbing, pretty damned cheap for all that, and it's got a nicely rubberized non-slip case. Still, that Genius is clearly a WAY more sophisticated power system.

[NiceAft]

This has piqued my interest in the NOCO GB70.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Ez_wQgoNc

Ray

[Bilgemaster]

This has piqued my interest in the NOCO GB70.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Ez_wQgoNc

Ray

Honestly though, ain't the redneck TORTURE TEST!!! a more thoroughly entertaining review? I mean, you got your banjo music, your "Hit 'er agin Cleetus!"...just marvelous must-see Americana there. Those are the good ol' boys you'd wanna raft up with on the Tallahachee with a full ice chest of brewskies, I'd wager.

[bobbob]

Paid $199 in Canadian dollars

Its worth reminding again that the downside of the GB70 is that its only a 5AH battery. That means that, at the 15A max draw the battery will only last 20 minutes. This is not practical as a trolling motor in any capacity, however for my purposes for a tender when anchored close to shore it fits my needs. The GB150 coming out in June looks like it will be 10AH for 7.5 lbs.

If I look at the other comparable products in the "lithium ion booster" category, you can find ones up to 18AH that seem to be the same size and weight (and price). However, I have very little confidence that these can deliver the same sustained amperage. I am guessing there are some beefy capacitors in the Noco, or the battery cells are arranged in a way that is more appropriate for high amperage delivery. (If you look at the above redneck video they are starting a V8 with the Noco with the main battery completely disconnected. Most other lithium boosters want you to connect to the main battery and wait 5-10 minutes to get some juice into them first)

[dlandersson]

I've got one. Very happy with it.

I did find the Noco Genius GB70 which claims to support up to 15A from the cigarette lighter socket. This would let me run the minn Kota up to the second highest speed. The problem is that the battery in this unit is only 5AH, so that is only a 20 minute run time. They are coming out with a 10AH model in June. I'm wondering if a cigarette lighter socket can safely support 15A draw for a sustained period of time....

I could just get a 12V lithium battery (Smart Battery for example) but ideally I would like something more turn key for charging and hauling around (I'd keep it in the car during the off season, for example).