battery problem and my led light.

[Josef]

I bought a 20,000 lumen green fishing light with the intent of using it for hog hunting. I am using a 12 volt battery typically used for a game feeder. My problem is that it drew the voltage down to 3.9 volts and now the battery shows fully charged at 9 volts. I did basically the same thing with another battery. I feel relatively sure the batteries are basically ruined. I intend to test them soon. What is it I'm not understanding. Use fairly basic language please.

 

[85Hokie]

Josef,

we need to know some spec's on light(S) -

what is the "wattage" that will be consumed?

what is the volt rating? - is this meant to be used on a 12v dc battery?

the lumens is the light "power" the higher the lumens - the more light you have a distance, but......typically, more lumens, more amps are used - thus more draw on the battery.

fill us in on the "blanks"

 

[Josef]

Basically all the add says is that it's a 12/120 volt night light at 20,000 lumens. On the light itself is even less. Basically where it's made etc. I read other compatible adds and still learned nothing.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Link to the ad would help, or a link to the actual fixture you are using.

 

[85Hokie]

Basically all the add says is that it's a 12/120 volt night light at 20,000 lumens. On the light itself is even less. Basically where it's made etc. I read other compatible adds and still learned nothing.

Here is an example :

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T9H5PJ6/ref=psdc_14107631_t3_B01I5I9YG4

it is saying that it is about 18,000 Lumens....(that's a hellva lot of light BTW)

and it will use 180 watts! SO - if they were on, and the "tractor" was off - that would be 180 divided by 12.5 ish = which would be about 14+ amps! It would kill a battery in minutes or a good battery in an hour or less.

With a running tractor - and the alternator pumping out amps - it will still consume 12+ amps.

Either way, that is a lot of a juice on a circuit in the 12 volt world.

 

[Josef]

This is the add that I bought my light from.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01189TXYU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We hooked the light up and ran it for 2 days straight and it hadn't noticeably dimmed. Before I put it on the charger I checked the voltage and discovered I had a problem. This is a small battery that puts out 7 watts.

https://www.amazon.com/Volt-Amp-Hou...d=1481828447&sr=1-19&keywords=12+volt+battery

 

[Tooljunkie]

also what are you charging battery with? Fast charge is no good for something rapidly discharged. This is the case here. A 2 to 5 amp charge over 24 hours is the only way to recover from a fast and deep discharge.

Best to use a deep cycle battery if you need to continue this way.
7 amp hour battery is good for 7 hours at 1 amp draw. I'd say you killed it.gel batteries require a specific type of charger.

 

[85Hokie]

This is the add that I bought my light from.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01189TXYU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We hooked the light up and ran it for 2 days straight and it hadn't noticeably dimmed. Before I put it on the charger I checked the voltage and discovered I had a problem. This is a small battery that puts out 7 watts.

https://www.amazon.com/Volt-Amp-Hou...d=1481828447&sr=1-19&keywords=12+volt+battery

What WAS the problem with the battery? That it would not charge? Like Tj said, a battery that has been drained at a constant load - needs to be charged a small amount and a longer time.

I think you need a better battery than that - a car battery would suite your needs much better than that one.

 

[scdeerslayer]

Are you hanging this under a feeder and letting it run all the time? I would use a marine deep cycle battery and also try to find a photocell so it's not running during the day, and maybe a timer also to turn if off at some point during the night if you don't plan on sitting there all night. Have the timer wired before the photocell and set it to turn on in the middle of the day.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Yea that battery is #1 the wrong type for this kind of an operation, and #2 Way to small of a battery.

That lamp was designed to run on a pair of 12volt 800 (or so) amp deep cycle batteries in a boat.

 

[Josef]

I bought a deep cell marine battery. States it has 845 marine cranking amps and that it has 122 amp hours. I installed a remote control switch on it so guess I am now decently set up. I certainly want to thank everyone for their help. This light fairly well lights up a decent size field.

The charger I had for the other small batteries was a 12 volt with a 800 ma output. When I would try and charge up the batteries it would quit charging around 8 volts and state it was fully charged. They are now useless for about any applications.