# Need Help



## Redneck Bowfisher (Feb 14, 2009)

I just went out and bought some 12 volt lights to put on my boat to go bowfishing at night. I have a 3500 generator and I was wondering how I would go about hooking up the 12 volt lights to the generator.

Or would I have to run some extra batteries to power them. I was just thinking that if I had to use extra batteries, that the batteries would drain to fast and I would not be able to keep them charged enough.

What are your thoughts on this? All help would be greatly appreciated


----------



## Hick-From-Hell (Mar 18, 2008)

If you want cheap lights and have a generator just go with halogens, about 12 bucks a piece. The 12Volts will drain pretty fast.


----------



## weasle414 (Dec 31, 2006)

You would have to power the 12 volters by battery and it is NOT efficient at all. It's super quiet, but you don't get as good of visibility, it's *heavy* and charging all those batteries sucks. Last summer, Rednek, Trapper_2 and I had a few outings where we used 12 volt off-road lights for trucks and tractors. We powered 4 55 watt lights on 2 deep cycle batteries. We could shoot all night, but the lights would start dimming down about half way through the night. Plus having those two batteries, the battery for the troller, the battery for the outboard, the spare batteries, 3 guys, the 25 hp outboard, a platform and a 120 gallon stock tank that slowly filled with fish... it wasn't a light rig.

I'd say if you've got a genny, just go to Menards or Home Depot and buy some halogen shop lights and run those off the generator. They're much brighter and you won't have to deal with re-charging and light dimming issues.


----------



## carp_killer (Nov 24, 2006)

you would be alright just get one battery to run ALL the lights off of and then buy a convertor to run off the generator.


----------



## Redneck Bowfisher (Feb 14, 2009)

well i was looking at the genny today and I saw that it has two terminals to put wire on. Or those wire connecters with the loops. I ran a spotlight of of that one night. It worked great. Do you guys think that would work?


----------



## weasle414 (Dec 31, 2006)

A single spotlight is a pain after a while. You just don't get enough coverage. I still say go to Menards and pick up a few halogens for $7 a piece. I'd go with at least 6, but you could even get by with having just 2 or 4 running off it. Then you won't be fumbling with a spolight all night and everyone on the boat can shoot at the same time. You'll also get more coverage and see deeper down than with a spotlight. The one good thing about the spotlights is you can use them when you're having torubles finding schools of fish to locate singles or where they may be hiding that the halos aren't reaching to. They're also great for finding that monster carp that just appeared in the outside shadow and dissapeared into the dark.


----------



## carp_killer (Nov 24, 2006)

i would of had a 50in plus gar that first night if we wouldnt of had just the spotlight that night. when we were going back to the lake with the access on it. and you n tim were trying to guide the boat. to bad i couldnt of got a shot off that thing was huge.


----------



## weasle414 (Dec 31, 2006)

Lol, but it worked to get me a 37" eater gar didn't it? :lol:


----------

