I think I may be charging my dual battery setup incorrectly.

[Cruzomatic]

I have dual batteries on my boat (same exact ones, brand, size, etc, etc) tied into a perko selector switch. When I first got it, I asked how should I charge them and was told to use a dual bank charger but didn't see a reason to make an additional expense as I have battery tenders laying around in my shop. So I'm currently charging them both on two different battery tenders. Actually, I have one on a battery tender and the other on a battery minder plus. Is this ok?

I've been reading on other threads that I could possibly use just one tender with one charger lead on (+) on battery A and the other on (-) on battery B ?????

I'm a bit confused here sorry.....and thanks.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: I think I may be charging my dual battery setup incorrectly.

You are confused because there are many schools of thought on this topic with the net result being -- "it doesn't matter". Here are just a few of those thoughts.

1) Use one charger connected to the dual battery switch COM terminal. Set the switch to BOTH and both will charge just like they do when the engine is running.

2) Connect a separate charger to each battery with the battery switch set to OFF.

3) Use one charger and charge each battery individually.

4) Or do it as described and debated in the post directly beneath this one.

Regardless which way you do it, your batteries will charge.

 

[Cruzomatic]

Re: I think I may be charging my dual battery setup incorrectly.

Yeah, I didn't want to hijack the other thread. Okay, so no biggie. I'm ok with what I'm currently doing, charging each one indivudually with the switch turned to off.

Thanks a bunch.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: I think I may be charging my dual battery setup incorrectly.

your is diffrent from the other thread as you have 2 matched and you use a perko between them so one charger connected + to one and - to the other makes perfect sense. unless the perko is on dual you have effectively turned the charger off. my only concern is that having to leave the perko in dual also means you have power to your boat when you may not want to. (kids turned on my bait pump and it melted in the drive way). any way you charge them that can leave them on the boat sounds like a good idea to me as it sure beats having to carry them.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: I think I may be charging my dual battery setup incorrectly.

your is diffrent from the other thread as you have 2 matched and you use a perko between them so one charger connected + to one and - to the other makes perfect sense. unless the perko is on dual you have effectively turned the charger off. my only concern is that having to leave the perko in dual also means you have power to your boat when you may not want to. (kids turned on my bait pump and it melted in the drive way). any way you charge them that can leave them on the boat sounds like a good idea to me as it sure beats having to carry them.

The solution to having "knob twiddlers" messing with the boat is to "educate" them. There are times they need to be and should be in the boat and at that time an adult should be there as well. Because the kids might screw with things is not a valid reason to NOT use a dual battery swtich. Sorry if that sounds like I'm against kids in the boat. Not at all. But kids need to know there is a time for them to be there and when they are, they keep their hands off of stuff unless they are being tuitored. As for the batteries in this case being the same, it really wouldn't matter if they weren't the same since "battery tenders" are used which have a tough time getting a battery to full charge so battery damage is a non-issue.