Vexilar Batt.?

I swear I bought a new battery last year, it was the $20 one you see everywhere. I went to Wy last week and left it with bout .75 charge came home and its dead. Thats just not right. My question is, do you guys think the Batterys that have the vexilar logo on them are any different or better than the ones that we see everywhere. And if so where can I score the vex batt near Blaine? -thanks Mark

I have a vexilar fl-8 and went to fleet farm and bought a small motorcycle battery and it has lasted me for years. I think I am on year 8 with no problems.

To some extent you get what you pay for. On the other hand it doesn’t matter how much you pay for these batteries if they are not cared for properly. I have a vexilar fl-18 and bought it shortly after they came out (6+ years ago) and I am still on the original battery with no problems. I have never once had it go dead on me during a weekend of fishing. I use it and charge it after every use when I am able to. That is a big deal with these batteries. They need to be charged after every use. Batteries have a memory. If they are left sitting partially worn down for extended periods of time then they won’t take a full charge and from then on they only charge to that point. You can completely drain a battery down, give it a full charge, drain it down completely and recharge. This can sometimes extend its run time for future uses.
With that said I do feel that Vexilar batteries are better than the cheaper(usually blue top batteries). I have heard of more complaints about the cheaper batteries not holding a good charge. If the reason people are replacing a vexilar or marcuum or whatever brand battery your unit came with is because the first one was not cared for then the new one will most likely be cared for in the same manner as the original and you with have similar results with the new one.
Just my opinion,
Jason

I am going to steal this thread slightly because it is on topic, but my battery needs to get replace (just over 5 yrs old) but what I am wondering is can you hook them up to a 12v Car style battery?) if you are fishing for a LONG weekend? If not I will ned to run out and buy a new one sometime soon. Comments appreciated!

john
Again sorry for stealing this thread slightly

If you have a friend who works maintainance almost anywhere that has emergency lighting they use the same battery as the vex. The hospitol he works at changes them out every couple of years. Another friend gets them from a guy who services them at airports. I currently have 6 two of them are genuine vexilar I see no difference in them. So I’m always good to go.

John, yes you can run them off any 12v battery source. big or small. I know of guys that mount them in their trucks for mobile truck fishing that plug them into the cig. lighter.
as for me, i am looking for a way to charge from cig lighter. -mark

Mark, you should be able to get a battery at fleet farm/farm fleet. I’d jump to the 9a and use your old battery for a spare. Also, I’d put the old battery on the charger for a few days or more even. Won’t hurt a thing and you may be able to bring it out of what’s wrong with it.
And about those emergency light batteries, they are being charged all the time when not in use. Should be very good batteries.

I know Vex used to have that cigg. outlet charger. One came with my old fl8 st. If I find it you can have it.

I don’t have it anymore and vexilar doesn’t list them anymore either. But here’s a good way to convert your house Vex charger to mobile; Go to Lowes, or Menards and get a black and decker 100 watt inverter that plugs into your power outlet inside your truck, NOT the cigg lighter outlet. This way you can use your home charger and works very fast just like home. The reason I said don’t use the cigg light is cause we’ve blown fuses with this particular inverter.

yeah, ive got the inverter and i run computer and printer in my truck for work. I have plugged my charger into inverter and it did not work. the lights on chrager would not light even. I have anso had some problems with chargers not working with some generators. Maybe i have an invertor that does not support my charger??? It works with my computer charger pack. Maybe im doing something wrong, ill give it another shot, i have 2 inverters, ill try the other. thanks boss.

i have been using the vex battery i got with the unit when i bought it 7 yrs. ago, and it has been useddddd.

These batteries are SLA (sealed lead acid) They have no memory. They are not like Ni-cads Ni-mhs. most of the time if you are having issues it is with the charger not the Batt. that said batteries do go bad… just by a new name brand from a battery store and you should be OK,,,, That of cours is if your charger is good……

the last vex battery I bought at fleetfarm it was a azeus was on sale for around $10. i saw them on sale again not to long ago for around the same price. this battery has sofar lasted me 3 years

All I know is this: A month or so ago my older FL-8 starting wigging out on me and in a panic I posted on IDO and got several replies–“Get a new battery”. I did, and I’ve been fishing it hard ever since with no problems. As well as it’s working, I should have replaced the battery two years ago when I picked it up used…first ice-flasher, so didn’t know how well it COULD work until I had new fresh juice running through it!