Suggested Batteries for use with the LBW.
The Little Big Winch will work fine with a full sized 12 volt battery
and many are being used that way. However, the winch was designed to be
the same approximate weight as a lawn tractor sized battery. This makes
for a more comfortable, balanced load when both are carried in the field.
For this reason, most owners are using lawn tractor sized deep cycle or
marine batteries with their Little Big Winches.
A useful formula to remember when evaluating battery capacity is: Amp
Hours=("reserve Capacity"/2)+16
A general rule of thumb is: to launch a typical 70oz TD plane requires
approx. 1 amp hour of battery capacity.
Here are some model numbers and sources for lawn tractor
batteries.
- GNB (GNB is a national brand which is also repackaged with store names
in some states) Model---DC-34 -------------------------------------------------------34
ampere hr.
- Life Line Marine (Life Line is available through the web site at http://dcbattery.com)
Model---AGM-1234--------------------------------------------------34 ampere
hr.
- Sears --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep cycle lawn tractor Stock # 96011-----------------------------23 ampere
hr.
- Walmart---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Everstart deep cycle/marine lawn tractor battery#U1DC-6-------34 ampere
hr.
Note: It has come to my attention that most manufacturers
of lawn tractor size batteries have recently ceased to mold in an intergral
handle (they always used to) and that this makes it difficult to carry the
battery in one hand. In checking around I find that shops who specialize
in motorized wheel chairs or "personal mobility carts" exclusively
use this size (U-1) battery. They not only stock high quality batteries
of this size, but also have a selection of acid proof carry boxes and carry
handles of various kinds to make handling the battery easier. I paid $5.00
for a very satifactory nylon webbing handled carrier for my most recent
battery at a local Personal Mobility Store.