TBarCYa
Senior Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2005
- Messages
- 781
Right now I have two batteries and a single 1/2/B/O switch that I'll call switch1. The common connects to both the engine and the "house" breaker so whatever the switch is on runs the whole boat. I normally start from the starting battery then switch to both to charge while running and then switch to the house battery when the engine is not running. But I have forgotten to switch to the house when anchored and it's very inconvenient when fishing.
What I'm considering is having the common for switch1 connect only to the engine and installing a second 1/2/B/O switch (and a second deep cycle house battery) on the house side with it's common connected to the house breaker AND the #2 position on switch1. The goal of course is to be able to run the house (lights, stereo, GPS, fishfinder, VHF radios, pumps, etc) without ever worrying about draining the starting battery. In this configuration, the only way the house could drain the start battery is if switch1 is in the BOTH position which I would never use unless I had run both house batteries down and wasn't headed to the marina to plug in to shore power.
So assuming a single day on the boat I would be able to turn both switches from OFF to 1, start the engine and run to wherever I'm going to anchor or fish then spend the entire day with the electronics running and still be able to start the boat to get back to the slip and turn both switches OFF and let the charger do it's thing.
So that's what's on my mind today. Am I over thinking this? I'm trying to make it as fool proof as possible and this seems to do it with minimal expense with only having to purchase a switch and the battery cables to connect the house batteries to the new switch.
Thanks
What I'm considering is having the common for switch1 connect only to the engine and installing a second 1/2/B/O switch (and a second deep cycle house battery) on the house side with it's common connected to the house breaker AND the #2 position on switch1. The goal of course is to be able to run the house (lights, stereo, GPS, fishfinder, VHF radios, pumps, etc) without ever worrying about draining the starting battery. In this configuration, the only way the house could drain the start battery is if switch1 is in the BOTH position which I would never use unless I had run both house batteries down and wasn't headed to the marina to plug in to shore power.
So assuming a single day on the boat I would be able to turn both switches from OFF to 1, start the engine and run to wherever I'm going to anchor or fish then spend the entire day with the electronics running and still be able to start the boat to get back to the slip and turn both switches OFF and let the charger do it's thing.
So that's what's on my mind today. Am I over thinking this? I'm trying to make it as fool proof as possible and this seems to do it with minimal expense with only having to purchase a switch and the battery cables to connect the house batteries to the new switch.
Thanks