Battery

[clasavi]

i have a 1998 22 ft stingray with a 350 Magnum EFI I/O. i currently have a marina starting battery 875 crank power from advance auto. the boat also has a two battery switch. i am in the market to purchase a second battery. which should i buy, dual or a deep cycle battery?

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Battery

If you plan on using the second battery to srtictly run radio, VHF, GPS, electronic, etc and plan on them being on all day, go with the deep cycle. This also goes for lights for shrimping, livewell aerator, etc.

If you want a spare battery for that stuff "sometimes" and like the redundancy of a second starting battery, go with the dual purpose.

 

[clasavi]

Re: Battery

noted. to charge it back, would i run the boat with the battery switch on "all"?

 

[fucawi]

Re: Battery

1 until your main starting battery is charged ..then 2 to charge power the second ..never go through OFF when moveing the switch from 1 to 2 if the engine is running ....hey a VSR is automatic !!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Battery

1 until your main starting battery is charged ..then 2 to charge power the second ..never go through OFF when moveing the switch from 1 to 2 if the engine is running ....hey a VSR is automatic !!

You cannot go "through" OFF to get to 1, 2, or BOTH. You can get to OFF only from BAT 1. Unless the VSR has a combine function you cannot start the engine from BAT 2 unless you carry jumper cables. And should the start battery take a dump (as in go to battery heaven) even a combine function may prevent starting unless the dead battery is taken out of the circuit. With a switch, BAT 2 is battery #2 and therefore totally independent. These are all good products. But the cost, simplicity and versatility of a switch is hard to beat. It can be a problem if one gets befuddled by switch settings and what is happening at each.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Battery

noted. to charge it back, would i run the boat with the battery switch on "all"?

That should be sufficient as long as your run time back to home is of sufficient length to allow for a full charge. Running electronics all day and a 30 minute ride back to the dock doesn't cut it. Due diligence in battery maintenance is paramount is ensuring that you don't get stranded. If you plan on taking the boat out Saturday, plan on testing/charging batteries Friday. It's free insurance.