Battery Switch Help

Baxter

Baxter

Well-Known Member
I have gone and confused myself. I thought I understood the battery switch and how to properly utilize it, but now I am not so sure. Various videos and blogs contradict each other! So... Help! This seems way more confusing than I think it should be!

Standard Switch - Off/1/2/Both

Scenario 1
SO this is how I THINK I should use it:

At the launch, have switch on "1", fire up the boat, run out to fishing hole. Fire up the kicker. Switch battery to "2". Keeping 1 isolated for firing up main later.

While trolling, kicker keeps "2" charged, and sounder etc all run off of 2.

When done, switch back to "1" to start the main, kill the kicker and rip back to shore.

Scenario 2
At the launch have battery on "Both". Run out to fishing hole while main charges both batteries

Fire up the kicker, switch to "2". Let kicker keep battery charged for sounder etc.

When done, switch back to "both", start the main, kill the kicker, rip back to shore.


What scenario do you use? One of those, or something completely different?
 
We do exactly what you describe in secenrio 2, I don’t think we always troll on battery 2 though. We don’t really pay attention to which battery we’re trolling on as long as it’s not on all
 
I run out on 1 and fish and run in on 2.
I have my riggers and auto bilge pump hardwired to the house battery(2) so if I'm fishing the next day or there is a chance of rain where I'm moored, I want 2 fully charged. I'm not saying this is right, but it works for me.
I avoid ever using "both".
 
I use "both" for everything I do and always wondered if it really hurts anything or just maby shortens battery life from something like 5 years to 4 years? If it's not hurting anything, I'm willing to fork out another $300 for a pair of decent batteries every 4 years and not have to worry about which battery I'm switched too all the time.

..or have I got it all wrong?
 
Blue seas has the add a battery kit which takes all the switching back and forth out of the equation. It does this by using an ACR and a particular switch. A lot of people use this type of set up and it works well.
I believe there are lots of threads on this topic if try searching.
 
You really should isolate the main battery for your main engine so there is no chance of draining the battery down where you might not have enough charge to get started at the end of the day.
But you also want to be able to get power from the second battery to the first battery if you ever need it.
 
I run my batteries on ALL as well. I carry a fully charged lithium ion booster pack that has no problem starting that v8, and many times over. It never seems to be down on juice anyway and I keep a good eye on the voltage readings off the main gauge and the sounder. After trolling for hours I make sure the main fires up OK them kill the kicker.
 
Baxter
Same as you except....never switch motors until I turn off motor first. Also upon return, leave battery on 1 main because I plug marine charger in back at home once a month. I also have two battery gauges to continually monitor system. As Daddystoy says, keep 1 main isolated just in case especially with the newer high tech high start draw motors.
 
Also, follow up question: I'm on the boat at least once or twice a week, and plan to get out when weather permits all winter, BUT there of course will undoubtedly be periods of ****** weather of several weeks. I am told to add fuel stabilizer during these periods which I will, but wondering about keeping a charge on the battery.

I have two of those cheap Coleman solar panels (40w/2.5amp) for my travel trailer, was planning on just hooking one up to each battery whenever the boat is not in use. Question is, is there any reason why I should NOT do this? I see no problem here, but as I am new to boats, want to be sure I am not missing something here... They may not get a ton of sun over the winter, but should be enough to at least maintain the batteries.
 
The solar panels are close to useless in the winter. Charge the batteries, then turn your switch to Off. The batteries will be fine for a month or two.
 
Go the ACR route with the blue sea add a battery mini. What daddystoy said. Simple on/off switch and the relay switches the charge back and forth.

We have similar boats - I had mine flush mounted underneath the starboard side gunnel on the back plate beside the stern locker.
 
Foxsea said:
The solar panels are close to useless in the winter. Charge the batteries, then turn your switch to Off. The batteries will be fine for a month or two.
Click to expand...
I have to disagree with that statement. We have camped off-season, in the woods, and these two small panels were enough to give us some extra juice. I am pretty confident that they would work well enough to, at the very least, maintain a charge, especially when the batteries are 'off' and have no draw at all.

I do agree that in the winter, they pump out significantly less juice, but more than nothing.

I am confident that they would do the job, but mostly wondered if there was any reason I can't think of as to why they would be bad to use for a boat.
 
donnie d said:
Go the ACR route with the blue sea add a battery mini. What daddystoy said. Simple on/off switch and the relay switches the charge back and forth.

We have similar boats - I had mine flush mounted underneath the starboard side gunnel on the back plate beside the stern locker.
Click to expand...

I have done a little research and discovered that blue sea switch. Does look like a better option, but if I went the direction now of pulling a brand new switch off a brand new boat and swapping it out my wife would kill me! She is already on my case about all the odds and ends I have had to buy. She'll already be annoyed when I tell her I am looking into charging solutions! (Hence the panel question earlier, as that is a no cost solution she would approve! ;) )
 
Baxter said:
I have done a little research and discovered that blue sea switch. Does look like a better option, but if I went the direction now of pulling a brand new switch off a brand new boat and swapping it out my wife would kill me! She is already on my case about all the odds and ends I have had to buy. She'll already be annoyed when I tell her I am looking into charging solutions! (Hence the panel question earlier, as that is a no cost solution she would approve! ;) )
Click to expand...

we have the same wife. wait until you tell her in two years you want a bigger boat...
 
Baxter said:
I have to disagree with that statement. We have camped off-season, in the woods, and these two small panels were enough to give us some extra juice. I am pretty confident that they would work well enough to, at the very least, maintain a charge, especially when the batteries are 'off' and have no draw at all.

I do agree that in the winter, they pump out significantly less juice, but more than nothing.

I am confident that they would do the job, but mostly wondered if there was any reason I can't think of as to why they would be bad to use for a boat.
Click to expand...
Not bad to use but do the math. Nominal panel ratings are always high. Under ideal (laboratory) circumstances you get 80 watts but actually less than 90 % of rating on a sunny, summer day at our latitude. In the winter on a good day, without clouds or shading, you get about 17% of summer output - about 12 watts or 1 amp. That is so low you don 't need a charge controller.
 
Foxsea said:
Not bad to use but do the math. Nominal panel ratings are always high. Under ideal (laboratory) circumstances you get 80 watts but actually less than 90 % of rating on a sunny, summer day at our latitude. In the winter on a good day, without clouds or shading, you get about 17% of summer output - about 12 watts or 1 amp. That is so low you don 't need a charge controller.
Click to expand...

Again, not looking to charge the batteries. Just looking to maintain the charge while the batteries are in the 'off' position. So, considering these panels were able to increase voltage, in the shade, in my 450 AMP hour golf cart batteries, in the winter in a forested campsite on a cloudy day, I am certain they can at least keep the batteries from draining.

Seems that there is no "bad" side for using the panels, so will certainly hook them up.
 
Baxter said:
Again, not looking to charge the batteries. Just looking to maintain the charge while the batteries are in the 'off' position. So, considering these panels were able to increase voltage, in the shade, in my 450 AMP hour golf cart batteries, in the winter in a forested campsite on a cloudy day, I am certain they can at least keep the batteries from draining.

Seems that there is no "bad" side for using the panels, so will certainly hook them up.
Click to expand...

I use a battery tender that i got on sale years ago from Cambodian Tire; i have dual batteries setup in parrellel; so positive to positive on one battery and the negative to the negative on the other battery. both batteries get a trickle charge all winter. keeps them good and topped up.
 
Baxter said:
Also, follow up question: I'm on the boat at least once or twice a week, and plan to get out when weather permits all winter, BUT there of course will undoubtedly be periods of ****** weather of several weeks. I am told to add fuel stabilizer during these periods which I will, but wondering about keeping a charge on the battery.

I have two of those cheap Coleman solar panels (40w/2.5amp) for my travel trailer, was planning on just hooking one up to each battery whenever the boat is not in use. Question is, is there any reason why I should NOT do this? I see no problem here, but as I am new to boats, want to be sure I am not missing something here... They may not get a ton of sun over the winter, but should be enough to at least maintain the batteries.
Click to expand...
I have 2 of those mounted on my boat, they maintain the battery, not enough to charge a dead battery but just to keep them top up, they work great, put those on a few years back and my battery are like new
 
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