Adding a 2nd battery, do I go with a perko or blue seas switch?

[iamthunderman]

I read to much when I obsess on something, so now I have rings circling around my head. I am adding a 2nd battery to power my accessories, with battery #1 will be just for my engine. I see a lot of different posts on different switches, relays, combiners, and isolators. I have determined that I am going to go with a switch, so now which one do I go with?

The 2 I have read about are the Perko switch with 1/2/both/off and the blue seas on/off/combine. What are the benefits and drawbacks with these? What is most reccomended on this board?

I have a 99 sea ray 230 br.

TIA

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Adding a 2nd battery, do I go with a perko or blue seas switch?

The first thing you need to reconsider is the engine only battery and the everthing else battery. Why would you limit the capability of the switch by doing that? The purpose of a switch is to provide the opportunity to power everything from either or both batteries. You can start the engine Bat 1, or BAT 2 or BOTH. You can run the accessories on BAT 1, BAT 2 or BOTH, and when the engine is running you can charge BAT 1, BAT 2 or BOTH. It doesn't get more flexible than that. You start the engine run to where you want to go. You park and fish listen to tunes, or whatever with the switch set to BAT 2 (after all that's what you said you wanted to do right?). This leaves the BAT 1 totally isolated so when you want to go you switch to BAT 1 (or BOTH) and go. The problem with your plan is that you apparently plan to connect all accessories to BAT 2 and just level BAT 1 for starting. The COM terminal on the switch is intended to have EVERYTHING connected to it (engine and all accessories). Therefore the Perko makes the most sense. If you really insist on staying with your engine only and accessories only battery dedication, then the Blue Sea unit is what you need. If you end up with a dead starting battery you switch to COMBINE and hopefully have not drawn down the Accessory battery. Always make sure you understand your plan and that you understand what these devices can do for you before. There are many dual battery switch installation diagrams in this forum. Use the search feature to fiind them.

 

[iamthunderman]

Re: Adding a 2nd battery, do I go with a perko or blue seas switch?

Thanks silver. I read that running battery #1 straight to the engine is the best way to go. Is what you reccommend to leave all that running wires here and there, and just put in a switch for 2 batteries to power my boat?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Adding a 2nd battery, do I go with a perko or blue seas switch?

Thanks silver. I read that running battery #1 straight to the engine is the best way to go. Is what you reccommend to leave all that running wires here and there, and just put in a switch for 2 batteries to power my boat?

Running battery 1 straight to the boat: No. You cannot shut off power via the OFF position of the switch if you do that.
Your last statement makes no sense. Please try again.

When I say use a perko switch I mean connect EVERYTHING (engine, and accessories) to the COM (output terminal on the switch). The only thing you would not wire to the switch is a bilge pump and then ONLY if it doesn't have an automatic float switch. After all, you do want that to be able to run if it rains on the boat and you are not there right? Otherwise you want everything killed (OFF position on the switch). That's what the Perko switch is for. The diagram below has been posted very often in this forum but here it is again. It shows an outboard but the principle is the same for an I/O. The COM terminal is the main feed for all circuits.

 

[iamthunderman]

Re: Adding a 2nd battery, do I go with a perko or blue seas switch?

OK, so which switch do I get?

Running battery 1 straight to the boat: No. You cannot shut off power via the OFF position of the switch if you do that.
Your last statement makes no sense. Please try again.

When I say use a perko switch I mean connect EVERYTHING (engine, and accessories) to the COM (output terminal on the switch). The only thing you would not wire to the switch is a bilge pump and then ONLY if it doesn't have an automatic float switch. After all, you do want that to be able to run if it rains on the boat and you are not there right? Otherwise you want everything killed (OFF position on the switch). That's what the Perko switch is for. The diagram below has been posted very often in this forum but here it is again. It shows an outboard but the principle is the same for an I/O. The COM terminal is the main feed for all circuits.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Adding a 2nd battery, do I go with a perko or blue seas switch?

I'm not going to tell you what to buy because you're not clear in your own mind how you want this system to work only to have you mad at me because you don't understand it. I gave you the pro & con of each previously.