Hobie Livewell 2 Battery Lifespan
 

Just curious about the lifespan of the battery for the Hobie Livewell 2. The last 2 times I've been out (this weekend and last), the battery on my livewell has cut out on me. Last weekend it cut out at 8 hours. In the past, I've been out longer than that(+1-2 hours) and it's stayed running strong the whole time. Just yesterday, it died on me at about the 7 hour mark. At around 6 hours, I noticed it was quieter than usual and was pumping less water. Checked the intake and the impeller and nothing was blocking or restricting it. Even spun freely when I took the pump apart. Just running very weak. When I got home, I hooked up my buddy's freshly charged battery and it was running like a champ.

For reference, I've had this battery about 2 years and use it almost every weekend for a ballpark of 8 hours(+/- 2hrs) each trip. I USUALLY charge it when I get back so it's not left uncharged all week, then "top it off" the night before when I'm getting my sh*t ready. I'll admit I don't always remember to charge it when I get home... Either way, I'm not upset about it going out. I put it through a lot and it's handled it for quite a while! Going to get a new battery anyway, but was just curious if that was about average for the lifespan of one of these batteries. Any input appreciated!

Your answer depends on how far down you've allowed your battery to discharge and can't be answered accurately based on the sound of your bait pump. These pumps will continue to pump, although very weak, at voltages below what you should operate your battery at. If you've allowed your bait tank to run until it ceases to, you've probably run your battery to low and affected it's deliverable capacity.

Thanks for the feedback! This is probably the case. Last weekend was the first time the pump had stopped running on me. Before that, the pump was always running at full power up until I turned it off, so I wasn't even aware there was an issue until last weekend. Yesterday's trip just confirmed it.

Get a new battery. When I had my Revo 13, it was common to have to replace both the 12v 10ah for the FF and the 6v 10ah live well, about every 2-2 1/2 years. Flooder lead acid batteries deteriorate and won't hold the charge as well, and next thing you know they don't even last 2 hours. When I worked at a car dealership, it was the same thing cars came in all the time and the battery would take a dump when they were 2-3 years old. Many last longer, but the majority won't.

The cold air temps on your last trip surely reduced Battery capacity. The usage you got out of the battery sounds better than what I have experienced. I sometimes use one or two aerators on the live well to back up and supplement the pump. In the morning will use just the aerator until I have close to half a dozen large baits in the well, then I turn on the pump and shut off the aerator until the pump dies later in the day. Eventually got tired of the battery dying and switched to lithium(lighter with greater capacity).

Good info, thanks guys. Going to pick up a new battery before this weekend. Thought this might be the case since I have some experience with LiPo Power Cell batteries for my old RC car that behave somewhat similarly. 2 years with frequent charging/draining will take it's toll. If I gotta swap it out every 2-ish years, it's not the end of the world. I spend more on Fluorocarbon in a month anyway lol

It's always good to up grade the quality on the battery. Just save yourself some money get a 6v battery (Lithium Ion or Po) and cut off the harness from the old one and install a couple of female blade connectors and seal the connections by putting a glob of Marine Goop on each terminal. Makes it easy plug in like the original. I've used to just get a same type of original battery on Ebay for like $27 with free shipping from LA and it be good for several more years, better than the over $50 from Hobie. Good luck.

I always tell customers up to 8 hours, this from personal experience and bait aint too happy at the 8 hour mark