Questions about Add A Battery

[HeavYMetaL65]

Hey,
So I'm new to the boating world. I just got a 2015 Apex Qwest Adventure with a 60HP, and love it. I'm waiting on a full enclosure to be delivered, my plan is to be able to camp overnight on the lakes. The boat came with a cranking battery, but I have two EverStart 27DC batteries I had for my canoe/trolling motor. Can I swap the cranking battery with one of those, and add the other with the "add a battery"? My real question is, can I swap a cranking battery for one of these? Also, If I DO add the add a battery, how do the batteries get charged, by the motor? Do I need a special charger? I'll be adding the house battery for radio,lights, and whatever small gadgets I get, I'll be getting a generator for larger things, like ac, tv, dvd. I just wanna make sure I get the right setup, and use the 2 27 batteries I have, they're only a few months old.

Thanks in advance!

[BobL]

To add a battery to your current setup, you will want one of these:

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/perko--ba ... 72_004_007

The switch has selections for battery 1, battery 2 or Both. IMO, you will want to keep your cranking battery (let's call it battery 1) for cranking the motor. The other battery (lets call it battery 2) can be used for powering other equipment. Some will argue that you should not mix two types of batteries (deep cycle vs. cranking) while other say it makes no difference. Personally, I have run the combination with no problems. I only have one battery on my pontoon but on a previous fishing boat, I would crank with battery 1 and when I pulled up to fish (trolling motor, live well, etc.), I would switch to battery 2. You can run the motor in the BOTH selection at that can charge both batteries BUT some will argue that a drained deep cycle (battery 2) and a charged cranking battery can cause issues with your motor's charging system. I always put battery 2 on a charger when I got back home.

I'm sure others with more experience will chime in.

[babock]

The add a battery is not a 1/2/both switch. It is basically a DPST switch with the added position that combines them.
Shown very well in the diagram on this page:
https://www.bluesea.com/products/7650/A ... Kit_-_120A

You use them when you have a totally isolated house circuit.

On my SunTracker I added the kit. On my boat, there were 2 connections at the original battery switch, one went to the motor and one went to everything else through a breaker so it was easy to install. If you don't have a good way of separating the engine from the house circuit, you can't really use this type of switch.

The two batteries get charged whenever the engine is running because the kit comes with an ACR(automatic charge relay) when the engine is off, the 2 batteries are isolated.

[TDJ2591]

Check out this article on adding a second battery: http://www.boatingmag.com/how-to/how-to ... ery-system

I added this 1/2/off switch and a 2nd battery: http://www.amazon.com/Attwood-4-Way-Bat ... B0000AZ7X6

You can use the 2 DC batteries in this setup, especially if you aren't using one as a dedicated house battery. I switch between mine each outing so both stay charged. The DCs should do well for starting and for high drain accessories. My goal was just to always have a second, charged battery available and my setup does just that. When I tested the boat, the battery terminal had corrosion and the motor wouldn't turn over. It almost killed my purchase. When I got it home, the first thing I did was add a second battery and the Attwood Switch.

One thing I like about the Attwood is that Off is at the bottom, which makes it less likely for someone to turn it to Off while the motor is running, which could blow the alternator. You should use 2 guage (not 4 guage) marine cables for the new connections.

[babock]

No matter what switch you decide on, install an ACR and you don't have to go through the battery switch exercise all the time trying to remember to switch back and forth.

I have 2 boats, one has the 1/2/both switch and one has the Blue Sea add a battery switch. With the boat with the 1/2/both switch, it would have been extremely difficult to get the house circuit separated. Both boats have Blue Sea ACRs. I wouldn't own a boat without one.

[HeavYMetaL65]

Ok, another question. Looking for the Add-a-battery on Amazon, I also find a AAB mini, which is rated for 65 amps or less. Does the 65 amps mean the alternator output? My motor is rated at 25 A alternator output. Would this work, or should I get the one rated for 120 a? Sorry for the question, I'm just not an electrical guy.

[babock]

The smaller one is fine. That is the one I have on my pontoon.

[HeavYMetaL65]

Thanks.

The smaller one is fine. That is the one I have on my pontoon.

[jafo9]

adding an isolated house battery was one of the best things i ever did to my pontoon. i used the blue seas kit mentioned above. remember that the kit typically comes with instructions and the ACR and the switch but no wires or fuses. you'll have to obtain them separately. i've used genuinedealz.com several times with great success. i've never found a better price and they will terminate them pretty much any way you need. on the MC i have a 1/2/1+2 and it is no where near as convenient and novice friendly as the ACR setup on the toon. you can run the "house" stuff all you want and never have to worry about the "start" battery being drained. my only concern would be the alternator on the motor and whether it is up to charging 2 group 27 batteries. maybe someone smarter than me can tell you. we run a 12v fridge off ours and it will easily last several hours. i've never timed it, but i have found that if i forget and leave it on all night it will drain the battery before i get back to the pontoon the next day.

for ease of maintenance, i'd also recommend going ahead and installing a dual bank charger AND a switch to disable the ACR so that when you are charging/maintaining the batteries via AC the dual bank charger can charge/maintain them separately rather than seeing them as one large battery.

i also highly recommend a 2nd voltmeter in the helm so you can watch both batteries independently. its neat to watch the "house" battery jump to 14v while underway after the "start" hits 13.6v. this way you know that the ACR is functioning properly and has tied the batteries together.

i found this to be one of those "do it right the first time" projects. all the wiring can be a real hassle, but do it once, wrap it in conduit or whatever you prefer and you won't have to mess with it again. if you are unsure of your electrician skills, make a diagram and post it up here. lots of folks have done this and can help out.

[babock]

for ease of maintenance, i'd also recommend going ahead and installing a dual bank charger AND a switch to disable the ACR so that when you are charging/maintaining the batteries via AC the dual bank charger can charge/maintain them separately rather than seeing them as one large battery.

You can do what I did and attach the ACR at the output of the switch and the battery chargers at the battery. That way, with the switch in the off position, the ACR never sees the batteries and will therefor not combine when the charger is on.

The alternator is not going to be doing much charging on the 2 group 27 batteries unless you are running full blast for 8 hours. Definitely need to charge them between outings.

[C_M_25]

I know this thread is a little dated, but I've been researching this topic kind of heavy lately. I can't decide whether the "Add a Battery" kit would be best or not. If I were to go with the standard 1-2-Both-Off switch (Perko I think), how do you charge the batteries while the boat is parked? Is it as simple as wiring up a dual-bank trickle charger directly to the batteries then flip the switch to off?

How do these switches work while running the boat? For instance, if I sit in a cove and party all day on battery 2, do I switch over to battery 1 to start then back over to battery 2 to charge, or do you just flip the switch to "both" while under way? Thanks

[babock]

If your house circuit is NOT easily separable from your engine, using a 1/2/both switch is fine.

To charge your batteries, get a dual bank charger and attach it to each battery. The battery switch can be in any position when you charge although I typically turn the switch to off when I am not using the boat.

If you are parked and use battery #1, You can switch to battery 2 and start the engine and then either switch to battery 1 or both and run that way to charge the batteries.

With my pontoon boat, I use the add a battery with the ACR as I could easily separate the house circuit. On my Wellcraft cuddy, I use a 1/2/both switch but I also use an ACR with it as well so you don't have the battery switch switching game. I just leave it on #1 all the time when running. If I ever get into a situation where I really depleted the #1 battery, I would switch to #2 to start and the ACR would charge up battery #1.

[jafo9]

if you are going to move the switch with the motor running, don't rotate past "off".

[C_M_25]

With my pontoon boat, I use the add a battery with the ACR as I could easily separate the house circuit. On my Wellcraft cuddy, I use a 1/2/both switch but I also use an ACR with it as well so you don't have the battery switch switching game. I just leave it on #1 all the time when running. If I ever get into a situation where I really depleted the #1 battery, I would switch to #2 to start and the ACR would charge up battery #1.

How is your ACR wired up in that second scenario? Wouldn't switching to battery #2 isolate battery #1 for the circuit? I'm guessing that your ACR isn't wired up on the output side of the switch?

[C_M_25]

if you are going to move the switch with the motor running, don't rotate past "off".

That is why I like this switch. You need a key to get it into the off position, and you have to turn the boat off to get the key

http://www.amazon.com/Perko-8502DP-Lock ... ery+switch