Clarification on dual battery, 2 motor, Perko, accessories wiring please?

Eyesandfrys

Recruit
Joined
Jun 27, 2015
Messages
4
Hi, i am looking for some clarification as to whether i have my system wired correctly or not on my 18' Lund

Starting and Deep Cycle battery
03 Mercury 115 four Stroke
04 mercury 9.9 pro kicker
Perko Switch ( 1-2-all-off )

1) Existing wire harness ( nav lights, bilge, live well, etc ) to added bus bar

2) Added 10 awg wire up to helm for added fuse panel to support electronics, wired to bus bar

3) i Troll ( throttle control for kicker ) wired to bus bar

" Pos from Bus bar to "C" post on perko Switch "

4) Pos from cranking battery to "1" on switch

5) Pos from Deep cycle battery to "2" on switch

6) Pos from 115 and Kicker to "C" on switch

Sound correct?

If this all sounds correct i would like to add my electric downriggers to this mix as well. Currently have them hooked up to battery 1 of my electric trolling motor 24 v system.
Thinking of adding another bus bar to wire the riggers to and run to the "C" post on the switch as well. Does this sound like the best way to run the riggers and keep the 24 volt system isolated for the electric trolling motor?

Any thoughts are welcome.

Thank you!
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,758
Ummm -- you have a deep cycle and a starting battery yet you say you have a 24 volt system for the troller. To have that configuration you need three batteries two of which are dedicated to the troller. You have the kicker on BAT 1 on the switch. What is the big motor connected to? Running the riggers to the "C" terminal will work but let's clarify what you want the Perko switch to do? Need more clarification. You do not need to run the POS feed from the battery to a POS bus bar at the helm. It normally goes to a fuse or breaker panel. From there through the fuses to the switches and then to the devices with grounds going back to a NEG bus bar which has the 10 gauge ground wire going back to the battery. The reason for the caution on using one battery in a 24 volt series configuration for engine starting or 12 volt accessory use is a wrong connection or accidental ground can fry 12 volt accessories and also raise havoc with engine electrics. Draw this configuration carefully, then post it here so we can see what you need to accomplish.
 

Eyesandfrys

Recruit
Joined
Jun 27, 2015
Messages
4
Hi Silvertip,

I have 4 total batteries, 2 of which are identical deep cycles to the bow mount with the riggers wired to #1 battery. I wanted to keep the 24v system dedicated to the bow mount which is why i would like to run the riggers to the rear.

Goal= To clean up wiring of course ( so much stuff hooked up to the battery terminals ) and to be able to maintain the battery that the accessories are running on while trolling. Whether i decide to troll with the main motor or the kicker motor at the time.

I currently have it wired up like the diagram below with the positive lead from the kicker to the C post on the switch also. Also all of my accessories are wired to a bus bar - positives to bus bar then single 8 awg with breaker to C post on switch. Negatives to separate bus bar then single 8awg to negative post on battery 1.
I am more or less trying to get opinions on if this installation is correct with the kicker motor added in. Also if i add the riggers what would be the best way.

1) wired directly to battery 2 deep cycle?
2) wired to separate bus bar then to C on switch?

Also 2 more things. Would wiring the Positive cables from the motors to the ( main to bat 1 kicker to bat 2 pos posts ) be a better idea instead or having them both wired to the C post of the switch? Or would eliminating the switch all together and wiring in an ACR be better all together?

Sorry for the long read and thanks for the help.
perko diagram.jpg
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,758
Sorry I missed the big motor connection. If you use the diagram shown you will be fine. Whether you use a Perko switch or ACR is a matter of personal preference. I personally feed a switch provides the ultimate control and maximum capability with proper wiring. Your 24 volt system appears to be totally separate from the 12 volt system so that's good. I still question the use of a positive bus since power is generally applied to a fuse for breaker panel, then to the individual devices. A negative bus is certainly ok but again not necessary if the fuse/breaker panel has an integrated negative bus. Not knowing the age/type of boat though, there may not be a fuse panel although most in the last 20 years or so have one.
 

Eyesandfrys

Recruit
Joined
Jun 27, 2015
Messages
4
Silvertip,

Boat is 2013 Lund Sport Angler.

There is the original fuse panel and switches up front at the dash ( Nav lights, horn, bilge, etc ). I added another fuse panel up front as well to support all of the other electronics ( locators, depth raider, etc.). The feeds going to the rear of the boat to support the panels are whats wired to the added bus bars at the rear to eliminate trying to hook up multiple wires to the C post on the switch. Sound good?

thanks again
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,758
So OFF on the switch will not kill those accessories fed directly from the battery? Sort of defeats the purpose of the switch doesn't it? Unless all feeds come from the C terminal (directly or indirectly) you are not using full capability of the switch. But then maybe I'm missing something.
 

Eyesandfrys

Recruit
Joined
Jun 27, 2015
Messages
4
Silvertip,

Maybe i explained it wrong, in reverse i guess.

There is an 8 Awg wire from the C post to a bus. From the bus all of the accessories go to the main fuse block up front and an added fuse block up front. I tested everything out and it seems to work as needed. All negatives are taken care of also.

Everything shuts off completely when the switch is set to off. When i set the switch to 1 all electronics work and i can switch to 2 if needed and all electronics stay on. I have the ability to switch the electronics back and forth from battery 1 to battery 2 as i was looking for.

Thanks again,
 
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