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Mingo
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 10:26:59 PM
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| I have all of my accessories running off one battery and I've decided to add another battery to run everything but the motor, I think. I installed a kill switch many years ago and I used the fuse block under the dash as the ground. This ground naturally goes to the battery in the back of the boat. I'm going to mount a second battery under the console and wire the fuse block to that battery. This will run my lights, electronics and pumps. The other battery will be just for the motor. I have a couple of concerns. How will this affect the kill switch? Will it function the same since it will still go to a ground or does it need to be the same ground that is connected to the motor? Would you hook the bottom deck bilge to this second battery or to the battery for the motor (since nothing else will be hooked to that one, less chance of it running down just in case I need the pump), or is there a way to connect it to both batteries? Do you think the second battery will power the electronics (GPS, Older model color machine, VHF and a live well, bilge every now and then) without going dead on a normal 5-6 hour trip? Would it cause any problems if I left the present wiring ( which is a heavy gage wire for the fuse block) in place from the current battery and tapped into the ground wire to hook to the second battery (both grounds of the batteries connected in line with the fuse block) and then install a switch or throw bar in line on the positive wire currently installed and install another switch or throw bar in the positive wire from the second battery so I could switch to the motor battery if the second one went dead? Of course not have both positive switches/bars on at the same time. I thought about the battery switch you normally have on a boat with 2 batteries but it is not feasible or practical in my application. If anyone has any answers to my questions and if there is anything else I should be concerned with or should know about, feel free to comment.
If it ain't fried, it ain't cooked.
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Sailfish
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Let's start with the terminology that your using.
The "Kill Switch".
A kill switch is the safety switch that you connect to your person when operating a boat. Should you fall overboard the clip on the lanyard is pulled out and it "Kills" the motor.
Now it sounds like your talking about a "Master Switch"?
That needs to be changed in order to upgrade into the 21 century.
This is what I install for your situation.
http://www.bepmarine.com/Dual-Battery-Charging-Cluster-180-1464.html
Read and understand how this works and makes your life SO much more simple.
As to the Grounds. They are all "Common". That means that all ground cables are connect together between Both batteries and thus are common with the Ground [GND] buss bar.
If you don't know what your doing seek professional help.
BEP switch for single motor and dual batteries.
BEP switch for twin motors and 3 batteries.
Little details to be fixed.
The factory uses tinned copper wire when they put the jumpers on the back of the switch, but they use Stupid Automotive connectors. :(
I replace them with crimp shrink connectors that should always be used in any marine application.
I have contacted the manufacture about this and got NO response. :(
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"Just cause it's new, doesn't mean it's worth a Damn."
Pensacola, Fl
Custom 23ft Mako Pilothouse w/ twin DF-140 Suzuki's
162 Scout w/ C-90 Yamaha
1860 SeaArk w/ DF-70 Suzuki
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Grouper
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Last Login: Today @ 11:01:07 PM
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I would not feed the ground system separately. The entire boat is a ground and you will have cross feeds that could cause problems. Always switch the positives to feed what you want and join all grounds together. If you are going to have a house and engine battery, and you want to charge the batteries when the engine is running, do what X said. This way you will charge the batteries and can have a backup system for power. There are other ways of wiring the system, but for the price, neatness, and reliability, X's way is best.
Davlor Marine, LLC mobile marine repairs, maintenance, and installations 850-777-7303 www.davlormarine.webs.com
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Mingo
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Last Login: Yesterday @ 10:26:59 PM
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| I've read many of X's responses, advice given to forum members and respect his knowledge and advice given. In my case I am referring to a genuine "kill switch" that attaches to me to kill the engine for safety purposes. Since everything is ran off the fuse block that is mounted at the center console, I was looking for an inexpensive way to connect a second battery to run the accessories. When I was talking about the ground wires and hot wires, I was talking about the sperate wiring that supplies power and grounding for the fuse block. I don't have the money to run the positive and negative battery "cables" needed to run the battery switch, as well as the switch, to charge both batteries. Wish I could but just not possible at the time. That's why I was looking to tie into the wiring from the main battery to the fuse block and to wire the fuse block from the second battery under the console which wouldn't take much wiring at all, just from that battery to the fuse block. Thanks for the advice but for now if addresing the seperate wiring is not my answer then I'll just have to stow the battery and swap it out when the main battery goes dead. I guess that would rule out all of the concerns I had anyway.
If it ain't fried, it ain't cooked.
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Grouper
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Last Login: Today @ 11:01:07 PM
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The kill switch is typically wired through the engine harness and it would not matter how any accessory wires were run. If someone has run the kill switch to the ground strip under the console, then it will have to go to the battery for the engine ground.
Davlor Marine, LLC mobile marine repairs, maintenance, and installations 850-777-7303 www.davlormarine.webs.com
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Mingo
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 10:26:59 PM
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| Thanks for answering my question Double D. At least I know what to do for the kill switch. Thanks again.
If it ain't fried, it ain't cooked.
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