2nd Battery

[spoons]

Has anyone installed a second battery in their boat (or fourby, don't suppose it makes much difference). What components were used and where did you get them from?
I am looking at doing this modification and nearly choked when I got a quote from my local marine service guy. $500 odd sounded a bit steep.
I can get a Redarc SmartStart isolator/solenoid for about $100 on Ebay (charges main battery then auxilliary), welding lead for cables and a battery for about $200. Chuck in another $20 for bit's and piece's. Still only comes to a little over $300 for a much better system than one with just a switch. Being a leckie with access to welding leads (hope he doesn't miss them) and lugs, nuts and bolts etc helps.
As usual this need (for a second battery) was brought about by me being a dickhead.

[jamie]

hey spoons
i have 2 batterys but have the old switch 1,2 or both. all day and night i run on battery no 1 and have never needed to use no2 but i do charge both before heading out

[plucker]

Hi Spoons, I have installed a second battery in both my car and boat.
In the boat, I have used a Heavy duty isolating switch, ($20), Voltage sensitive relay which charges the second battery automatically once the first one is fully charged ($130) Cable and lugs were free for me,

Battery cost. Mine was AGM deep cycle cause I had problems with the acid leaking. cost $350, but most people would use lead acids for say $150 ish.
My total cost for doing it myself was $500 and a case of beer and lots of hours and pain, including the next day.

This setup can isolate the 2 batteries with a flick of the switch if one is caput. If my main is flat, I can always pull start. The beauty of my setup is that I can charge my second battery automatically on the way back to the ramp. The less time it spends flat the better.

This suits my needs of a second dedicated battery for my electric motor and only one point for the trickle charger to attach to at home, when out of action, but ensuring both batteries are full and ready to go.

[spoons]

(06-02-2009 08:40 PM)jamie Wrote:  hey spoons
i have 2 batterys but have the old switch 1,2 or both. all day and night i run on battery no 1 and have never needed to use no2 but i do charge both before heading out

Hi Jamie, I have spoken to several purists who dislike and distrust electronic gizmos. What they do is start from the ramp on the first battery and drive to wherever they are going, fish until ready for home, then change to the second battery for the drive home. This method charges both batteries providing you dont run too many accessories and it's a reasonable run to and from the fishing spot. There is a possibility of having both batteries at something less than fully charged. Obvious solution is to trickle charge both while at home.
I'm more of a techno, I like systems that do everything for me.

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(06-02-2009 09:03 PM)plucker Wrote:  Hi Spoons, I have installed a second battery in both my car and boat.
In the boat, I have used a Heavy duty isolating switch, ($20), Voltage sensitive relay which charges the second battery automatically once the first one is fully charged ($130) Cable and lugs were free for me,

Plucker, yep, that sounds pretty much like what I want (except for the pull start thing). I like the idea of automatic changeover, it requires less input from me.
I am also looking at putting a voltmeter and ammeter in (with switches to change from one battery to the other) to monitor the health of the batteries. They're reasonably cheap on Ebay.

[jamie]

hey guys
you guys would love my cusin's setup he has a solar panel on his shed that charges his batterys in the boat it has a cut off so it stops when the batterys are full,so no need to charge the bats before the trip.

[geoffjy]

In my cruiser i have a dual battery setup that is supposed to be waterproof. I have a Megatronics Dual battery management system wired into both of them.

In the boat i have 2 x 120 amp hour and 2 x 90 amp hour marine batteries. One outboard charges the 120 a/hr and 90 a/hr battery while the other outboard charges the other 2. All this is wired in through a battery isolator.

The most expensive component of course is the batteries which come in at about $1200 for the four. I dont believe in having too complicated a system on boats as salt gets into anything.

[ozbee]

all a bit behind the times. switch changers have been the cause of motor rectifiers failures and fires in boats .$150 duel charging kits from the motor kits . one to do your crank and the other to do the deep cycle . no hassles