Some battery confusion

[LazyCruiser]

Hi.
Can someone pls inform me on something? I'm confused & have a few questions if I may.

-I recall seeing a cable go from battery 1 to my starter, but I do not remember seeing anything off of the alternator that would come back to charge the battery. But there has to be one, right? That's question 1.

-#2 If there IS a cable from alternator to a battery, unless my battery switch is set to BOTH, then only one battery gets charged while the motor runs, right? (cuz I really don't think that there's a cable going to both batts)

-#3 I noticed last year that if my battery switch was set to 2, I could not move my trim tabs while stopped & on the hook. Trimtabs only worked with battery switch set to ONE or BOTH. The power cables goto battery 1, only. Is this a normal configuration?

Which battery is supposed to be the house battery? 1 or 2 or does it not matter? What position do ppl run thier battery switch when they're cruising? BOTH seems to make the most sense,,,,,,right?

Oh yea, question #22 - Do ya think that they make those sukkas heavy enough? YeeeOOOOWzah, those things weigh half as much as I do

thanks - sorry to be helpless, almost hopeless even

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: Some battery confusion

Can someone pls inform me on something? I'm confused & have a few questions if I may.

-I recall seeing a cable go from battery 1 to my starter, but I do not remember seeing anything off of the alternator that would come back to charge the battery. But there has to be one, right? That's question 1.
# 1 almost all engines put the output of the alernator to the same terminal on the start or slave solenoid that your battery cable hooks to. ( forget it) unless you have an outboard with 2 output wires. ( read book on this)

-#2 If there IS a cable from alternator to a battery, unless my battery switch is set to BOTH, then only one battery gets charged while the motor runs, right? (cuz I really don't think that there's a cable going to both batts)

#2 true the output will go to the common terminal on you battery switch.

-#3 I noticed last year that if my battery switch was set to 2, I could not move my trim tabs while stopped & on the hook. Trimtabs only worked with battery switch set to ONE or BOTH. The power cables goto battery 1, only. Is this a normal configuration?

Sounds like your tabs are wired to terminal #1 on your switch. Most people would move it to the common terninal.

Which battery is supposed to be the house battery? 1 or 2 or does it not matter? What position do ppl run thier battery switch when they're cruising? BOTH seems to make the most sense,,,,,,right?

Most people call the house battery 2 They charge it at home and leave the start batery #1 charging while underway. They hook most heavy draw items to the house battery.
do a search on here to see some products that will charge your house battery after your start battery is full.


Oh yea, question #22 - Do ya think that they make those sukkas heavy enough? YeeeOOOOWzah, those things weigh half as much as I do

heavy is good Think about a deep cycle for your house battery. no big rush


thanks - sorry to be helpless, almost hopeless even[/QUOTE]

 

[sasto]

Re: Some battery confusion

Most likely your alt. lead goed to your starter, which in turn goes to whichever battery you have selected.

As far as normal...I don't know anymore. As a former marine electrician who wired up new boats, I knew a couple ways the engineers wanted it done, but after further review here on iboats, there are many ways done. Personally, I like everything ran off whichever battery/batteries I have selected....... on my boat that is.

Good Luck!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Some battery confusion

-I recall seeing a cable go from battery 1 to my starter, but I do not remember seeing anything off of the alternator that would come back to charge the battery. But there has to be one, right? That's question 1.

Ayuh,.... Electricity runs Both ways through the 1 wire....
Whichever battery you set the switch to, is the 1 being charged...
Whichever battery an accessory is attached, or switched to, is the 1 powering whatever accessory you're talkin' about...

Oh yea, question #22 - Do ya think that they make those sukkas heavy enough? YeeeOOOOWzah, those things weigh half as much as I do

They're made of Lead,... Why would you expect it to be light,..??

 

[fish_on_the_deck]

Re: Some battery confusion

Hi.
Can someone pls inform me on something? I'm confused & have a few questions if I may.

1) no, most motors have only one connection. Current feeds back from the starter to your battery while running to charge your batts.

2) again, no second cable, but YES... if your switch is set to one batt or the other, then it is the only one getting charge. Change to BOTH for both to charge both.

3) right... if tabs power is on batt 1 positive, then they would only work when the switch is on 1 or BOTH. They might have done his because batt 2 is usually your house battery, and if youre using the house battery only, you should not be moving, so trim tabs dont need to be on. I dont see the harm in it though... I'd move the trim tab's power over to the common teminal on the battery switch.

4) I think 1 is typically the starting battery, and 2 is the House battery. It dosent matter though as long as you remember which is which. Yeah, I run on BOTH to charge both batteries. Then switch to 2 when sitting around without the motor running... turn to BOTH or 1 to crank back up.

22) yup, they are pretty heavy... dont drop it on your toe