Battery box - Piggyback terminal connectors and Charging questions

[Tonus]

I'm making a battery box for my Garmin Striker fish finder.
I've currently got the fish finder's power cable connected to a 12v 7.0Ao lead acid battery with female crimp spade connectors but wanted to make something that had a few more connections.

I was going to use piggyback crimp terminal connectors to the battery - one connector going to the Garmin and one to one of these switch panels:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CCHTR7...fed_asin_title

... does that sound like a good idea? So that the power on/off switch that is on the Panel panel turns on the various connections USB/Cig lighter etc and the other connection to the fishfinder is 'Always on' as it were (not affected by the switch).

I'm pretty new to this so any advice welcomed!


Here's a link to the piggyback terminals:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09XGZTM...fed_asin_title

[Aquaplanning]

If it's only the fishfinder that is hooked up to it it will be fine. Power consumption is very low, way below what these terminals are made for.

Make sure to use a good crimper tool. Not the flat type of pliers that you can buy in the supermarket.

[Tonus]

Aqua - thanks for getting back. So do you mean if I were just running the Fishfinder and the charging panel powered on (both together) I'd be ok?

Good to know re the terminals - I'm learning about all this as I go along...

I also meant to ask about how I might introduce charging of the battery to this setup? Is there a way to do it without unplugging everything and charging the battery independently?

[jeffstevens763@g]

https://www.rib.net/forum/f50/excel-...tch-82660.html

This is my fit out with electrics might help page 10.

I’d get a gel battery much safer OMO

[Tonus]

That's helpful, thanks. I think my setup is way simpler but the essence of it is the same.

[Pikey Dave]

Have a look on here from post #12
https://www.rib.net/forum/f50/excel-...ead-82696.html

[Tonus]

Thanks Dave - I see the piggyback connectors on your battery too. What's the socket to the right of your usb? Is it and SAE for charging?

[Pikey Dave]

That’s a Carling switch for switching the USB on/off. I have a fly lead hard wired into the battery box that goes to the engine & mates via a Bucaneer plug/socket for charging the battery. I had to fit a regulator kit to the engine & then feed it into a Buck regulator to charge the Lithium battery. 4 years on & still going strong.

[User name]

Originally Posted by Tonus

Aqua - thanks for getting back. So do you mean if I were just running the Fishfinder and the charging panel powered on (both together) I'd be ok?

Good to know re the terminals - I'm learning about all this as I go along...

I also meant to ask about how I might introduce charging of the battery to this setup? Is there a way to do it without unplugging everything and charging the battery independently?

You could add one of these to the panel you're using, or directly to the box itself. It's an SAE 2 pin that's used on all sorts of 12v charging systems.



I'd add in an inline fuse on the charging circuit,and another on the feed to the switched panel, just incase anything shorts out or the wiring behind comes loose etc.

[Tonus]

That's great thanks - I only just learnt about these pins...