Connecting Batteries

[Catfishmonkey]

I have a 15 foot Aluminum Starcraft boat. I want to place one battery in the front, and then a second one (starting battery) in the back. I want to connect the batteries so the alternative charges both, and also so that when I use a electric trolling motor in the back, it will work off both batteries instead of just draining the starting battery only. The wire will probably have to be 12 foot long. Would a 6 gauge wire work in this case?

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Connecting Batteries

What size trolling motor and what outboard? Chances are your outboard does not put enough current out to keep both charged unless you run for a very long time.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Connecting Batteries

Yup, unless you make some really long runs at high rpm it won't charge both batteries, a boat charger is different that a cars that is made to charge at low rpms, to get a good charge out of an outboard it has to be spinning probably 3/4 throttle and you woud need one of these,http://www.iboats.com/BI2-100A-100-...6016709--**********.632712780--view_id.486587, I think that is it, when the starter is charged it will switch to the other battery but as I said I don't know if your engine would make enough charge to get both.

I would go with an on board 2 bank charger myself and a battery switch so you don't drain your starter, http://www.iboats.com/Ignition-Prot...6016709--**********.632712780--view_id.167249.

This way when you are fishing you can flip the switch and only troll off the house battery and not drain the starter but if you do you can flip the switch and you still have a fully charged battery.

I catfish myself and went to 2 house batteries and a starter so I never run out of power, I also have it set up so I can jump the starter off the house batteries if I have to, I also have a 2 bank on board charger.