2nd battery

Boilers2000

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Potentially dumb question but here goes. I want to add a deep cycle 2nd battery. I have to negative leads going to the battery but only one positive terminal...so my question is where is the house line positive? Is it connected at the starter? How do I extend it to get to a 2nd battery?
 

Boilers2000

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I am going to add a switch, but I don't have a house positive currently at the battery, just a single positive, so wondering if anyone knows where the house end is and how to lengthen it get to the switch.
 

Boilers2000

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Pokes around today. From the starter there is a red that cable that leads the trim pump and connects to a post that says warning screw is connected to battery positive. From there a red wire runs into a plug, outside the plug the trim control wires and another red wire run to the console. My guess is that is where the house items get power. Now my question is how do I wire this for a switch? Anyone have any ideas? From the trip pump there is also a the second black that terminates on the battery negative. I though this was going to be an easy upgrade.
 

Boilers2000

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Saw that article..problem is I'm not sure if my running time is enough to recharge a battery if it's been running stereo all day. Boat on a reservoir so running hours are low. Would be after I drain 1 battery, switch to 2 to start, but wouldn't get 1 recharged. I know the switches are make before break so I think theoretically I could start one, then flip back to recharge. My main issue right now is finding where my house power positive is, so I'm not sure on where to hook up on of the leads.
 

fishrdan

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Your best bet would be to install a Blue Seas Add-A-Battery kit. It's ACR will allow automatic charging of the second battery (where your house loads should be connected IE: stereo) after the engine start battery is charged, and it's battery switch will allow combining batteries if needed.
 

Boilers2000

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That is my plan...may just do the ACR since I really should never have a reason to combine. This is my current dilemma. I have one 4/0 awg wire that runs from the battery positive to the starter. From the starter there is a 6 awg wire that runs to the trim pump to a terminal that says: waring, post is connected to battery positive. From a harness a red line goes into wire wrap with the trim lines to the helm. Does the helm fuse panel (stereo, lights, bilge, blower)get its power from the trim pump? If not where is the positive of the helm fuse panel get its power? It's hard to tie all the wiring together because the starter is on the engine wiring schematic, the trim pump is on an outdrive wiring schematic, and the house wiring schematic I cant seem to locate for a 92 searay. Hoping someone has a similar experience.

Thanks in advance for the help!
 

Boilers2000

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I have been looking at the wiring diagrams and it looks like the hot that powers the radio, lights etc, comes our of the harness from the engine to the helm into a fuse block under the helm. So if I want to add a 2nd battery to a just run a new wire from the fuse block to the new battery? Then use the add the battery kit to wire the battery for charging through the ACR? The old positive wire would I just cap and not use?
 

dingbat

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Nov 20, 2001
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I have been looking at the wiring diagrams and it looks like the hot that powers the radio, lights etc, comes our of the harness from the engine to the helm into a fuse block under the helm. So if I want to add a 2nd battery to a just run a new wire from the fuse block to the new battery? Then use the add the battery kit to wire the battery for charging through the ACR? The old positive wire would I just cap and not use?
You could cap the old wire but I would simply remove it. Not a fan of leaving old, obsolete wiring in place. Too many things can happen

You need to fuse the new wiring from battery 2to the helm from battery t
 

Boilers2000

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Is it a 90 amp fuse? That what it looks like on the blue seas ACR wiring diagram, since that is the size spec'd for battery to ACR. I think I can use the current ground for the fuse panel and just need a new ground for the new battery.
 

dingbat

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Boilers2000

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65 amp alternator, blue sea says 90-100 amp fuse...I think that aligns to your logic.
 
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