Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

[jsturvey]

I am wanting to upgrade to a dual battery setup in my 1998 MariStar. My problem is finding a location on the boat where I can mount the second battery, because right now I am stumped. If there is anyone with this type of hull (1998-2003) or a first gen X10 or X30 who has dual batteries, please share how it's set up.

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

Hi. I can't answer your question, but if no-one on this forum has the answer you could try calling a seller of a boat like yours ( I see lots of them advertised with dual batteries) and ask them some questions re the boat, including where the second battery is! Just a "plan B" idea

 

[jsturvey]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

True. I also thought about visiting the MasterCraft Dealer, but it's not exactly a drive down the street.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

You just have to get creative, on a boat that big there has to be a place to put another battery.

On my fishing boat I ended up putting the second battery at the point of the bow, only place I could find that was out of the way.

there is a place for it, you just haven't found it yet.

 

[rallyart]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

If you go away from liquid filled batteries to something like an optimax, or other brand, the batteries can be mounted sideways or tilted and fit just about anywhere. There are many people who have dual or multiple batteries on boats similar to yours. Check the Mastercraft owners forum or Wakeworld to get the best information from people who have done it.
You want one battery for starting the engine and ignition. The second battery set up just for accessories.

 

[jsturvey]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

If you go away from liquid filled batteries to something like an optimax, or other brand, the batteries can be mounted sideways or tilted and fit just about anywhere. There are many people who have dual or multiple batteries on boats similar to yours. Check the Mastercraft owners forum or Wakeworld to get the best information from people who have done it.
You want one battery for starting the engine and ignition. The second battery set up just for accessories.

Another good idea that I never considered...and to think that I am a member of that forum. Duh!!! For some reason I just prefer the iBoats forum since it's not as exclusive.

The reason I want to do the upgrade is basically mental security. I have one battery powering the engine / ignition and a huge power amplifier for the radio. I do spend a lot of time on the lake drifting with the radio on an my biggest fear is to try to start the engine and all I get is a "clink".

I think I have an idea of how I'm going to do it, however.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

Another couple of options are a starting battery with a built in reserve switch on it and a battery saver... It's an automatic cutoff that will disconnect your battery before you can run it low enough to be unable to start..... then when your radio dies, you simply push a button a start the engine.

 

[jsturvey]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

It's been a while, but I finally have an idea on how I'm going to go about installing the second battery. I saw a video on you tube of a boat like mine with a dual battery setup. All they did was rotate the battery 90 degrees and a second battery will fit into the compartment. Still need to figure out where to mount the perko switch, however. Getting the boat out of storage this weekend, and going to see how I can make it work. Stay tuned!

 

[jafo9]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

i've got the same hull as you. 02 X30. when i got my boat the hard tanks had already been removed and 750's plumbed in the rear lockers. the battery that was installed was installed in a transverse fashion pressed up against the forward most part of the starboard locker. i installed a second battery in a generic black tray from bass pro in the same transverse fashion pressed up against the forward most portion of the port locker. i installed a simple blue seas 1, 2, 1+2, off switch which i mounted to the black plastic vertical piece just forward of the folding divider in the starboard locker. it works pretty well and the sacks just squish up against the battery boxes when filled in their lockers. i'm in the process of finishing upgrading my amp wiring so i've got multiple 2 ga wires and some 1/0 gauge wire all running across the top of the transmission. so far there seems to be plenty of room for all the wires. i really like the location of the switch as all i have to do is pop the starboard locker and turn my battery on or off. even though you have a one piece sun deck, iirc, you have the same divider system for the lockers.

good luck.

 

[jafo9]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

here is a pic i found of the switch and one of the front of the tranny where the wires cross. the new 1/0 wires aren't in these pics.

 

[jsturvey]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

Cool, thanks for the pics. Just what i needed. I was still wondering here I was going to mount the switch. That helps a bunch. It may still be a couple weeks before I do the modification. I just started polishing the hull to get rid of some oxidation. It's coming out great, but it's going to be a long process.

 

[jsturvey]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

One question, jafo9, do you have the bulkheads that fold flat to the floor on both sides of the engine? Do they interfere with the switch at all?

 

[jafo9]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

folding dividers clear the switch just fine.

 

[jsturvey]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

folding dividers clear the switch just fine.

Thanks again!

 

[jsturvey]

Re: Mastercraft - Dual Battery Upgrade

Okay, it's been a while since I updated this thread, but I finally finished the upgrade, but I had to get a little creative on where to mount the battery selector switch. At first I was going to mount it like the pic earlier in this thread, but then I got to thinking that it may not be the best spot for my boat. Reason being is that my model of Master Craft has the power rise rear hatch cover, and the location of the switch pictured above is underneath the hatch cover. The problem with that location is, hypothetically, if I was to have a battery completely give out, I wouldn't be able to open the hatch up to switch the other battery. So I ultimately mounted the switch on the starboard seat bottom bulkhead in front of the transmission.


Here is a pic of where the original batters is just on the other side of that bulkhead.


And here is the added battery mounted against the bulkhead directly behind the original battery.


Tested all connections and everything works great. Will be field testing it tomorrow. I know this has not been a very popular thread, but thanks to the few people who chimed in with suggestions. It's greatly appreciated. Hopefully it will help someone else down the line.