If you're looking for a portable power source for your boat, consider the ArkPak. Whether you have a larger coastal boat for deep-sea fishing or simple bass boat, the ArkPak is a great boating accessory. One ArkPak can power all your devices for hours and if necessary even days, depending on what you're running. You won't have to worry about your boat's built-in battery system running low on power, and you won't have to limit the gear you take with you because of power concerns.
Learn more about the incredible uses of the ArkPak for boaters in this quick guide.
Why Do Boaters Need An Arkpak?
Fisherman often need power to operate trolling motors, fish finders, night lights and live wells...and all of these devices suck up power. Coastal boaters may need power for VHF radios, radar, and GPS units. Recreational boaters may want power for refrigerators, stereo equipment, lights or televisions.
The problem is, most boaters find that they never have enough battery power. While some boat owners will install a dual battery system and/or supplement their existing system with an additional battery, many boaters decide to go without.
The beauty of an ArkPak is that it's easy to setup and it's portable. Just use the included 12V DC-to-DC charger to connect the ArkPak to your boat's existing power system, when your engine is running, through an empty 12V accessory power port. Then, when you're done boating for the day, you can remove the ArkPak from your boat, charge it up, and use it for camping, tailgating, emergency power, etc.
If you buy a dual battery system for your boat, all you'll have is additional electrical power for boating. If you buy an ArkPak, you'll have additional power for all sorts of outdoor activities.
Photo Credit: Experience Kissimmee, Florida
ArkPak Capabilities in Marine Applications
If we assume you have an ArkPak with a 100Ah deep-cycle battery installed, that this battery is fully charged, and that you do not discharge your battery more than 75% (meaning you disconnect the ArkPak when it falls to 25% capacity):
- The Arkpak can power marine GPS units and Chartplotters for 1-2 weeks, as these devices rarely require more than 500ma of current.
- Fish finders can pull as little as 200ma of current and as much as 1amp, so the ArkPak can power that device for as little as 3 days and as long as 2 weeks depending on the specific power needs of your unit.
- Marine VHF radios can consume 1 amp of current when turned on, and generally about 2.5 amps while transmitting. The ArkPak described can provide power for more than 3 days of radio reception, or 30 hours of continuous transmission.
- The power requirements of marine radar systems can vary, but the ArkPak described can power a state-of-the-art Lowrance LOW-10419-001 4G Broadband Radar system for more than 50 hours of continuous use, and perhaps twice that time if the radar is used sparingly.
- The ArkPak as described can power a typical 15" laptop computer for at least 10 hours, and that assumes the device is ;2being used in a “performance” mode where energy requirements are high. In “power saving” modes, many newer 15” laptops (or smaller) use very little power (20w). The Arkpak can power computers like this for days.
Of course, these are just marine-specific applications. You can always use your ArkPak to:
- Power LED lighting for many days; charge and recharge mobile phones dozens of times; charge and recharge tablet devices dozens of times; charge and recharge cordless power tools at least a half a dozen times (and perhaps quite a bit more, depending on the tools you're using); charge and recharge cameras dozens of times, etc.
- Power and watch television. An ArkPak can generate sufficient power to run TVs up to 47” (assuming your TV doesn't require more than 150W* at initial start-up).
- Want to run a 12V freezer or refrigerator? ArkPak testers managed to get 11 days of fridge/freezer combo using a unit with a 130ah battery.
Finally, if you're able to mount or set out a solar panel on your boat you can then use this panel to recharge your ArkPak, boosting all the times listed.
Whether you're a boating fanatic or only an occasional enthusiast, the ArkPak is a worthwhile accessory. Not only can it power your devices, but it can also serve as a starter battery in a pinch. So from a safety point of view alone, the ArkPak will ensure you never find yourself out of power, with no engine and and miles from help.
*Specs on newer versions vary. Check them out here.