Howdy and looking for input on 2nd Battery set ups for my Starcraft with a 5.7 .

[ab59]

Howdy all , been a while. I'm putting in an anchor winch since I don't fish with anyone who can still pull up an anchor any more . Lol. Right now I'm running a 65 lb thrust trolling motor off of a stand alone ser. #31 battery in the bow and a separate starter/ fishfinder series # 24 battery but they are not connected or charged together. I am also adding a Humminbird Helix 7 that will be more of a draw that the small ff i'm running now.
So , for those of you who have already rigged up your dual charging systems , I would like your input on what you are running and which systems are simplest and or better than others. I need to do this in the next two weeks so Lemme know what you think !!
Thanks-----A.B.

 

[alldodge]

Ya need this in the electrical section so GA_Boater may move it

The current drain for the Helix 7 may need help from dingbat

 

[GA_Boater]

Done, AD.

 

[dingbat]

Howdy all , been a while. I'm putting in an anchor winch since I don't fish with anyone who can still pull up an anchor any more . Lol. Right now I'm running a 65 lb thrust trolling motor off of a stand alone ser. #31 battery in the bow and a separate starter/ fishfinder series # 24 battery but they are not connected or charged together. I am also adding a Humminbird Helix 7 that will be more of a draw that the small ff i'm running now.
So , for those of you who have already rigged up your dual charging systems , I would like your input on what you are running and which systems are simplest and or better than others. I need to do this in the next two weeks so Lemme know what you think !!
Thanks-----A.B.

A lot depends on how much run time you put on the motor.


If you run the motor enough to keep the batteries charged, I’d bump your 24 battery for a 27 and add a Blue Seas “add a battery kit”.

Turn switch to ON in the morning. Turn switch OFF when you leave. Pretty simple.

If you don’t run the motor much, you still can take advance of the dual battery system, just need to supplement with a battery charger when needed

 

[ab59]

Thanks for your reply Digbat--- I noticed that iBoats has two different 2nd battery kits , would one be any better than the other ? both are make by Blue Seas . I just checked the starter battery and I had forgotten that the # 24 series Wally World battery that i had for a year fell on it's face so I replaced it with a 29 series a few months ago so I guess the battery part is ok.

 

[achris]

The normal setup of 2 batteries with a simple OFF-1-2-BOTH switch is all you need. Use marine batteries, which are a compromise of starter and deep cycle, and you shouldn't have any problems.

Chris...

 

[dingbat]

Thanks for your reply Digbat--- I noticed that iBoats has two different 2nd battery kits , would one be any better than the other ? both are make by Blue Seas.

One of the two kits from iBoats includes a battery charger.

Get the kit with just the switch and relay. See below.

They make kits for both 65A and 120A or smaller charging systems.

What is the output of your alternator?

https://www.iboats.com/shop/blue-sea-systems-mini-battery-switch-auto-charging-relay-65-amp.html

 

[ab59]

I don't know the alternator output , just a standard unit on a 5.7 engine. Is there a way to determine what the output is without having to be an electrical engineer ? My understanding of electrical systems is very limited, I think that I almost drove AllDodge to the brink a few months ago trying to figure out the correct way to hook up the alternator that did not have the correct color wires coming out of a replacement alternator that differed from the original. Wire color wise anyway.

 

[dingbat]

I don't know the alternator output , just a standard unit on a 5.7 engine.

In that case, bigger is better.

Get the 120V version. Not worth the aggregation to save $20

 

[ab59]

Thanks Dingbat , I'll order one in a bit------ A.B.