4 Batteries... Please HELP

[buoy42]

4 Batteries 1 motor 1 perko switch 1 two bank charger

The boat I just aquired has 4 batteries with 1 outboard motor and 1 perko switch with a 2 bank battery charger. I cannot find a diagram that shows how this wiring can be achieved.

The boat came new with 2 batteries and a Perko switch. Once the previous owner added a stereo system he added 2 more batteries. It appered to have all 4 connected to where the switch seemed to be useless. I asked my local service person to fix this where the boat runs off 2 batteries, 2 going out, 1 to use while fishing and if that drains use the second one to start motor and come home on. Then make the other 2 batteries for the stereo.

He wired the 2 bank charger to the 2 batteries with the stereo and the other 2 batteries running everything else. Then he said he charged all batteries and all were holding a charge.

It appears the 2 batteries for the stereo drained QUICK. These are NOT in a loop with the perko switch.

Is their a diagram showing how this should be wired so I can have 2 batteries for the boat and motor accessories and 2 batteries for the stereo while being able to charge all and have 1 to get home on if the others die at sea? Can I acheive this with 2 batteries only?

Thanks

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: 4 Batteries... Please HELP

Of course I am not sure how its wired up but a lot of people who run the high power stereos use independent battery's just for that reason. When the stereo battery's are dead the boat will still start and run fine and charge the stereo battery's at home. Boat charging systems range from a small amount to a good amount strictly depending on the motor involved so it is not likely you will be able to charge all 4 out on the water and why most charge them at home. Personaly I run 2 batterys a starting battery and accessory battery and I have no problems bouth are deepcycles.

 

[buoy42]

Re: 4 Batteries... Please HELP

If I go with just the 2 batteries and run the stereo on 1 and everything else on the other, will the motor keep the batteries charged out on the water? Using the perko switch, BOTH while riding and 1 for stereo when stopped and 2 for boat electronics.

If I replace batteries 3 and 4 to run the stereo and 2 bank charger only, what battery should I look at for long use daily?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 4 Batteries... Please HELP

Since we have no idea what engine you have (I/O or outboard and how big) we can't tell you what system to use for charging. We have no idea what the stereo system looks like (power) so again we can't help. If it is simply a standard stereo system with no AMPS you have more batteries than you need. Help us out here.

 

[buoy42]

Re: 4 Batteries... Please HELP

2005 Yamaha 250 HPDI. Stereo is Kenwood MP238/CR. 2 J L Audio amps, 1 500/1 other is 300/4. Pro 20 2 bank charing box. 1 Perko switch. I think the guy that had this boat had everything on 2 batteries at first, then added 2 because of batteries dying. He partys on the lake every weekend I guess. He had all 4 batteries hooked together somehow. Yamaha motor report says 1/2 of the total engine hours have been spent idling.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 4 Batteries... Please HELP

I'm not an audio guy but when I see the word "AMP" more than once, that means serious current draw. So. Here is how a Perko or Guest dual battery switch looks like for a two battery (1 start and 1 house) looks. You have the option of wiring as many batteries in parallel as you wish so since you have four, how about using the 1 as the start battery (BAT 1) and wire it to the BAT 1 position on the switch. Wire the other three in parallel and connect that system to BAT 2 (house). You now have the option of starting the engine on BAT 1, BAT 2 or BOTH, charging BAT 1 or BAT 2 or BOTH and running the audio system on BAT 2, BOTH or BAT 1 (although for a very sort time in the case of BAT 1).

And if you don't understand parallel wiring, it looks like this with as many batteries as you lile.

 

[mark1905]

Re: 4 Batteries... Please HELP

Geezus.. 4 batteries just to run 2 amplifiers? I run 2 batteries with my 6 amplifiers with zero problems..

 

[buoy42]

Re: 4 Batteries... Please HELP

How do you keep 4 batteries charged in the parallel diagram with the motor I have? Do you have a drawing/diagram of how to wire the 4 batteries with the perko switch and the 2 bank charger in place?

What kind of battery for the 2 stereo batteries should I use?

I think the preivious owner probably had the parallel wiring set up. The 2 bank must not have been able to keep it charged. The 2 amps stay on so they drain the batteries fast. Likely why so much idle time on the motor.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 4 Batteries... Please HELP

You have a big engine with a moderate size alternator that is not even close to being large enough to keep four batteries charged. The two bank charger is also questionable since we have no idea what the output is for each bank. Look at the diagrams I just posted. That's how you connect the two bank charger. One output to BAT 1 on the switch. The other to BAT 2 on the switch. Obviously if the amps stay powered all the time it will run the batteries down. Gee whiz -- wire them properly so they turn off when the head unit is turned off. All accessories get wired to the COM terminal on the switch. If all the wires do not fit under that one terminal, add a POS BUS BAR to the COM terminal and connect all accessories to it. Then when you park the boat, set the switch to OFF and everything on the boat will be off. A bilge pump with an automatic float switch should be wired directly to a battery. House batteries should be the largest capacity deep cycles you have budget for. The engine should have a starting battery but a deep cycle or dual purpose can be used as well regardless what anyone says. If you followed this discussion, you end up with ONE engine starting battery and either one, two or three house batteries. NOT TWO starting batteries and TWO HOUSE batteries. With a switch you have ONE starting and ONE, TWO OR THREE spares for starting if needed. That's the beauty of a switch. Unfortunately too many folks get all wrapped around the axle with a switch. Learn what it does for you. It is nothing more than a traffic cop for current flow. It directs which battery powers what you want powered.