Gauge fluctuation

[wakedncsu]

Alright guys. Help me troubleshoot this setup please. I have a Perko switch and two batteries. If I am on Battery one everything works exactly as it should. If I am on battery two It will work as it should for a while, ~couple hours, and then my gauge get screwy. They start pegging themselves to one extreme, or floating in a large range. I can switch to battery 1 when this happens and they go back to working. Switch back to battery 2 right away and I get the fluctuation back. I can't imagine the common connection on the back of the Perko is the problem since it is just battery two. I have checked to make sure all my connections were tight at the battery. I have not checked the connection on the back of the Perko. I doubt that is the problem though anyway because I have never lost the stereo or had trouble cranking the boat when this problem arises. The battery are not the same. Both are Marine batteries and close to the same CCA.

Suggestions?

[racer808]

Take a multi-meter to battery two & see what the constant voltage is first. On a car it would be a sign of an alternator going out, but the other battery works fine?

[wakedncsu]

Take a multi-meter to battery two & see what the constant voltage is first. On a car it would be a sign of an alternator going out, but the other battery works fine?

Other battery works like a champ. To me, it seems as though it would be the Perko switch or the battery. seeing the everything upstream works as it should on battery 1 and doesn't on battery 2. This problem is replicatable. I can run all day on battery 1 and not see the problem. Everytime I use battery 2 it shows up. Once it shows up and i can move between battery 1 and 2 and see the problem and watch it clear up. Does that make sense? If my connections are all solid (which I have unscrewed the Perko switch off the wall yet, but I know the battery connection is good) I can only come up with the switch or the battery itself. I am going to try to change the batteries to opposite switch locations this weekend if it doesn't rain. This should help isolate switch or battery.

I will check the alternator, but I don't think that will be an issue.

[racer808]

Other battery works like a champ. To me, it seems as though it would be the Perko switch or the battery. seeing the everything upstream works as it should on battery 1 and doesn't on battery 2. This problem is replicatable. I can run all day on battery 1 and not see the problem. Everytime I use battery 2 it shows up. Once it shows up and i can move between battery 1 and 2 and see the problem and watch it clear up. Does that make sense? If my connections are all solid (which I have unscrewed the Perko switch off the wall yet, but I know the battery connection is good) I can only come up with the switch or the battery itself. I am going to try to change the batteries to opposite switch locations this weekend if it doesn't rain. This should help isolate switch or battery.

I will check the alternator, but I don't think that will be an issue.

You know I dropped my perko & it caused a contact inside to be lose so I had intermittent charging issues when I first got my boat. Then it just stopped working so I took the switch apart & viola there it was

[wakedncsu]

You know I dropped my perko & it caused a contact inside to be lose so I had intermittent charging issues when I first got my boat. Then it just stopped working so I took the switch apart & viola there it was

Good to know. I wasn't sure if these switch could fail in such a way.

[tccombs]

I'm no expert, But if the problem goes away when you put it on "Both" I would suspect that it would have something to do with battery 2 not receiving a charge from the alternator.

[racer808]

Good to know. I wasn't sure if these switch could fail in such a way.

All they are plastic with copper contacts inside