Installing battery switch

[jpopp]

Got 1/both/2 Perko switch for starter battery and deep cycle. Want to isolate acces. on deepcycle and use starter for only starting. I don't mind the extra labor and thought about switching. Question though, cable coming from starter I believe is a heavy gauge connection, like in car, and battery terminal on switch is like just a screw. Does that cable on the starter need to be switched or am I not looking at the right one or what, and what gauge should I use to make connections from switch to batteries. Lastly, any way to check juice left in battery before it is too low?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Installing battery switch

You'll need a cable Atleast as heavy as the starter cable is Now.......<br />

any way to check juice left in battery before it is too low?

A Volt Meter.........

 

[bubbakat]

Re: Installing battery switch

A volt meter will only tell you volts. Get you a energy gauge that is what I use and it tells you the right amount of power you have in the battery.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Installing battery switch

??????????????<br />If the Volt Gauge says 12 or better,<br />The motor will start......<br />If it's Below 11 or so volts,<br />You're Not Going Anywhere........<br /><br />That tells Me, All I gotta Know......

 

[MajBach]

Re: Installing battery switch

jpopp:<br />The screw on the isolator switch simply holds the wire down onto a brass washer of much bigger cross sectional area. If the wires from the motor have a clamp - like on a car battery - you will need to switch one of them to a copper eyelet. It has a wide opening to accomodate the wire to be clamped and has a flat eye to screw onto the switch.<br />AS for hooking them up, all the black or negative wires will remain on the -ve terminal of whatever battery they were on, even the motor battery. The red or +ve wires (that were on the battery)will now go to the 1 or 2 terminals of the switch; say 1 for the motor and 2 for accessories or trolling moter. You then need to add a wire from the +ve terminals of each battery to the common or field terminal of the switch. The thickness of this wire must be at least the same thickness (or thicker, becasue now the overall length of the wires is that much longer) of whatever wires was on the +ve terminal of said battery.<br />A volt meter can be used to measure the juice in the battery but is not perfect since the battery is not under load. You probably want to see at least 12.8 V to know it will start anything. A better idea (if you do not have a specific gravity meter made for testing battery charge) would be to hook a twelve volt accessory to the battery. Anything that generates heat as a product of its operation will be the best indicator - like a spotlight. If it seems to function fine, there is plenty of juice in the battery. BTW, you can by a small electronic measuring device for your tackle box that mesures battery charge. The one I have is from MinnKota.