Battery Switch in Wheelhouse?

[Nisswaguy]

I'm looking at purchasing an Ice Castle RV Edition fish house. One dealer I'm talking with says I should put two batteries in there and hook them up to a dual battery switch which would allow me to use battery #1 or battery #2 or "all". Charging of the batteries is done in the same way. I could direct it to charge battery #1, battery #2 or "all". Is this a better way than how I have two batteries hooked up in my boat for my trolling motor where they're hooked up to an onboard charger and I just plug it in and it does its work?

[walleye34]

I would rig it that way. I am going to be switching mine over next year that way. The advantage is when you are on the ice after a day or so you can be running your generator to charge 1 with a full 10 amp charger and the recovery time will be less while you are running on the other. I think it is also better for your battery. The difference is with your boat you have both batteries going at the same time for the trolling motor so they are both equally drained when you go go charge them. In your house you only run on one so when you are done 1 battery may be at 50% and the other full. I know 2 bank chaargers are suppose to be smart enough to charge them back up when they are uneven but mine seems to not charge right. One always ends up under charged even though the charger says full. And you are able to isolate the battery you want to charge vs plugging in a 2 bank charger and charing them both but running on one at the same time I dont think it charges the same. Most small generators can only handle a 10 amp charger and I would rather have all 10 amps going into 1 than 5 amps across 2 while I am running on one of the 2.

[larryz]

I was always told that when hooking two batteries together you want them evenly matched as the the poorer one will drag the other down. If this is true by using them individually I would think the switch would not be ideal. My Ice Castle Mille Lacs model has a converter and had a single battery box which I removed. I only use mine for ice fishing and prefer using two batteries hooked together and charge them together with a Honda 2000i. My 2 cents worth.

[B-man715]

Wire the way that best suits your needs. If you are going to have a generator with all of the time, I would just have two batteries wired together to run everything (lights, heater, inverter).

If you plan on going out for the weekend without a generator, I would have two batteries dedicated for the heater, and another for lights etc.

If going this route, I would also recommend having the ability to charge your batteries with the truck (if you got in a pinch), as well as a wall mounted vented battery free heater for a backup.

For charging, get a name brand 2 or 3 bank boat charger.

Hope this gives you some ideas!

[B-man715]

Hey Nisswa,

Did you ever give Nate a call to ask his likes and dislikes of the rv model?

-Brandon