Boat Wiring

[Farley]

So is there a way to run 2 batteries (one for starting, bilage, and lights; the other for sonar\GPS combos) and run them both off the motor so they stay charged? The motor is a new 150 Etec. I want to run an HBird 858 on the console and a Lowrance LCX series on the bow, with their own dedicated battery, which I've done before, but in the past we've drained that battery by the end of the day, and if I could simplify it by not having to carry an extra charger in the boat, it would be nice. We have an onboard 2 bank charger for the 2 trolling motor batteries, and have always just carried another charger for the electronics battery. Maybe the best way is just go buy a 3 bank charger or do I have other options?

How is your boat rigged? All electronics going to the starting battery? Dedicated battery for the electronics? isolators? battery switches? seems like there has to be a way.

[Esox_Magnum]

I run all my electronics and acc's off the starter battery with an onboard charger sine I don't run the outboard enough in a days time to effectivly charge the battery.... I run 2 HDS units, lights, stereo and sometimes cell/I Pod chargers hooked up and never ran low on power....

[BoxMN]

Best = 3 bank charger. Good luck.

[boatfixer]

+1 on the 3bank. The charging system is not designed to charge that many batteries.

[Jacob]

Here's what I did this spring. I left my 2 bank charger up front for the trolling motor batteries, and added another 2 bank charger for both batteries in the back. I installed a switch for both batteries in the back so that you can have either battery 1 or 2 going or both. I did this vs. getting a 4 bank because there was no way for me to get the wires to the back without paying someone and by the time I bought 2 new batteries, a charger, the switch and the wire it was like YIKES!

In most cases if you have a good starting battery or dual purpose you will be fine. I added the backup for the trips where I cannot plug in everynight and I like my electronics and my music loud!

[Farley]

Thats not a bad idea Jacob. We have the extra battery already. I wonder if I could run the electronics off one battery, run the motor off the other, and hook the motor up to the battery switch so if the electronics battery does get low I could give it a quick charge by hitting the switch while running accross the lake?

[WARRIOR 2090]

be careful with a battery switch if you turn them with the motor running when it goes from one battery to two it disconnects for a second and can damage your motors charging system...you could install a isolator to charge the system..

[Farley]

Not sure how an isolator works. I'll try to look it up.