Dual Battery Set Up

[troy]

My motor would not start on one battery and not knowing which battery was number one and two i pulled out both.
What i found was that they installed two different size batteries one a 500 and a 600.
Could the reason for this be a lack of room .
It is a 625 cruise craft outsider.
The battery had dropped a cell and this has happened twice in 12 months.
Any ideas on this.
Thanks
Troy

[troy]

no one home today
troy:end: :end:

[Sea-Dog]

Are you buying cheapies or quality marine batteries.

If quality, then just looks like bad luck.

Was the battery covered by warranty?

Sea-Dog

[troy]

Sea Dog,
Dealership installed them and they are Century Marine Pro.
I think i will be covered under warranty.
Thanks
Troy

[Chimo]

Troy

See your 6.25 thread

Also there are heaps of site like these and appart from charging issues the use the batteries are being put to is also a possible issue

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/dualBattery.html

Cheers

Chimo

[seatime]

Chimo

I had a look at your link to the Boston Whaler site, I like that site also.
Found it interesting that they numbered the the starboard battery #2 in the illustration, when the convention for numbering in any maritime application is from starboard to port. The starboard battery should be #1 and port #2.
e.g beacons are numbered starboard to port, #1 is a green stbd hand beacon.
if there are 2 engines, #1 is the stbd engine, same with generators, pumps or any other multiple machinery set-ups.
liferafts, lifeboats start with #1 on the stbd side.
sound signals are 1 blast for altering course to starboard, 2 blasts for altering course to port.
I could go on, but you get the picture.
wonder why they got that wrong, they're usually a good reference?

regards

[copie]

Hi troy COPIE here just identify your 2 battery's like this. Using a multi-meter or volt meter across the terminals of 1 battery at a time with ignition off you should have approx. 12.5 volts, then crank the engine the meter should drop to approx 9 volts this is the battery in use at this time. check your isolator switch position and then mark the battery or its cover or door accordingly. The possible reason for 2 different size battery's could be 1 is for the engine starting and the other all your accessories.::)

[troy]

But why would they install two different size batteries.
Troy

[Chimo]

Troy

Did you buy it new?

If not why not ask the previous owner?

If you did what did you specify for the electrics in the order for motor battery and for house / electronics battery and specifically what did you ask for re switching / charging / electronics protection from spikes?

One way or the other answere these and you can answer your initial questions yourself.

Cheers
Chimo

[newchum]

troy it is not a good practice to use two different size batteries if you do not have something to seperate their chargeing ,as different size batteries have different charge rates, it is possible to overcharge one of the batteries, most auto electricians would be able to sell you a setup for boat.
it is designed to monitor and charge each battery individualy. all that the dual battery switch does is select number1 or number2 battery or both batteries to be used

[Angla]

Troy, What sort of battery switching do you have?

Is it a biggish switch about 120mm square wit "1" "BOTH" "2" and "OFF"?

Or is it an elaborate setup with a house switch, a motor switch, a Emergency parallel switch and a voltage regulator?

I suspect it is just a simple setup with the first switch.

I would be thinking that both batteries should be identical so that the charger circuit is not out of balance, but I do not think this is a real big problem.

Did the same battery fail as last time? is the 500 hour battery the original or the 600

Just some other stuff too. Do you normally run with both batteries 'on' and only turn to 1 battery when staying overnight with lights and stuff running?

The more information you give us on how the betteries are treated is important to the solutions you will get back

Chris

[troy]

Chimo when i bought my boat new it only had the one battery.
Ausfish members advised me to install twin batteries with a isolating switch.
So that is what i asked the Dealer to do.
Troy

[Chimo]

Hi Troy

What do you want the second battery to do?

If it is to run your electronics eg GPS, sounder, radios, lights at nite and maybe a fridge etc in my opinion it would be preferable for the second battery to be a deepcycle unit and not a starting battery.

From my own experience, and I have posted about this before, if your electronics are to be protected from spikes caused by your motor as soon as you start it; it is best to have an Auto Battery Coupler in the circuit.

This is to disconnect the "house" battery and all the instrumentation; from the starting circuit as the motor starts and not reconnect until the voltage settles down and a constant safe charging rate is being produced by the motor. This unit (the ABC) is different to and in addition to the isolating switch you have.

As you see in the avatar I have a twin engine boat with a starting battery for each and have also had a deep cycle house battery with the ABC fitted after my GPS screen lost pixcels and was on the way out. Lowrance replaced the Globalmap unit under warranty but stressed that if I had the same issue again I was on my own as they stressed that the electronics must be on a curcuit separate to the motor. This was what made me do the research, find a Marine Engineer who knew about ABCs etc and essentially have the boat rewired.

I have formed the view that in an area as specialized as are these one cannot rely on boat retailers or boat builders for advice about boat electrics, electronics and their charging and protection from spikes etc. These wellmeaning people, selling primarily on a price basis, are correct when they say you dont need any of these fancy bits and pieces, for the first few months or even a year or so until the warranty has expired.

To each his own, we all make our own decisions for our own reasons!!

If Capt is on line, he too recently had his boat rewired as discussed above. Perhaps he too may choose to comment?

So Troy it may be that your setup is in need of a review and maybe some more work too.

Cheers

Chimo

[troy]

Chimo when i bought my boat new it only had one battery and this was one of the first that packed it in after around 5 months.
Ausfish members advised me to get twin batteries and a isolating switch and that is what i asked the Dealer to do.
Never thought that i would need one for accessories and one for starting as i thought i would just alternate between the two batteries.
Is this a bad idea.
Thanks
Troy:-/

[Chimo]

Hi Troy

Put simply, Yes it is.

Have a read of this lot which I just dug up.

Battery Deep Cycle

http://batteryworld.com.au/data/portal/00005071/content/46732001153712254984.pdf (http://batteryworld.com.au/data/portal/00005071/content/46732001153712254984.pdf)

Recreation Systems

http://batteryworld.com.au/data/portal/00005071/content/07827001157077024338.pdf (http://batteryworld.com.au/data/portal/00005071/content/07827001157077024338.pdf)

Marine Battery Info

http://batteryworld.com.au/data/portal/00005071/content/27073001153712530968.pdf

Where are you located anyway. (PM if you want)

Cheers

Chimo

[troy]

Chimo when i first purchased my boat new it only had the one battery and this one packed it in quickly.
Members advised me to go for twin batteries and an isolating switch and that was what i told the dealer to install.
Inever thought of having one for starting and one for accessories as i would alternate between both.
Is this not right.
Thanks
Troy

[troy]

Troy

Did you buy it new?

If not why not ask the previous owner?

If you did what did you specify for the electrics in the order for motor battery and for house / electronics battery and specifically what did you ask for re switching / charging / electronics protection from spikes?

One way or the other answere these and you can answer your initial questions yourself.

Cheers
Chimo
Chimo when i purchased my boat new it only had one battery which packed it in quickly.
Members advised me to install twin batteries with a isolating switch and this is what i asked the dealer to install and i never thought of having one for accessories and one for starting as i would just alternate between the two.
Is this a bad idea.
Thanks
Troy

[Chimo]

Hi Troy

Read the post from 2.35pm today

Cheers

Chimo

[troy]

Chimo boat purchased new with single battery.
Members advised to install twin batteries and a isolating switch and that is what i told the dealer to do and i never thought of having of having one for accessories and the other for starting just alternate between the two.
Is this a bad idea.
Thanks
Troy

[Chimo]

Here you are again troy
Hi Troy

Put simply, Yes it is.

Have a read of this lot which I just dug up.

Battery Deep Cycle

http://batteryworld.com.au/data/portal/00005071/content/46732001153712254984.pdf (http://batteryworld.com.au/data/portal/00005071/content/46732001153712254984.pdf)

Recreation Systems

http://batteryworld.com.au/data/portal/00005071/content/07827001157077024338.pdf (http://batteryworld.com.au/data/portal/00005071/content/07827001157077024338.pdf)

Marine Battery Info

http://batteryworld.com.au/data/portal/00005071/content/27073001153712530968.pdf



Cheers

Chimo

[Chimo]

Hi Troy

Looks like you have been having trouble with theses batteries from day dot!

19-06-2006, 07:27 PM post #1 (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showpost.php?p=333532&postcount=1) http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/images/misc/_cat-top_rht.giftroy (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/member.php?u=36717) vbmenu_register("postmenu_333532", true);
Ausfish Platinum Member
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Join Date: Dec 2004


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http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/images/icons/icon1.gif 625 Cruise Craft Outsider
I just had dual batteries installed and the way it was done is a nightmare.
The battery that is placed against the side of the boat is almost impossible to reach .
Only a member who has this boat would understand.
Two batteries up against one another is fine but not when you have to struggle to get to the other battery.
Troy
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/images/buttons/report.gif (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/report.php?p=333532)
Cheers

Chimo

[troy]

Chimo this is just a test to reply to you as i am having trouble getting to post

[troy]

Troy

Did you buy it new?

If not why not ask the previous owner?

If you did what did you specify for the electrics in the order for motor battery and for house / electronics battery and specifically what did you ask for re switching / charging / electronics protection from spikes?

One way or the other answere these and you can answer your initial questions yourself.

Cheers
Chimo
Chimo just testing as i have not been able to respond

[troy]

Troy

Did you buy it new?

If not why not ask the previous owner?

If you did what did you specify for the electrics in the order for motor battery and for house / electronics battery and specifically what did you ask for re switching / charging / electronics protection from spikes?

One way or the other answere these and you can answer your initial questions yourself.

Cheers
Chimo
Chimo when i purchased the boat new it only had one battery and it dropped a cell fairly quickly.
Members advise was to go for twin batteries and a isolating switch and this is what i told the dealer to install.
I never thought of using one battery for accessories and the other for running the motor as i thought i would alternate between the two.
Is this a bad idea.
Thanks
Troy

[troy]

Troy, What sort of battery switching do you have?

Is it a biggish switch about 120mm square wit "1" "BOTH" "2" and "OFF"?

Or is it an elaborate setup with a house switch, a motor switch, a Emergency parallel switch and a voltage regulator?

I suspect it is just a simple setup with the first switch.

I would be thinking that both batteries should be identical so that the charger circuit is not out of balance, but I do not think this is a real big problem.

Did the same battery fail as last time? is the 500 hour battery the original or the 600

Just some other stuff too. Do you normally run with both batteries 'on' and only turn to 1 battery when staying overnight with lights and stuff running?

The more information you give us on how the betteries are treated is important to the solutions you will get back

Chris
Angla,
First i must apologise for all these extra posts as i was having trouble sending.
My isolating switch is rather big with battery one ,both,battery two and off.
What i was told to do was to run out on one battery and come home on the other and i never run on both.
Thanks
Troy

[troy]

Chimo sorry about all this posting as i do not know why it is happening.
Troy:-[

[GAD]

My dual battery set up is with a large on /off switch between the two batteries and what I do is after the motor is started and I'm moving I turn the switch to on and recharge the electronics battery , before I stop the motor I turn it to off , hence the starter battery is fully charged and not being drawn on by the electronics or deck lights,stereo, ect. and the electronics battery is seperated from the system but can be charged quite easily by the flick of a switch and the suzy with 40amps max output takes no time to charge the battery.
hope this makes sense. only down fall human error8-)