Which battery jump box to buy?

[pcrg28328]

I have a Stingray svc210 Cuddy w/ 4.7l Mercruiser. I already have 2 Deep cycle dual purpose marine batteries and a battery selector switch. Sometimes i forget to turn it from "ALL" batteries to just 1 or the other. I run a laptop for my Chart plotter / GPS (Anchor watch) plus I run a 12v fan and Anchor light at night while on the hook. They all pull power all night and my fear is that one morning I will wake up with 2 dead batteries. I want to buy a Portable Battery Jump Box to keep on board for just such an occasion but I do not know which size to get. I have seen them from the little cigarette plug in jobs all the way up to 2200 amps. Any thoughts on this? http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Jump+Starter

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Which battery jump box to buy?

forget the jump box and get an ACR on the batts... then never put the switch on both again..... batt 1 for starting and batt 2 for everything else.

better yet if you need more juice and have the room, add a small (group 24) starting batt for batt 1 and put both deep cycle in parallel for batt 2 with the ACR to keep it all charged as above

 

[JoLin]

Re: Which battery jump box to buy?

Agree with smoke on the battery use. Stop using the 'both' setting on the switch. At the dock, my onboard charger keeps both of 'em charged. I use Batt #1 to start the motors and run to where I'm gonna anchor, then Batt #2 when I get there. Even if I forgot to switch to #2 at anchor, it'd still there to start the boat when I leave.

I started a thread about the jump starters in the Electronics forum a month or 2 back. I'm leaning toward buying the Energizer 84020 to carry on my little boat. I like that it can be left plugged in to 110v (for charging) without damage. Some of them must be monitored and unplugged as soon as they're charged or you'll damage the battery. I still wouldn't leave it plugged in indefinitely, but it gives you some wiggle room.

My .02

 

[pcrg28328]

Re: Which battery jump box to buy?

Ok I think I got ya. So with the ACR When you crank up in the morning, does it charge the overnight battery back up?

 

[JoLin]

Re: Which battery jump box to buy?

Yes- it 'auto switches' or automatically redirects load and charge depending on what you need where. I'm comfortable with my manual switch, but I know that ACR's work well.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Which battery jump box to buy?

Ok I think I got ya. So with the ACR When you crank up in the morning, does it charge the overnight battery back up?

Yes!
If either battery goes above 13 volts (Charging) The relay closes and both batteries charge.
Once the voltage drops below 13, (Not Charging) The relay opens and isolates the two batteries.
Easy, Breasy!

 

[Don S]

Re: Which battery jump box to buy?

Get the proper ACR and switch combination and you will never have to worry about turning a switch other than on or off unless your starting battery fails. Then you can turn the switch start your engine and go home.

Add-A-Battery - 120A - Blue Sea Systems

Blue Sea Systems Add A Battery - iboats

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Which battery jump box to buy?

I'm betting that since you periodically forget to use the dual battery switch, you will forget to keep the jump box charged as well. Those things have a tendency to self discharge. I've owned many of them and none of them are worth taking home unless they too are on a float charger while at the dock. You already have everything you need. Use it to your advantage.

 

[pcrg28328]

Re: Which battery jump box to buy?

Thanks for all of the answers. I now know what i need. My last question is. I have 2to bilge pumps 1 auto switch and 1 manual. Do i put them on the house side and risk the battery falling undervoltage and not being able to pump or on the engine side and risk low cranking amps

 

[Don S]

Re: Which battery jump box to buy?

Put it on your house battery, you can always start the engine and charge the house battery back up.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Which battery jump box to buy?

I prefer to run 1 battery and carry a jumpbox. I found mine (was on sale) for about the same $ as a 2nd battery and it's more versatile, but if you already have a 2nd battery I suppose the ACR thing is fine.

Here's the one I have. It can inflate a trailer tire, start my tow vehicle, provide emergency navigation lighting, and has 400W of AC power and a USB outlet. It's a 800W AGM. The feature I like is the little button you push to read actual voltage on an LED display - not just a bar of led's.
It spends the winter in the trunk of my car which is also handy.

 

[pcrg28328]

Re: Which battery jump box to buy?

UPDATE*** OK so I purchased a VSR, I installed it Main side on engine battery and second side on house battery and then grounded it. Here it what it looked like: my problem is that , that wiring harness that runs the entire boat will not allow me to separate my batteries to run individual tasks. Apparently the boat originally came with only one battery to do everything and then someone added a battery for back up. When I install it as shown, The batteries charge as intended but, the boat ignition is intertwined into the complete electronics schematic. As shown it cranks from the house battery despite the fact that I have the engine battery direct to the starter as you normally would do.
Here is how it works with the switch:
like this i either still have to manually change the switch. is there any way to use the vsr with the switch to keep a freshly charged battery that i don't have to think about?