Re: charging batteries
OK - here goes: 1) In your first post you said you have no outboard motor -- correct? The battery you are using for the radio, lights, and any other stuff would normally be charged by the engine. Since you don't have one, you need one set of 12V outputs from from an on-board charger. 2)As for the trolling motor, since its 12V, you have two batteries wired in parallel (which equates to one monster 12V battery). To charge that you have two options: One or two sets of outputs from the on-board charger. Why two you ask? Later! If you tally up the outputs needed so far, you should come up with three (hence a three bank charger). The amount you pay for a three bank charger depends on the amount of current the charger can send to each output. As I said earlier, a charger with three 6amp outputs would work for you. 10amps per bank costs more, 15amps more yet, and 20amps more more. Now then -- back to the why two outputs for the trolling motor. The batteries are in parallel so one output would work but the dilema is that this monster battery would take twice as long to charge with a single output than it would if you paralleled two outputs from the charger. Confused yet? If you get your engine on the boat soon, buy a two bank 6A or 10A charger. Let the engine charge the start battery. Otherwise get the three bank. There are other options but I'm out of breath.
