Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

[golf101]

My old boat had two batteries and a switch. My new boat has only one battery. Not in love with that, so thinking about what my best options are in case of trouble with the battery. Do you recommend having a second battery, a battery charger, or just jumper cables? (Or some combination of the foregoing). I'm not personally in love with the third option because it requires someone else's boat be around if my battery is not working. That will generally be true, but may not always be true.

If you recommend a battery charger, what should I look for in a charger?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

Ayuh,... I prefer 2 batteries,+ a Switch between 'em...

 

[109jb]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

I agree. 2 batteries. Don't know what kind of boat you have but mine is a sort of fish and ski (converted pleasure boat) and it has 3 batteries. One battery is dedicated for the big motor and 2 for the trolling motor. The trolling motor batteries I buy are always deep cycle batteries that are also rated for starting. If I need to I have to physically swap cables but that is OK with me.

 

[golf101]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

I've got a 26' Regal bowrider. Probably should put that in a signature block, but haven't yet figured out how to do that.

 

[q5ka]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

Two batteries and carry a charged and tested jump start box. Even with two batteries, the jump start has come in handy more than once (mostly to help another fellow boater but still a nice to have). Mine just stays in the truck and gets a monthly test when left in the truck during winter months and tested the night before an outing during summer months.

 

[stylesabu]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

If you find that you usually have plenty of power, than a good jumper box is the answer as you can use it in the winter when not useing your boat. but if you find that you run out of battery power often, then second battery would be my sugestion as it has more storage than a jumper box.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

for a boat that size, I'd go with two batteries. Too big to pull-start! I wouldn't put the jump pack very high on the list, but they aren't bad to have.

A lot depends on your use. A trolling motor should have its own battery. Two batteries are important if you frequently sit around with the motor off, toys on: live well pump, lights, tunes, radio, GPS.

I've done fine for 22 years with one battery in a 17' with a 70 (and lots of boats before that). No electronics. If the battery is dead, that is apparent at the start of the trip, not during it. OTOH I love the security of 2 on a 21' 150 HP with toys. But I've never run a battery down yet. But I always carry jumper cables in all boats (except the pull-start ones), as much for me as for others.

 

[GXL205 Deke]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

My boat is in the same situation. I love my tunes on the beach and a tower, with speaker cans, amps, and sub are in the plans soon. so I am taking my boat to the doc monday to add a deep cycle and an A-B and Both switch to run my tunes and toys off of. Piece of mind.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

Always done fine with one main battery and a booster pack. That said, I don't fish and have no trolling motor so my engine-off power requirements are probably much less than the average.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

I am assuming that since your boat is 26' that you have a big block in that? I wouldn't rely on a jump box for that. You might get one crack at trying to start it but after that you are going to be stuck.

Also, with jumper cables, you are only as good as how thick your cables are for the given length...and they have to be plenty long to jump from a boat to another boat.

 

[dubldown]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

I have a 21 ft. pontoon and I have 2 4Ds at 1250 amps. One for start and electronics . The other for the TM. I also have 1000 watt gen and a battery charger. I never have any problems.

 

[golf101]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

I am assuming that since your boat is 26' that you have a big block in that? I wouldn't rely on a jump box for that. You might get one crack at trying to start it but after that you are going to be stuck.

I do have a big block 8.1L.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

I have a big block as well and I go out to Catalina Island 30 miles out off shore. Dual batteries for me! Cheap Cheap Cheap insurance.

 

[koko1]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

2 Batteries with a switch between them with an on board charger to keep them 100% charged at all times... I have been running that for 4-5 years and the batteries are still kicking...I do not know how I lived without an on board charger before as all you have to do is plug it up and forget about it when not on the water...

 

[bekosh]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

Obviously 2 batteries would be the best.

If for some reason you can't fit or don't want a second battery, another option is to add a Priority Start Marine automatic cutoff switch. You install it on your battery and if it detects your battery charge is getting low, it will disconnect the battery and leave you enough charge to start your motor.

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

I would recomend two batts with a switch and a onboard charger.If you keep the boat on a trailer just plug in the shore power when you get home and the batts will always have a full charge.

 

[RickJ6956]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

The switch was always a pain to remember, and a pain to get to when I did remember. A battery isolator or battery separator will automatically charge both batts and prevent the starting batt from draining when the engine's not running. Some also have a boost option that allows the house batt to start the engine if the starting batt gets drained.

Any good two-stage charger will keep them topped off when you have access to shore power.

Check out this thread in the iBoats Electrics forum.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

A battery charger does you zero good if the battery is dead while you on the water (no place to plug it in). In order of priority/price: 1) jump start box, 2) separate battery and jumper cables, 3) dual battery switch, 4) ACR (with combine feature). Lastly, cheaper fut less versatile is an isolator to keep both batteries charged, but you would still need jumper cables.

 

[109jb]

Re: Second battery, battery charger, or jumper cables?

... Lastly, cheaper fut less versatile is an isolator to keep both batteries charged, but you would still need jumper cables.

This is not entirely true. I have a battery isolator on our wheelchair lift equipped van that prevents the van's starting battery from being drained by the lift, but allows the lift battery to be used to start the van's engine in the event that the starting battery is drained. It accomplishes this with a separate emergency function that will allow the spare battery to feed back to the starting system if the starting battery is dead or weak. No jumper cables required.