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Connecting a charger to Perko Switch


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I'd like to top off the charge on my batteries and I have a two-battery system with a perko switch. My question is: Can I connect a battery charger to the switch somehow to charge both at the same time or do I have to charge them individually? I tried searching the forums, but didn't get an answer. Thanks in advance!

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You would have to remove the switch from the wall to hook the charger to your switch, which will be an unnecessary pain. You would then hook the red lead from the charger to the common terminal on the back of the perko and the black to a ground on either battery.

Instead, just set the switch to ALL, and hook the batery charger to one battery. This will charge both batteries.

You could also set your switch to either 1 or 2 or OFF (batteries isolated from each other) and top them off independently.

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You would have to remove the switch from the wall to hook the charger to your switch, which will be an unnecessary pain. You would then hook the red lead from the charger to the common terminal on the back of the perko and the black to a ground on either battery.

Instead, just set the switch to ALL, and hook the batery charger to one battery. This will charge both batteries.

You could also set your switch to either 1 or 2 or OFF (batteries isolated from each other) and top them off independently.

:plus1:

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Not meant as a hijack, but I need to install my perko switch and new battery. I have a trickle charger that stays attached to the current battery.

From rts's post it sounds like I could wire the trickle charger into the back of the perko and mount it and have the ability to charge both batteries? I havent even opened the perko to look at it.

TIA

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Not meant as a hijack, but I need to install my perko switch and new battery. I have a trickle charger that stays attached to the current battery.

From rts's post it sounds like I could wire the trickle charger into the back of the perko and mount it and have the ability to charge both batteries? I havent even opened the perko to look at it.

TIA

That's kinda like my question also. Could you take a battery tender and permanently hook the positive to the "feed" post on the perko and the negative to either negative terminal on the batteries. Then all you would have to do is plug in the tender. Anybody see any issues with that?

Edited by Ndawg12
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If you hook the positive lead of the trickle charger to the common post on the Perko, you will still need to hook the negative lead to a negative battery terminal...either one, as when you are done with your switch install, the negative posts on the two batteries will be connected.

Then you will need to have your Perko set to 1 or 2 or ALL for the trickle charger to charge BATT1 or BATT2 or Both, respectively.

And with the way the switch mounts, it will be more or less a 'permanent' installation. I.e. you cannot easily access the terminals on the Perko switch without unscrewing it from the wall.

Best thing is to wire the Perko as instructed, then hook youer trickle charger to one battery. You can then trickle charge both batteries by selecting ALL on the perko, and remove the trickle charger easily if that's what you do when the batteries are full.

Edited by rts
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That's kinda like my question also. Could you take a battery tender and permanently hook the positive to the "feed" post on the perko and the negative to either negative terminal on the batteries. Then all you would have to do is plug in the tender. Anybody see any issues with that?

Nothing wrong with that, except that if the Perko is OFF, no batteries will be charged. You would need to choose a battery to charge, or choose both, but it would work fine. The connection between the common terminal of the Perko and the positive posts on the batteries can be 'broken' with the switch.

Think of the feed (or common terminal) on the Perko as feeding your boat, not the batteries...does that make any sense the way I described it?

Edited by rts
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If you hook the positive lead of the trickle charger to the common post on the Perko, you will still need to hook the negative lead to a negative battery terminal...either one, as when you are done with your switch install, the negative posts on the two batteries will be connected.

Then you will need to have your Perko set to 1 or 2 or ALL for the trickle charger to charge BATT1 or BATT2 of Both, respectively.

And with the way the switch mounts, it will be more or less a 'permanent' installation. I.e. you cannot easily access the terminals on the Perko switch without unscrewing it from the wall.

Best thing is to wire the Perko as instructed, then hook youer trickle charger to one battery. You can then trickle charge both batteries by selecting ALL on the perko, and remove the trickle charger easily if that's what you do when the batteries are full.

Thanks rts. It sounds like no matter what you cannot have the perko in the off position to charge. So either leaving it wired to the battery or wired in the perko, the same charge will happen on both batteries.

The only way to have the perko off would be to have a tender on both batteries? (split or a second tender)

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Thanks rts. It sounds like no matter what you cannot have the perko in the off position to charge. So either leaving it wired to the battery or wired in the perko, the same charge will happen on both batteries.

The only way to have the perko off would be to have a tender on both batteries? (split or a second tender)

Correct, in the OFF Perko position, there is no single connection point (either in the Perko itself or on your batteries) that will allow you to trickle charge both batteries. The permanent single connection point (that is independent of the Perko switch selection) that you seek is there for the Black (negative) lead, but not for the Red (positive).

Edited by rts
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Nothing wrong with that, except that if the Perko is OFF, no batteries will be charged. You would need to choose a battery to charge, or choose both, but it would work fine. The common post and the connection to either (or both) batttery(ies) can be 'broken' with the switch.

Think of the feed (or common terminal) on the Perko as feeding your boat, not the batteries...does that make any sense the way I described it?

The student has become the teacher :biggrin: Yes that makes sense. My boat sat for all most 2 months until the other day. I had 11.7 volts with both batteries combined. The first startup was sluggish, idled around for 1/2 hour and the voltage came up to about 12.4 for the rest of the evening. However, I would like to be able to trickle charge my batteries on the rare occasions (2-3 nights a month)that the boat is in my driveway to help keep the batteries in good health. But I don't want to spend hundreds on the onboard marine chargers and thought this might be a cheaper solution...??

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That's kinda like my question also. Could you take a battery tender and permanently hook the positive to the "feed" post on the perko and the negative to either negative terminal on the batteries. Then all you would have to do is plug in the tender. Anybody see any issues with that?

That wouldn't be a problem if you have the batteries combined on the switch.

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That wouldn't be a problem if you have the batteries combined on the switch.

Cool, I can get one at NAPA for $20 :thumbup: Turn the switch to "all" and plug it in every night the bu gets to sleep at my house :thumbup:

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A pro mariner 8 costs $110.00 at sears.com. Permanently hooked up, plug it in and never worry about any of it. i just got all my stuff last week for my big dual battery install, i just havn't done it yet that work thing is really throwing a wrench in my freetime.

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MalibuNation

That's kinda like my question also. Could you take a battery tender and permanently hook the positive to the "feed" post on the perko and the negative to either negative terminal on the batteries. Then all you would have to do is plug in the tender. Anybody see any issues with that?

Nate, I have the weather proof Battery Tender and in your link the picture shows 3 items. The quick dis/connect cable in the lower right of the picture I have on each of my 3 batteries and can charge them one at a time or put the Perko on all and charge them all at once ... I know, over kill. I have the same setup on each of my batteries on my diesel truck that sits outside in the cold Michigan winters.

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Nate, I have the weather proof Battery Tender and in your link the picture shows 3 items. The quick dis/connect cable in the lower right of the picture I have on each of my 3 batteries and can charge them one at a time or put the Perko on all and charge them all at once ... I know, over kill. I have the same setup on each of my batteries on my diesel truck that sits outside in the cold Michigan winters.

Great, good to know it will work, sounds like a good little winter project. :thumbup:

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  • 5 years later...

Sorry to re-open this topic.  But if you have two 12v batteries connected to a Perko Switch and would like to keep both charged, I understand you need to keep the switch in all.  Do you want a 12v charger/maintainer or 24volt because there are two batteries? Looking at Battery Tender 022-0158-1 Waterproof 24 Volt Power Tender Plus Battery Charger.  Is this the correct model or go with the 12v version.  

 

Thanks

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no still 12 volts. And get a decent two bank charger rather than charging two with a single output. Your batteries will last longer and they are not expensive. Prosport 8 or 12 would be a decent cheap choice.  Prosport 8 is what I have in my VTX - $100-$130 to do it right and then you can leave your batteries off like they should be in storage.

 

P5210002.JPG

 

Edited by oldjeep
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8 hours ago, oldjeep said:

no still 12 volts. And get a decent two bank charger rather than charging two with a single output. Your batteries will last longer and they are not expensive. Prosport 8 or 12 would be a decent cheap choice.  Prosport 8 is what I have in my VTX - $100-$130 to do it right and then you can leave your batteries off like they should be in storage.

 

P5210002.JPG

 

I got a Prosport for Xmas and have yet to install it.....but my understanding is that I simply wire it directly to each battery, and not involve the switch at all?  

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7 hours ago, That Guy said:

I got a Prosport for Xmas and have yet to install it.....but my understanding is that I simply wire it directly to each battery, and not involve the switch at all?  

yup. Wire to batteries and then make sure switch is not in "both" when you have it plugged in.

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On April 24, 2016 at 6:47 AM, oldjeep said:

yup. Wire to batteries and then make sure switch is not in "both" when you have it plugged in.

Just a quick bump. I installed my Prosport over the weekend, very simple and works great. Hardest thing was mounting it to the wall....stressful drilling not wanting to go too far and crack the fiberglass! 

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On 4/23/2016 at 10:48 AM, crowly100 said:

Sorry to re-open this topic.  But if you have two 12v batteries connected to a Perko Switch and would like to keep both charged, I understand you need to keep the switch in all.  Do you want a 12v charger/maintainer or 24volt because there are two batteries? Looking at Battery Tender 022-0158-1 Waterproof 24 Volt Power Tender Plus Battery Charger.  Is this the correct model or go with the 12v version.  

 

Thanks

Ideally, you want to go with a 2 bank 12V charger, each bank connected directly to a battery. Switch off as normal, when the boat is not in use. 

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Has anyone used one of those super cheap 12V DC solar chargers to keep the batteries tended? Something like this : http://www.amazon.com/ECO-WORTHY-Portable-Battery-Charger-Batteries/dp/B015ZGDYII/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1462345474&sr=8-4&keywords=DC+12v+solar+charger

 

I keep my boat in a storage unit that does not have any power. I was thinking about plugging this in and then mounting the panel to the outside of the storage door.

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4 hours ago, dielawn said:

Has anyone used one of those super cheap 12V DC solar chargers to keep the batteries tended? Something like this : http://www.amazon.com/ECO-WORTHY-Portable-Battery-Charger-Batteries/dp/B015ZGDYII/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1462345474&sr=8-4&keywords=DC+12v+solar+charger

 

I keep my boat in a storage unit that does not have any power. I was thinking about plugging this in and then mounting the panel to the outside of the storage door.

I doubt the output of that one would be sufficient to cover the slight draws on the system. I would look for something in the 20-30 watt range installed with a decent charge controller to make sure it does not overcharge.

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