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Adding a second battery


malibubarefoot

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Hey guys,

The new stereo on the boat is nearly complete and now it is time to look into the second battery setup using the blue seas add a battery kit. My boat doesn't have an existing second battery so this will be an entirely new setup for the boat and myself. Currently, the starter battery is located in the right hand rear locker however I am contemplating moving this battery up to the passenger compartment next to the amp rack. I want to move it there because it will be easier to mount the blue seas add a battery kit in this location (In my own opinion), also I want to relocate the battery location so that gear that i throw in the back locker wont damage or knock the batteries and also for future ballast options. My Questions to you guys are, will the blue seas add a battery kit do the job for me? (I am only on day trips and can take out and charge the house or starter battery at home). Will I have enough cable to run the ground and power from the alternator and enough cable for the blue seas add a battery kit in the passenger compartment? ( I have 50ft of HPM hyperflex 0 gauge and about 1.2m of spare HPM 4 gauge) If i move the battery to the passenger compartment I will be able to mount the blue seas add a battery switch and ACR very close to each other so hopefully that helps.

Also if people still have there batteries in the rear compartment, where did you mount the Blue seas add a battery kit?

Cheers Guys

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I'm surprised no one's replied. I already have the battery switch, so I can't really comment much on installation.

I"m thinkin' 50' ought to be enough. The 4 guage may be a little small.

Mine battery's are located up front, but mines a direct drive. it is convenient to switch battery's and such from the front compartment. One of my winter projects is to mount the amp and switch on a nice carpeted "box" and re-install in that compartment. Sorry, not a whole lot of help from me,

Steve B.

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Please provide some info on your boat. I also have 2 batteries installed in the storage compartment in front of the passenger (port) seat. I sounds like yours is a V-drive. Many members have moved and added extra batteries and different types of isolation and switching devices. I would suggest a search of some of the forums and check the DIY section if nobody else chimes in.

You can't go wrong with larger battery cables. Starting is all about the cranking amps and larger fine wire cables carry more.

Edited by Sunsetter95
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Use tinned wire not stereo wire. Great lakes skipper has good prices. I'd thing you would be safe with the 20' runs of 2/0 (one for + one for ground) to the switch, and then two 4' runs to the batteries from the switch plus a 4' or so common jumper for the batteries' grounds. The shorter runs could be 2awg.

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I moved the battery from the rear locker to under the passenger seat on my 01 vlx. I used 2/0 gauge wire, 14 ft sections, although a little shorter would have worked. Ive been thinking about adding a second battery too, there are various threads on this. Some people prefer the blue sea system, while others like the onboard charger setup. Cant say ive come to a conclusion. Regarding the cable size, some people have experienced charging and starting problems with undersized cables. 0 gauge may be ok though.

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I moved the battery from the rear locker to under the passenger seat on my 01 vlx. I used 2/0 gauge wire, 14 ft sections, although a little shorter would have worked. Ive been thinking about adding a second battery too, there are various threads on this. Some people prefer the blue sea system, while others like the onboard charger setup. Cant say ive come to a conclusion. Regarding the cable size, some people have experienced charging and starting problems with undersized cables. 0 gauge may be ok though.

they are not mutually exclusive -- you can use the blue sea add a battery along with an onboard charger of your choice. You need to pay attention to how you wire it up to make sure it works as intended, but it'll work.

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I've got a blue sea system plus a guest onboard charger so I can plug in to 120 every so often while I'm drinking beer in the boat...in the driveway. It's a good setup and I literally haven't had to look at it since I installed it several years ago.

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Steve B: Yea i thought the 4 gauge might be a bit too small, the convenience is really want i want. Thanks for the fast reply mate !

Sunsetter95: Yea my boat is a 2004 VLX, sorry for not clarifying that earlier. I will definatley look into larger battery cables as it seems like a must. I think after looking through the DIY section i will go with the blue seas add a battery kit and look at an onboard charger in the near future, I think i have the wiring for the battery kit down after looking at this thread; My link just wondering if thats correct? .

Thanks for the advice and fast reply, Cheers mate!

Shawndoggy: Thanks for the advice on tinned cable, i really didnt realise the difference so thank you again. Oh and great info on Great lakes skipper products, really helped. Also do you know of any wiring diagrams using the blue seas add a battery kit and onboard charger, I can't seem to find one (My incompetence probably)

Thanks again Shawndoggy!

BoilerUp: Your boat is very similar to mine so it is good knowing you chose to move your batteries and the lengths used to accomplish this. Just wondering your reasons for moving the battery?

Thanks again Boiler!

Green_Giant: It's really useful to know that you are happy with your blue sea add a battery system. I was wondering if you installed it yourself? If so What did you mount it on?

Thanks Green_Giant!

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The Shore charger will be wired straight to the battery and won't go through the switch. You just need to be careful that the batteries are on their own posts on the switch and don't share a post with the acr. If you have a common post between the acr and the batteries, then the acr can combine both batteries even when switched to "off". It's ok for the alternator wire and the acr to be common and the house bank wire and the other acr wire to be common, just keep the batteries on their own isolated posts and it'll work great.

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It didnt even occur to me that you could implement both an auto charging relay and a shore charger, definitely makes sense though thanks!

And i moved the battery to put 750# bags in the rear lockers. If you put the 400?# v drive bags in there instead you can leave the battery where it is because they will both still fit.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry for the late reply Shawndoggy but been busy of late. Just completed adding the blue seas add a battery kit to the boat using your diagram and it works like a charm! Thanks so much for all the help and support.

Malibubarefoot

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Not sure what stereo system you have added, but I have the "stock" black box and a JL 600W amp, with two batteries.

I have not had to pull them out or charge them during the season at all. We spend probably 30% of our time sloating with the music on in a normal day out.

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  • 2 months later...

I've got a blue sea system plus a guest onboard charger so I can plug in to 120 every so often while I'm drinking beer in the boat...in the driveway. It's a good setup and I literally haven't had to look at it since I installed it several years ago.

Your ignition is hooked to your house bank so if the house batteries gets to low does the boat still crank.

Here's how I'd wire it to use a shore charger and acr at the same time.blueseas.jpg

This is how I plan on doing it as I got further in to looking at it the ignition is hooked up to the house bank bar. So if you ran the battery to low would you not have enough power to work the power side of the motor. What I am saying is the Starter would turn but their would be no spark or fuel. Am I way off. I am new to boats.

Edited by Bradley Thornton
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Most of us who use this system hook the "house" battery to the stereo only.

The "starter" battery gets hooked to all of the traditional wired systems on the boat, including the bus bar that the ignition is hooked up to.

That way you can kill your stereo battery but not impact the boats ability to start, fill ballast, etc.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Most of us who use this system hook the "house" battery to the stereo only.

The "starter" battery gets hooked to all of the traditional wired systems on the boat, including the bus bar that the ignition is hooked up to.

That way you can kill your stereo battery but not impact the boats ability to start, fill ballast, etc.

Having 2 batteries myself (with a 4 pos switch Off/1/2/both) and currently adding 2 amps to the existing system, should I be wiring the amps to: Only 1 of the batteries or To the discharge of the 4pos switch?

Haven't really thought about it yet but this thread is making me. With that 4 pos switch, I usually run it on "both". Adding the extra amps, should I set (example) position 1 for boat and 2 for stereo? And do the batteries still charge, even when the switch isn't activating that particular battery? the batteries/ switch were in the boat when I bought and haven't really seen how it's wired.

Ordering the wiring tonite to run to the amps so will research this a bit more before hooking them up.

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Having 2 batteries myself (with a 4 pos switch Off/1/2/both) and currently adding 2 amps to the existing system, should I be wiring the amps to: Only 1 of the batteries or To the discharge of the 4pos switch?

Haven't really thought about it yet but this thread is making me. With that 4 pos switch, I usually run it on "both". Adding the extra amps, should I set (example) position 1 for boat and 2 for stereo? And do the batteries still charge, even when the switch isn't activating that particular battery? the batteries/ switch were in the boat when I bought and haven't really seen how it's wired.

Ordering the wiring tonite to run to the amps so will research this a bit more before hooking them up.

Run everything to the common post on your switch. The only thing I would wire directly to the battery is the stereo if you wanted to for some personal reason dictated by your use.

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Bartdude,

When using a manual dual battery switch you want the starter/alternator cable, helm buss and ALL stereo wiring connected to the common post of the battery switch and nothing wired battery-direct. In other words, only a bilge pump/float switch might connect directly to a battery and circumvent the switch if you store the boat unattended in water for any duration.

This scheme eliminates any possibility that you could use the switch in a manner that would have one component in the audio chain obtaining power from a different battery than another component in the audio chain. If two batteries have different levels of charge then they will seek to level that potential by circumventing the isolation with damaging current flowing through the signal path, not to mention this can cause noise. You could also eliminate this possibillty by removing the source unit supply off the helm buss and move it to battery direct at the same battery the amplifiers are connected to. But I would avoid the complexity and utilize the dual battery switch in the most simply and reliable manner. Everything to the common post.

David

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