The ole' duel battery question

[Capt Sully]

I want the install a second battery to run only my radio's, GPS and some other things. I want to install a Perko switch. Questions are, do I pull the + lead off the starter battery #1 and connect it to the com on the switch ? then add a new lead from the + pole on bat #1 to the #1 on the switch ? do the same with bat #2, pull + lead and connect to #2 on the switch ? then have both - poles on both bat tied together ? connect all radio wires and others to bat #2. this leaves bat #1 with only the cables for the motor ? what do you think ?? Thanks,

 

[Silvertip]

Re: The ole' duel battery question

So you are another person who wants to use only half of the capability of a dual battery switch. Your wiring is right up to the point where you want all your accessories wired to BAT 2. If you wired EVERYTHING to the COM terminal on the switch you can set the switch to BAT 2 and have exactly the same thing you just described. But better yet, should BAT 2 take a dump you can still operate everything by selecting BAT 1. The only thing you would not want wired to the switch would be an automatic bilge pump as it needs to operate when you are away from the boat and the battery switch is OFF. With everything on the COM terminal, BAT 1, BAT 2, or BOTH can start the engine, charge the batteries (which ever is selected) and run the accessories. Why would you want to limit that by having everything on BAT 2. Use the versatility of the switch -- that's what it was designed to do.