Batteries. My Plan,

[wajajaja02]

Got my "new" boat on the water finally, ran great, 34 mph, and only about 3 gal per hour at 1/ wot , for a 20 ft cuddly. with galley and head. but the batteries barely held enough of a charge to start to get back on the trailer. It has two marine deep cycle batteries running in parallel thru a perko switch.
I plan on taking the max marine battery (walmart) out of my bay-liner cuddly for the number 2 position and buying a new regular battery for my pick up, and using what is in it for the staring battery in the boat. Figuring that the boat does not need a battery in the winter. the switch will allow for the back up of the number 2 battery if the number one should need it. and the now current battery in the truck is only on its first year.

 

[PondTunes]

Re: Batteries. My Plan,

if you're using deep cycles to crank the boat thats probably the biggest part of your problem.. Deep cycles are designed for long deep discharges while cranking batteries have lots of CCA or cold cranking amps to drop lots of power at a time. Switching to a starting battery rather than deep cycle should fix your problem.

Pending there are no problems with the existing deep cycles i recommend keeping them and getting a good marine cranking battery to start the boat. Use the deep cycles when you're out sitting on the lake, the 1/2/off/both switch would be a good choice.

Connect your starter and vital systems such as bilge pumps to battery #1 (the cranking battery) also connect the positive terminal of battery #1 to position 1 on the perko switch, connect your accessory loads such as radio, fish finder, etc to the two batteries in parallel to position #2 on the perko switch.

When you crank the engines use position #1, when underway you can switch to BOTH to charge all 3 batteries, when you stop and anchor switch to position #2 to use the deep cycles.

Using a deep cycle as a starting battery and vice versa will shorten the usable life of your batteries.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Batteries. My Plan,

Check your charging circuit too and make sure its working properly.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Batteries. My Plan,

I disagree about not using deep discharge batteries for cranking. I have a 7.4L engine and have never had a problem cranking it with a deep discharge battery. One caveat...I never boat in anything lower than 50 degrees or so. Most boaters are typically like me...it is when it gets cold is when it gets more critical to use a cranking battery. Typically, most of the deep discharge batteries you get at Costco or Wallmart are more of a general purpose battery anyway and don't have the super thick plates like a true deep discharge battery would have(example would be a Trojan battery).

 

[PondTunes]

Re: Batteries. My Plan,

What type of batteries are your present deep cycles? Have you had them checked for problems?

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Batteries. My Plan,

What type of batteries are your present deep cycles? Have you had them checked for problems?

after much research on the subject i ended up buying 2 wallmart deep cycle batterys and have yet to regret it.
if your deep cycles have enough cc amps the is no reason not to use them for cranking. on the other hand if you use starting batterys for house use you run the risk of killing them.
with the switch i alternate after each trip(which ever battery is on on that trip starts and runs house) and always have a fresh charged battery for emergency back up.
battery technology has changed quite a bit in the last few years and what was true a few years ago might be different now.
i know your going to ask and i dont rember for sure but the batterys i have are rated for +800 cc amps and cost around $80. each

 

[dingbat]

Re: Batteries. My Plan,

I disagree about not using deep discharge batteries for cranking. I have a 7.4L engine and have never had a problem cranking it with a deep discharge battery. One caveat...I never boat in anything lower than 50 degrees or so. Most boaters are typically like me...it is when it gets cold is when it gets more critical to use a cranking battery.

Some of our best fishing takes place in December and January so I can vouch that Grp. 27 Delco Voyagers don't have a problem turning over a 200 HP outboard when the temps are in the upper teens, lower twenties.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: Batteries. My Plan,

still listening