OJW Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Expecting one to arrive soon but its my first electronic decoy purchase and I'm not sure if it will arrive ready to go or if I need to buy anything from elsewhere? Any one bought one? If it doesn't come ready to go, what else do I need to buy so I can take it out and use it when it arrives? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeonblasterian Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 I have one on order but it does not come with a battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJW Posted February 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Ah, where are you going to get one from? I know nothing about batteries. Any size / voltage recommendations would be most welcome. Do I need to buy some kind of special connector? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeonblasterian Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 I have just got two of these off the auction site number 221567513175. I have had the same batteries before and they have lasted me a good few years. You should just be able to put the wires off the flapper straight onto the battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJW Posted February 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Thanks mate, do the batteries come with a charger? How many hours do they power a magnet for? Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) 12volt battery (sealed type), 7.2 ah will last several trips out but will never run out on the day. As above, easy to get hold of. I get them for about £12 from any electrical wholesalers, use them in intruder/fire alarm panels. FF4 comes with crocodile clips on the lead so easy to clip onto any battery. Buy a car/bike battery charger from somewhere like halfords to charge it up. Edited February 24, 2015 by Wilts#Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJW Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 I bought the same battery as you pigeonblasterian. Will this charger work with it? - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-TRICKLE-BATTERY-CHARGER-INSULATED-CROCODILE-CLIPS-EASY-TO-USE-/390960956232?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5b0716c348if not can you recommend one. Thanks for all the help. Thanks Wils Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 It does not say how many M/amps that charger puts out , a trickle charger will keep a battery topped up but may take a long while ( days) to fully charge a battery . Better to go for a intellegent charger which monitors the battery and charges as needed, the sealed lead batterys do need some looking after or they soon deteriate in my experienece I would suggest a charger putting out 1 amp / hr for your battery it would then fully charge in 7 hours if required. The general rule is to use a charger that is putting out no more than 1/4 the batterys capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliver90owner Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 .... will last several trips out but will never run out on the day.... So it might, but any lead acid technology battery/cell should be returned to, and maintained at, full charge whenever possible. Leaving them in a partially discharged state is debilitating in the long term, if not much sooner. Leaving them fully discharged spells death to the battery in double quick time. This is why these batteries are so reliable for security systems (they are normally changed out long before there is a significant risk of failure during sevice). Lithium ion and NiMH are unfussy in this respect while Nicads should be fully discharged before recharging, at least occasionally, for a long service life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeonblasterian Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 I use a motorcycle battery charger an Optimate to charge my batteries. When new i find the batteries last for up to five or six hours powering my rotary. After a couple of seasons it drops to around three hours power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJW Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Ok I'll have a look on eBay. How long will the single battery I bought last me would you say? Luckily it comes fully charged! I didn't realise how expensive electronic decoys would be. 56 for the flapper, 18 for a battery and between 30-40 for the charger! By sealed it means water proof I take it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Ok I'll have a look on eBay. How long will the single battery I bought last me would you say? Luckily it comes fully charged! I didn't realise how expensive electronic decoys would be. 56 for the flapper, 18 for a battery and between 30-40 for the charger! By sealed it means water proof I take it? They are waterproof , but by sealed it means there is no access to the battery cells and they do not need topping up with fluid. For a flapper you could have got away with a much smaller battery , a 2.6 amp / hr will run my turbo flapper all day no problem at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 So it might, but any lead acid technology battery/cell should be returned to, and maintained at, full charge whenever possible. Leaving them in a partially discharged state is debilitating in the long term, if not much sooner. Leaving them fully discharged spells death to the battery in double quick time. This is why these batteries are so reliable for security systems (they are normally changed out long before there is a significant risk of failure during sevice). Lithium ion and NiMH are unfussy in this respect while Nicads should be fully discharged before recharging, at least occasionally, for a long service life. Thanks for the lesson, I'm well aware how batteries work. Personally I always charge them as soon as I'm home, I was simply making the point that the battery would last several trips if needed for a low current draw like the ff4 flapper, and would definitely not run out during a long session. You could get away with using a smaller ah battery than a 7.2ah realistically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJW Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Can't really justify an expensive intelligent one chaps. Can anyone recommend a basic one that will do the job? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 (edited) If you are only charging the battery after using a flapper for a day this will be ample , it will take 12 hrs or so to fully charge the battery if it is run down, but a flapper should not do that . It also trickle charges as required so can be left attached and on between uses , which is the best way to look after the battery. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-24v-2v-6v-12v-24v-sealed-lead-acid-battery-charger-trickle-automatic-/161544455551?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item259cccc57f Edited February 25, 2015 by fenboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJW Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Thanks Fenboy, just bought it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliver90owner Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Thanks for the lesson, I'm well aware how batteries work. You might be, but even suggesting that your batteries are OK for several trips out might give the lesser experienced the impression that it is unnecessary to keep a lead acid battery at full charge, to avoid sulphation. And, btw, 'sealed' could mean a gel electrolyte battery which can be used in any orientation, or ir could mean a sealed liquid electrolyte battery which should be kept upright. For the OP, the ones to which you refer are, of course, gel batteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 Any need for the big words/copy and paste essays? It's a shooting forum not a chemistry lesson 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJW Posted February 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 I appreciate everyone's input. Is bought the recommended battery and the charger that Fenboy gave me a link for. All the best. OJW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus1988 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Just put an order in myself for the new FF5 flapper. Already bought all the necessary batteries/charger, just wondered how long you guys had to wait for the thing to arrive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeonblasterian Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Still waiting for my flapper to be delivered.He did say it could be a while due to getting a lot of orders at the shooting show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus1988 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 When did you place your order if you don't mind me asking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeonblasterian Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 I ordered it 17th February and hoping it comes this week to try out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus1988 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 (edited) 28 days is what they reckon so hopefully yours should turn up soon. Gives me a bit of time to sort out the HypaFlap decoys now. Edited March 14, 2015 by Cyrus1988 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJW Posted March 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Ordered mine on 8th Feb, still not arrived. I do appreciate he's a 1 man band though. I'm sure it will be worth the wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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