Re: Battery question
Running with dual batteries and a rotary selector switch offers you several advantages. First, from a safety viewpoint, it gives you the ability to compleatly shut off all power to your boat in case of an emergency, such as an electrical fire,etc.. Secondly, it gives you much more controll in managing your batteries available power, for example, a boat with a single battery has to depend on that battery for starting the engine as well as running any accesories. While the engine is running this is not really a problem, but lets say your anchored, engine off, radio on, nav lights on, fish finder on, etc.. the engine is no longer charging and providing power so your drawing all the power for all that stuff from one battery. Your having a good time, and time, slips by. Next thing you know it's time to go back to the dock but uh oh, the engine wont start because the battery has been drained from running all the stuff on your boat, now your stranded. Hopefully someone else is nearby to lend a hand, but don't count on it. With a dual battery system, you set the rotary switch to both while starting and running your engine, in this possition, the engine will charge both batteries while it's running. When you anchor and shut off your engine, you set the switch to the accesory battery and all your stuff only draws power from that one battery, leaving the starting battery fresh and at full power to start your engine when it's time to go. I've seen many a boater stranded due to dead batteries (evan been there myself) and it's not a fun or safe situation to be in. To sum up, a dual battery system provides you with safety, redundancy, better controll, and allot of piece of mind.
Art
