installing second battery

[smile0784]

hi
i have a 5.2 mt quinny and wont to put a second battery onboard to run the gps, sounder off etc
does anyone khow how to run the wire looms to so that is recharges when the boat is running but doesnt draw power from the first battery.

help is appreciated thanks ricki

[googarra]

I have looked at installing another battery, number 3, I already have 2 x 600 CCA exides to run the entire show but using the anchor winch and starting the engine with the sounders and electronics on is apparently a no no.

A good friend, retired expert from the electronics marines install business, said to install a smaller battery, about 25 ah sealed, link the black direct to the other batteries neutral bar with a good sized cable, also with the positive, but place about a 7amp circuit breaker on the active so that it charges OK but will kick out if you get a surge or spike when starting the motor or cranking the anchor.

Sounds about right, but I am no expert, other than I know I should not have every gizzmo boys toy on when starting motor or winching the anchor.

[oldboot]

first thing that must be understood....you must have a battery connected to your outboard charging system at all times when the engine is running, or the regulator may fail.

So you don't want anything that will even for a moment disconnect you cranking battery while the motor is running.

so assuming you have only a conventional single charging system you have few options.

most convieniently you want the main battery to charge first, and then the second battery to charge.

A voltage sensitive realy will do this for you.

The notion of one battery drawing from another is a bit over simplistic.

There are complications...and one that is often ignored is the weedy ability for most motors to chage batteries combined with the short runs some of us do.

Realy we need to be turning up at the ramp with two fully charged batteries.

tell us a bit more about your concerns and what you are using the boat for & we may be able to give better advice.

cheers

[top_deck69]

Hi Ricki,

I went through planing this exercise a little while ago

With the help of the guys on here I did up a pretty good diagram, have a look at this thread the second page has the last diagram but there was some pretty good feedback with wiring sizes and the like.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=163760 (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=163760)

Cheers
Ben

[Camo]

Bias and BCF sell a kit with everything you need to hook up a second battery. The relay is included and transfers charging to the second battery only when the the first battery, (cranking battery), is fully charged. I bought one a couple of years ago, retails for around $150 includes relay and leads and directions, nothing else to buy except a battery. Might be a little expensive but saved me a lot of time and hassles.

Camo