Running 2 Batteries

[O2BESOHUGE]

Thanks Cloaked AND EVERYONE! Looks Like Im Installing Another Battery This Weekend!

[jafo9]

i agree. with the proper gauge wire, i don't see why location matters in small boats such as ours. maybe on larger vessels it matters. or it may be at some point the wiring gets cost prohibitive. anyway my stock battery is in the starboard locker and i put my #2 battery in a box basically in the space between my port locker and the port rear corner seat so i think i ran an 8ft 2gauge wire for pos/neg.

[pbgbottle]

i run two batteries with just the perko switch .i just have to remember to set the switch to wich battery i want to use that day . is this no good . one day i use bat 1 next day i use bat 2 ,and every so often i will set the switch to both , but not very often .the switch is nice for turning off the batteries ,so there is no drain on them while in storage

[jafo9]

on a simple perko switch, i don't see a benefit from running them in the both position. if they aren't the same voltage, one will drain the other. it should be a temporary measure to get you home if neither can crank the battery alone. you would need an ACR if you want to charge them both at the same time safely.

[Cloaked]

I agree to some extent. The ACR is the ticket (Perko switch is a secondary component). When the engine is off (wired to the ignition switch), the ACR fails open and seperates the batteries. All of the accessories should be on the auxillary battery (isolated from the start battery) thus leaving the start battery in good condition regardless of the auxillary condition. The rest is another step to consider for a different topic of discussion, charging etc....