2nd Battery and AMP location

[gapple12]

I'm currently adding a second battery to my boat as well as 2 stereo amplifiers. I want to have the 2 batteries side by side as well as the amps on a wall next to them for shorter cable lengths. Will this throw off the balance of my boat riding level with all this weight on the drivers side of boat ?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

Depends on the size of the boat how much it will list more. I wouldn't worry about it. Do you worry about which side of the boat your ice chest is on?

 

[doyall]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

If possible, do a 'test run' before you permanently install anything and see if you can live with it. With the price of 2AWG and 4AWG cables, your idea could save a you few dollars and a bit of work. If you have long speaker wire runs just be sure to use 12AWG on them.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

I'm currently adding a second battery to my boat as well as 2 stereo amplifiers. I want to have the 2 batteries side by side as well as the amps on a wall next to them for shorter cable lengths. Will this throw off the balance of my boat riding level with all this weight on the drivers side of boat ?

Ayuh,... There's Always a Driver, 'n many times No passenger,....

For that reason, loadin' excess weight to the portside makes some sense,...

 

[gapple12]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

Depends on the size of the boat how much it will list more. I wouldn't worry about it. Do you worry about which side of the boat your ice chest is on?

Hmmm, didn't think of that. Ill just always keep the cooler on the other side, but it will eventually be empty.

 

[gapple12]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

If possible, do a 'test run' before you permanently install anything and see if you can live with it. With the price of 2AWG and 4AWG cables, your idea could save a you few dollars and a bit of work. If you have long speaker wire runs just be sure to use 12AWG on them.

Yes, the marine battery cable is not cheap

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

How much do you weigh? Can you stand to lose around 50 lbs? That should about even it out.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

If you have long speaker wire runs just be sure to use 12AWG on them.

Isn't that slight overkill?

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

I just changed out my single group 29 battery for dual group 24 batteries...on the starboard side...so hopefully not a huge difference? I had the same reasoning, didn't want to buy 8'+ of battery cable to mount 2nd battery on Portside...I planned on using the other area for a cooler anyway...

 

[Slide]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

Isn't that slight overkill?

Yep. 16awg is more than enough, and that's if you're running serious power. 18awg is standard.

 

[doyall]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

Isn't that slight overkill?

Perhaps if he has a run of 15' or less 14AWG would suffice. High power (I presume that is what he is going for) and low impedance speakers (most marine speakers are 4 Ohm - fairly low relatively speaking) call for bigger wire over longer runs to minimize signal loss. A 10AWG recommendation would have been a bit much. I just installed a mid-power amp (60W @ 4 Ohm X 4) in my boat and the manufacturer spec'd 4AWG power cable and 12AWG speaker wire.

 

[gapple12]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

Im running 60 watts per speaker (4) with 14 gauge speaker wire at 4 ohm. Also running 1000 watt mono amp to a 1000 Alpine sub. Both amps are getting 4 gauge power wire. My boat is about 20 foot long, so I wont be exceeding 15 feet per speaker to the amp, well maybe one speaker all the way up front, on opposite side. One battery is for amps and stereo only, other battery is for boat. Im using a BLUE SEA 7650 dual battery setup.

 

[sweet addiction]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

What size batteries are you running? For example if you were to put two Group 29's on the same side of a 20ft boat....You will notice the un-balance.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

I just installed a mid-power amp (60W @ 4 Ohm X 4) in my boat and the manufacturer spec'd 4AWG power cable and 12AWG speaker wire.

60W is 3.8A @ 4 ohms. Still seems like overkill to me.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

What size batteries are you running? For example if you were to put two Group 29's on the same side of a 20ft boat....You will notice the un-balance.

A 29 weighs around 15 lbs more than a 24.

 

[sweet addiction]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

Interstate Batteries

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

Interstate Batteries

Good guess on my part! 46 for a 24 and 61 for a 29.

 

[doyall]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

Im running 60 watts per speaker (4) with 14 gauge speaker wire at 4 ohm. Also running 1000 watt mono amp to a 1000 Alpine sub. Both amps are getting 4 gauge power wire. My boat is about 20 foot long, so I wont be exceeding 15 feet per speaker to the amp, well maybe one speaker all the way up front, on opposite side. One battery is for amps and stereo only, other battery is for boat. Im using a BLUE SEA 7650 dual battery setup.

You will be good to go.

 

[doyall]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

60W is 3.8A @ 4 ohms. Still seems like overkill to me.

If you go the extra step you will never wonder whether you made a mistake.

 

[gapple12]

Re: 2nd Battery and AMP location

What size batteries are you running? For example if you were to put two Group 29's on the same side of a 20ft boat....You will notice the un-balance.

im using 2 Group Size 34M batteries. 50 pounds each