Need for an additional battery?

[zach103]

I was wondering if i need another battery to run some electronics.. i bought a radio the other day http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...o-Package-Deals&aID=604A1&merchID=1009&r=view
and i want to use it when we anchor and the engines off all that. so for a good thirty mins at a time.. do i need another battery or will this not use that much juice? .

i have a jump start on board if i do kill it

 

[Big Keepers]

Re: Need for an additional battery?

It can't hurt to run two battery set ups if you have the room for it. Installing a second battery (a house battery) is not all that difficult if you have the space to run the new wires needed. I like to use Blue Sea's add a battery kit. You'll run a hot lead up to a fuse panel or some kind of bus bar and that is where you'll tap into 12V for a vhf, sonar/gps, stereo, etc. On my boat my switch panel gets 12V from my positive bus as well as my accessory electronics. All my dash gauges run off the key. Then a nice way to finish the set up is having a second bus for your ground with a wire going back to that house battery.

What kind of boat is this? If you're using it in the ocean or LI Sound it is a nice way to go.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Need for an additional battery?

Zach, Check the fuse on that radio. It will draw abut half the fuse rating. I will bet the fuse is 15A or less, which is 7Ahrs. A decent battery is 100Ahrs.


If that is true, you can run that radio all day on a single battery. if you have a doubt, get a 27 series battery for the extra juice, over a 24 series.

 

[zach103]

Re: Need for an additional battery?

BK its the Larson senza 17ft i wanna take it to the sound a couple times but only for hte day. usually on the river or lakes.

chris illl check that out when it gets here.. (soon hopefully) i have the 24 series ..

can i just run the wires from the radio to the battery so that i dont have to turn everything on?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Need for an additional battery?

I like to put all the accessories thru a single switch so I can turn off the "master go" switch, and not forget individual items.

 

[Big Keepers]

Re: Need for an additional battery?

can i just run the wires from the radio to the battery so that i dont have to turn everything on?

First make sure you have a deep cycle battery, not a starting battery.

Sure you can run a wire right to the battery but what is easier? Threading a wire down to your battery? Or using some kind of fuse panel or bus that is a few inches from the radio? If the boat already has accessory electronics then chances are a fuse panel exists, unless all the accessories go back to the battery. Ideally you want a switch installed someplace so that you can turn off all power to your accessories. If someone accidentally leaves something on and it is wired straight to your battery, you show up to have fun on Saturday and the battery is dead.

You could just use a larger amphour battery and run a single battery so long as you keep it fully charged and maintained all the time. The best thing to do is make a list of all the electronics you have that run off the battery, VHF, Depth finder, etc and find out how many amps they draw. Add it all up and see how many amps you will use in an hour if they are all left on. Then decide what battery you need.

 

[zach103]

Re: Need for an additional battery?

well heres the radio installed... the fuse said 5A .. i ran it right ot the battery.. but will change it later on .. the only thing running straight from the battery right now is that.. the vhf and than the bilge pump.. the vhf i never have on cuz i still need an antenna.. so i think i shoulud be good for now..

how long can i run the radio without have to start the motor and charge the battery for a while?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Need for an additional battery?

If you are just running the radio, you can run it all day w/o an issue. It will only draw a couple of amps/hour, which is nothing to worry about.