How many of us are running a dual battery setup?

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guy48065
Posts: 554
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 4:32 am
Location: Atlanta, MI

Re: How many of us are running a dual battery setup?

#31 Post by guy48065 » Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:21 am

Glad I switched back to a 2-battery setup. I hadn't used my boat since July 4th but found the battery dead this weekend--even though it was switched OFF. It would have been a bummer having to wait several hours for it to charge before I could take it out. AND now I can't trust THAT battery.
Mark
1996 Sweetwater 180EX + Johnson 40
Rush Lake, Atlanta, MI

fiddlebick
Posts: 143
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:46 am

Re: How many of us are running a dual battery setup?

#32 Post by fiddlebick » Mon Dec 14, 2020 2:28 pm

I added a second battery, a switch, and an Blue Seas auto charging relay.... a few years back. We boat a fair amount of time on the Ohio and a dead battery is no fun on a river when the current is strong. The Blue Seas setup automatically charges both batteries when it senses voltage from the charging system. When the key is off, the relay isolates the "house" battery to run the accessories I use, mostly a nice stereo. The second you turn the key, the start battery is again active and running the show, and the house battery is being charged again. A flip of the manual switch and I can combine both batteries in case my start battery were to get weak. I've learned that thinking ahead pays off when dealing with boats, and worth the expense for my peace of mind. I have a knack for bad things happening unannounced.
"I may be old....but I am slow!" 2005 Bennington Rfs, 2004 Honda 135.

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lakerunner
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Re: How many of us are running a dual battery setup?

#33 Post by lakerunner » Mon Dec 14, 2020 3:52 pm

I run a dual setup also and use a minkota dual charger. I have it set on a timer so it only runs 1 hr a day. I worry about it being on all the time. I am 2 hrs away from where we store the boat
Loyd & Betty Meeks
Livin the lake life
2004 Tracker 22 Regency/2010 90 E-Tec. Pulled by Ford 2020 F 250,
McAlester, Oklahoma
Home lake is Tenkiller

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vlxerdon
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Location: Coastal Georgia

Re: How many of us are running a dual battery setup?

#34 Post by vlxerdon » Tue Dec 15, 2020 7:23 pm

very old thread. I added a second batt with a Perko switch. As has been stated, a dead batt is no fun.
1994 Starcraft Stardeck 200
1998 Johnson 90HP
1995 Calkins tandem axle trailer

04 4.0 liter SOHC Ford Explorer
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hoejef
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Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2020 3:18 am

Re: How many of us are running a dual battery setup?

#35 Post by hoejef » Thu Dec 17, 2020 4:06 am

Just added second battery with perko 1-2 both switch as I purchased boat in Sept. have add ons that i have been doing and more for future.
Plus peace of mind knowing I always can get motor started

UteSundeck
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Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:38 pm
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Re: How many of us are running a dual battery setup?

#36 Post by UteSundeck » Tue Dec 29, 2020 11:32 am

My boat came with a dual battery set up and the traditional Perko selector switch. I changed out to Odyssey AGM batteries, one large main Odyssey
Batteries.jpg
Batteries.jpg (83.02 KiB) Viewed 3340 times
PC1800FT its huge and heavy, and a small secondary Odyssey PC1500. I can run my stereo alone on the main battery for hours and hours and have never had to switch over to my secondary battery to start back up.
I did also add a hellroaring battery isolator thought that I would definitely recommend.

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