wiring batteries for 24V trolling motor

[farginicehole]

I already have this setup, but my old deep cycles are finally giving up the ghost after 5 years. I just want to get opinions on what's the best setup before I put new ones in. The way they are currently wired is pretty simple - a heavy gauge jumper between the pos and neg terminals of the two batteries, and the trolling motor cables attached to the pos of one battery and the neg of the other (series, to give 24 volts). My Guest 2613 charger, which stays plugged in all of the time that the boat is not on the water, has the pos and neg terminals of one bank going to one battery and the pos and neg of the other bank going to, you guessed it, the other battery. I just want to make sure that, with this setup, both of my batteries are getting properly and fully charged (since they are still connected in series while being charged)? Thanks!

 

[red10]

Re: wiring batteries for 24V trolling motor

that should be fine as long as you don't jump the other terminals while its charging

 

[farginicehole]

Re: wiring batteries for 24V trolling motor

Thanks for the reply, red10, but I guess I'm not sure what you mean. Battery #1 has the positive cable to the trolling motor outlet and the positive wire from bank #1 of the Guest charger both hooked to its positive post. On battery #1's negative post, the negative wire from the Guest bank #1 is connected, along with a jumper to the positive post of battery #2. This positive post also has the positive wire from the Guest charger's #2 bank connected to it. Finally, the negative terminal of battery #2 has the Guest negative wire from bank #2 and the trolling motor outlet negative cable attached. Everything remains hooked up this way when I'm out fishing, and I just turn off the trolling motor and plug the Guest in whenever we're not on the lake. Pretty simple setup, but maybe hard to follow with my text description. I'm not sure how to attach a diagram to this reply. Anyways, does this sound okay, or do I need to add a switch to "remove" the jumper between the two batteries while charging?

 

[OBJ]

Re: wiring batteries for 24V trolling motor

I have a Guest Duo Pro across my batteries the same way. Ain't had a problem yet fargin. The Duo Pro is set up to charge batteries wired in series. It charges each battery separatly as needed.

 

[farginicehole]

Re: wiring batteries for 24V trolling motor

Thanks OBJ and red10. I guess, unless someone else tells me why I shouldn't, I'll re-wire it up the same way. I plan to get some new deep cycles today. I will, however, replace my terminal ends and lube everything up with dielectric grease just so everything is "fresh and new".

 

[red10]

Re: wiring batteries for 24V trolling motor

it took me a while to read your post and understand it but your hookup is fine, just never put anything or drop anything across your "open" + on one battery to your "open" - on the other battery

 

[farginicehole]

Re: wiring batteries for 24V trolling motor

Thanks, red10. I installed some new New Castle Super Thrust group 27s last night. The guys at the battery store assured me that I had everything hooked up properly, and were actually quite impressed with the condition of my 5-6 year old New Castles. I told them that it's a testament to the quality of those batteries and Guest onboard chargers! The New Castles were $10-20 more per battery than some other deep cycles I found at auto parts and tractor supply stores, but they have 135 amp hours and something like 875 cranking amps, which pretty much blows away any of these "lesser" batteries. You can tell how much lead they have in them when you pick a couple of them up!!