Phone chargers

[Tobias Peter]

Hi there, would be great if Scotty had a phone charger that plugs in the downrigger sockets but it doesn’t look like they have? Anyone has a good idea on how to wire in a couple of chargers?

 

[airshot]

I use the multiple lighter sockets on my boat. Even use a 12v to 110 inverter to run my aerated minnow bucket!! The original battery pump lasted one year, the two replacement pumps from the factory lasted one season each... gave up and bought a cheap 110v aerator pump for an aquarium, added a plug in your lighter socket inverter and presto, major bubbler!! That was 8 years back, never had another issue. Multiple needs and uses for lighter plug sockets

 

[RMClark]

I use the multiple lighter sockets on my boat. Even use a 12v to 110 inverter to run my aerated minnow bucket!! The original battery pump lasted one year, the two replacement pumps from the factory lasted one season each... gave up and bought a cheap 110v aerator pump for an aquarium, added a plug in your lighter socket inverter and presto, major bubbler!! That was 8 years back, never had another issue. Multiple needs and uses for lighter plug sockets

Yup, cigarette lighter style sockets easily available on the monstrously huge online retailer for very few shekels. Just do a search for "boat 12V power outlet" and take your pick. I used some of those to provide an array of power outlets on the back end of my Honda ATV, but they work just fine for boats, too.

They come in almost any style, with fitted rubber covers and have some also with USB outlets built in.

If it was me, I'd wire into an unused port in the fuse box, if the boat in question was so equipped.

 

[dingbat]

Just replaced the cigarette lighter with dual USB ports

 

[Drcoffee]

Dual usb with volt meter

and you get a volt meter too

 

[Silvertip]

Direct wire USB ports are available anywhere on line. No need for a cigarette/accessory socket.

 

[dingbat]

Dual usb with volt meter

and you get a volt meter tooView attachment 365875

Careful with the "Fast Charge" outlets.
Some popular USB chargeable devices are not compatible with them

 

[Scott Danforth]

Or turn the phone off and the battery lasts forever

 

[RMClark]

Or turn the phone off and the battery lasts forever

But then it's useless for some functions like GPS, which can be very important on large lakes without distinguishing landmarks in view.

Yes, the phone can be tuned on to capture a GPS position.

While I don't sit out there and surf the net while I'm on the lake, I'm now using my phone for autopilot mapping functions and geolocating. Same would go for those using iPads with boating/fishing related applications. Navionics, anyone?

I had a situation a few years ago up in Canada that convinced me that a smart phone wasn't a bad thing out on the water. One evening, a buddy and I decided to go back out after dinner and see if we could get some walleyes since there were a few hours of light left. While we were out on a large open piece of water, smoke blew in from distant fires and visibility dropped to about 2 miles, maybe less. Landmarks disappeared, and I got disoriented. I didn't have a compass, nor did I have a map. After all, I was on a piece of water I had fished many times. What could go wrong? Long story short, I nearly got to spend a long night stuck on the water or beached somewhere, and my colleagues would not have known exactly where I was. I now keep a map, and my phone can provide lat/lon even out of cell range.

 

[Scott Danforth]

once you get a real GPS, the apps just do not compare.

also, ipads and other tablets do not stay on in direct sunlight, so they are useless. even my phone goes into overheat shutdown in 10 minutes or less.

 

[RMClark]

Careful with the "Fast Charge" outlets.
Some popular USB chargeable devices are not compatible with them

Until last week, I thought "USB is USB" and one can plug any USB chargeable device into any USB charger. Not necessarily so. My ProNav motion controller takes 5V 1000mA inputs. My phone chargers output at 5V 2000 mA. I contacted ProNav and they said not to use the phone charger; use the provided charger that outputs at 1000mA.

 

[sam am I]

I made these for my Scotty sockets, I'm sure I/you could just replace the LED's with something like this. Just cut open the Scotty rubber jacket a little more (see photo where I cut open and slid in the bulb base) so as to allow the threading in of the USB socket. Add some gorilla construction adhesive to hold things together....BOOM! Scotty twist lock USB chargers

 

[Silvertip]

The device being connected to the charger determines how much current is needed. A 2000 mAh charger will not damage a device that requires only 1000 mAh to fully charge. Just like your 12 volt battery chargers. The battery determines how much current will be drawn from the charger.

 

[airshot]

Whew......lighter plugs seem so much easier.....and I already have all the lighter plugs I need !!