Another couple of battery questions for my new (to me) 94 26: I am planning on putting in a second battery. First - I have been getting conflicting advice on a combiner. If I don't care about saving a battery for cranking (the motor easily hand cranks), do I need a 1-2-All switch? Some tell me yes, some tell me no. The no people say I can simply gang the batteries. If so, where have people put it? There doesn't seem to be a good place for it. Second - the battery compartment is not easy to get to. What have people done to add that second battery? Thanks as always for any information and opinion. Michael
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John Baumgartner
this is what I do
On my 260 I have two gel type 27, one in the "battery" compartment and the other in the head outboard of the portapotty, I hope this evens out the weight port to stbd.I run a battery one-two-off-both switch. I use a 20 amp smart charger, a 1200w Honda gen set, amp/hr battery monitor, and a 1000w inverter. I run a TV-DVD player and a electronic chill box, autopilot, GPS and other electronic toys. This set-up works for me, I run the Honda every other day for about 2 hrs, when underway. I think I'll add a type 4 gel battery up forward next year, even out the weight forward-aft. To connect all this I use 000 gauge wire. OH ya just for information, the 9.8 HP (all brands) outboard uses a maginato type charging system that puts out 13-18 volts (depending on engine RPM) 1 to 6 amps with no regulation, not very good choise for input to a gel battery, or for that matter any 12 wet cell battery, I would recommend an external voltage regulator.
On my 260 I have two gel type 27, one in the "battery" compartment and the other in the head outboard of the portapotty, I hope this evens out the weight port to stbd.I run a battery one-two-off-both switch. I use a 20 amp smart charger, a 1200w Honda gen set, amp/hr battery monitor, and a 1000w inverter. I run a TV-DVD player and a electronic chill box, autopilot, GPS and other electronic toys. This set-up works for me, I run the Honda every other day for about 2 hrs, when underway. I think I'll add a type 4 gel battery up forward next year, even out the weight forward-aft. To connect all this I use 000 gauge wire. OH ya just for information, the 9.8 HP (all brands) outboard uses a maginato type charging system that puts out 13-18 volts (depending on engine RPM) 1 to 6 amps with no regulation, not very good choise for input to a gel battery, or for that matter any 12 wet cell battery, I would recommend an external voltage regulator.
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Tom Wootton
Suggestion
I agree that a seperate starting battery is not neccesary with an outboard that can be pull-started. So paralleling the batteries might be ok, but I've always heard that mixing old batteries with new is a bad idea, because both batteries will deteriorate prematurely. Unless your current battery is nearly new, maybe you should just replace it with a larger capacity marine battery that will fit in the existing space. I recently replaced a 65 ah (amp-hour) wet cell combination starting/house battery with a Lifeline group 36 110 ah AGM house battery. I nearly doubled my capacity with little increase in weight, and no additional storage needed. It cost a little over $200, but it was worth it to me not to have to monitor the water. The previous battery was nearly new when I bought the boat a year ago June. I'm sure I helped to do it in by not topping it off frequently enough, but adding water in that aft locker was a major pain; You practically had to remove the battery to see into the cells to make sure the level was ok. AGM house type batteries are more than up to the task of starting an outboard, so the combination type is not needed.
I agree that a seperate starting battery is not neccesary with an outboard that can be pull-started. So paralleling the batteries might be ok, but I've always heard that mixing old batteries with new is a bad idea, because both batteries will deteriorate prematurely. Unless your current battery is nearly new, maybe you should just replace it with a larger capacity marine battery that will fit in the existing space. I recently replaced a 65 ah (amp-hour) wet cell combination starting/house battery with a Lifeline group 36 110 ah AGM house battery. I nearly doubled my capacity with little increase in weight, and no additional storage needed. It cost a little over $200, but it was worth it to me not to have to monitor the water. The previous battery was nearly new when I bought the boat a year ago June. I'm sure I helped to do it in by not topping it off frequently enough, but adding water in that aft locker was a major pain; You practically had to remove the battery to see into the cells to make sure the level was ok. AGM house type batteries are more than up to the task of starting an outboard, so the combination type is not needed.
I think you would want a seperator switch
Michael: I would think that you would want an AB switch. This way you would have two separate batteries. If you gang your batteries together, when the power is gone, it is really gone. With the AB switch you can have one battery go dead and the other bank should still work. If you have a good shore charger you should be fine. There is never going to be enough output from your engine to really charge up the batteries so I'd just let nature take its course. You may want to consider a solar panel to help the charging when you are away from the dock.
Michael: I would think that you would want an AB switch. This way you would have two separate batteries. If you gang your batteries together, when the power is gone, it is really gone. With the AB switch you can have one battery go dead and the other bank should still work. If you have a good shore charger you should be fine. There is never going to be enough output from your engine to really charge up the batteries so I'd just let nature take its course. You may want to consider a solar panel to help the charging when you are away from the dock.
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Crazy Dave Condon
Michael
You will always get various answeres but from a safety stand point, I would recommend that if you are going to have two battery system, then a battery selector is highly recommended. Do get the one with the quick field disconnect. When switching from one battery to another whiled the engine is running, you could damage the alternator that is why the safety of the battery selector with the quick field disconnect. Advise if you do plan to go with a two battery system and I will let you know where to put the equipment and how to run it. Crazy Dave Conodn or is it Condon qwihre; qwk
You will always get various answeres but from a safety stand point, I would recommend that if you are going to have two battery system, then a battery selector is highly recommended. Do get the one with the quick field disconnect. When switching from one battery to another whiled the engine is running, you could damage the alternator that is why the safety of the battery selector with the quick field disconnect. Advise if you do plan to go with a two battery system and I will let you know where to put the equipment and how to run it. Crazy Dave Conodn or is it Condon qwihre; qwk
G
Guest
Tom?
Tom -- A couple of questions In your response you listed a Lifeline Group 36 -- rated at 110 -- the closet I find is a 31 rated at 105 approx 70 pounds). Is that the one you mean, or am I missing something. Second -- did you keep it back in the aft compartment. Thanks, Michael
Tom -- A couple of questions In your response you listed a Lifeline Group 36 -- rated at 110 -- the closet I find is a 31 rated at 105 approx 70 pounds). Is that the one you mean, or am I missing something. Second -- did you keep it back in the aft compartment. Thanks, Michael
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Tom Wootton
You are correct...
...my memory exaggerates. I also have a Unisolar 32 watt (yes, really. I checked!) flexible panel and a regulator for the panel. I'm mainly a weekender, and the battery is always fully charged when I arrive. And yes, I do keep it in the aft locker, port side.
...my memory exaggerates. I also have a Unisolar 32 watt (yes, really. I checked!) flexible panel and a regulator for the panel. I'm mainly a weekender, and the battery is always fully charged when I arrive. And yes, I do keep it in the aft locker, port side.
M
Michael
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