Battery for running a Bravo BTP12 Digital Pump

[Flamair]

Hi All

I'm gradually getting my kit together for a summer of boating!

I've a Yamaha STi 3.1 and have a nice shiny Bravo BTP12 pump.

I was intending getting a small battery for my 8hp Yamaha to run a few low power accessories, as the engine is fitted with a charging system. It occurred to me that perhaps I could use the battery as a 12v power source for the pump also, to save using the car and allow easier inflation of the boat at home (the drive is nowhere near the back garden!)

Is this feasible? If so, what size/capacity 12v battery would peeps recommend? I used to use a beefy leisure battery in my 18ft cabin cruiser days, but obviously want to keep weight and size to a minimum on a 3.1m SIB. My motorcycle has a 12v 5ah battery, but I'm thinking this size would be too small for the demands of the pump...

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. Over to you chaps!

Ian

[Fenlander]

Error.

[jeffstevens763@g]

i do as you are contemplating 8 amp battery cost £30 charged from the engine running a chart-plotter, radio, with a aux socket for charging my phone.
also will pump up my boat 3.65 SIB without the engine running [bravo 12 v]

cheers

[Fenlander]

In my experience with new 7ah batteries the Bravo takes a fair whack out of them fully inflating a SIB with an HP inflatable floor. So different to Jeff it would be a personal thing for me to use a second battery to inflate the SIB from the one you use on it.... which is what I do. 12AH to inflate then a 7ah on board for my GPS/Sounder.

I do not have charging on the outboard at the moment but even if I did I'd say the same.

I've found having the 12AH to enable inflating remotely from the car very handy but using it for a year to daily inflate has reduced the capacity loads... by about 50%. I guess this is due to battery quality or that many don't like being drained to almost nothing??

I never carry the Bravo on the boat but take the manual pump for emergencies.

[jeffstevens763@g]

if your pumping up on the slip then use the car but if you do carry the pump, pump up whilst the engine is running, i honestly found no problem then i do carry the mandraulic pump too just in case.

[simonafloat]

i have the bravo pump with bravo battery. its a 7ah which i have found is just enough to fully inflate my aerotec 420.

i now inflate on the slip using the car battery and use the 7ah battery exclusively for the vhf and phone charging. the bravo hand pump is stowed on the boat for emergencies.

the bravo pump and battery came in a very nice large padded case with a shoulder strap. this is now used to house the vhf, battery, boat spares, tool kit and first aid kit. works much better on an inflatable than a solid wooden box crashing around.

simon

[ShinyShoe]

So a Bravo draws up to 20A in high pressure mode. Most people say they are inflating for about 10 mins. So about 3.3Ah per inflation if it was all in HP mode, but probably only half of it is so say 2Ah per inflation. A 7Ah battery probably shouldn't drop below 50% charge. Most people say they can get 2 inflations per charge which kinda fits.

You can pick up these small alarm batteries pretty cheap. The alternative is a jump start pack... ...I know of at least one guy with a console that used to have one inside it... it had a built in isolator on it... why not!

If you are going to run electronics on board you need to work out what they draw. Will they run with engine off at all? If so how long during the day? And whats the charging output of the alternator at tick over...

I'd have thought you might be wanting to aim for 15Ah alarm battery?

[willk]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

I'd have thought you might be wanting to aim for 15Ah alarm battery?

Interestingly, I've just dropped back to a VERY old 15Ah sealed battery from my usual 32Ah lawnmower battery. It deals with inflate/deflate without any fuss (on my 2.7m airfloor) and the charger says the battery is almost full when I RTB. I always charge between use - why not?