Perko dual battery switch

89retta

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
772
I've owned the boat for over 10 years now. But just now realized that I've got no power to the starter when the switch is set to #2. If I remember correctly it did have power in this setting when I first got it. No changes to the wiring since purchased except for replacement of the batteries.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,526
I've owned the boat for over 10 years now. But just now realized that I've got no power to the starter when the switch is set to #2. If I remember correctly it did have power in this setting when I first got it. No changes to the wiring since purchased except for replacement of the batteries.
Setting the switch to #2 simply connects the starter to the "house" (second) battery.

Battery #2 is dead or not wired correctly to the switch
 

89retta

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
772
Setting the switch to #2 simply connects the starter to the "house" (second) battery.

Battery #2 is dead or not wired correctly to the switch
Well strangest thing today. Go to launch , set the switch to all . Launch the boat and it fires right up. Idle in to pick up the wife. Shut it off , go for restart and nothing. No power whatsoever. Try switch at 1 , try it 2. Still no power. Check the breaker and it's good. Put boat back on trailer. Pull both batteries and put number 2 battery one 1s hookups. Leave 1 battery out and nothing hooked up to number 2. Have power again. Ran it like this all day. I'm going to pull my switch and have a look. But I think battery 1 is no good. But it's been good all week. Except for today and it was the first time a set the switch to all
 

brodmann

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
426
I've had problems with those switches before too. Whenever you have those problems, it will usually work if you switch it back and forth a few times. If that doesn't work, set the selector sort of between "ALL" and "1" or "2". There's a large contact point, but the selector puts the contacts in one very small particular spot and it wears that one little spot out. If it is the switch, try a different brand. Perko actually sells 2 versions. One is made in the U.S.A. and is about $5 more than the standard one. It's a Perko Seachoice and it's more heavy duty, has UL stamp on the face and is $55 on AMAZON. I've heard that this is much better than the standard version.
Looks like this
 
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