Battery - 1 or 2 or Both

[dalt1]

On 9/3/2016 at 7:51 AM, oldjeep said:

you switch the switch while running? Lucky to not have fried your alternator.

Will only fry alternator if switched to off position while running. They are designed as a make before break switch so all is well. You can go from 1 to 2 or both just not OFF!

 

[oldjeep]

Just now, dalt1 said:

Will only fry alternator if switched to off position while running. They are designed as a make before break switch so all is well. You can go from 1 to 2 or both just not OFF!

 

As long as your batteries are both good.

[minnmarker]

Or get an ACR and forget about all the switching. I'm completely lost on why anyone would not use an ACR.

[The Hulk]

13 hours ago, dalt1 said:

Will only fry alternator if switched to off position while running. They are designed as a make before break switch so all is well. You can go from 1 to 2 or both just not OFF!

 

so your saying if a battery had a loose connection while boat is running and u loose power your alternator will go out? what causes the alternator to fry if battery is disconnected? seems odd it's not self protected? why would it go bad if it's putting out a charge thats just not being Used? just curious.

[oldjeep]

1 minute ago, The Hulk said:

so your saying if a battery had a loose connection while boat is running and u loose power your alternator will go out? what causes the alternator to fry if battery is disconnected? seems odd it's not self protected? why would it go bad if it's putting out a charge thats just not being Used? just curious.

It fries the voltage regulator due to the voltage spikes that you get when there is no battery to buffer the current.  Same reason you can't run a lot of laptops on the charger with the battery removed.

Edited September 6, 2016 by oldjeep

[jeffs3K]

I just found out my kids have been running the boat 2016 LSV 23 with the battery on #2 for over 10-12 days

 

Service light came on today and engine temperature light as well.

 

Any ideas ?

 

Boat starts fine if turned off.

 

Ballast tanks and display screen was a little squirrely before the warning lights came on today.

 

thats when I found this out.

 

Appreciate any feedback.....

[PopsA22]

Simple answer. Switch to off when being stored. Battery 1 first day.  Battery 2 second day.  Alternate each day.  Alternator charge both batteries regardless of switch position.  No reason to ever run on both 1&2 as they are set up in parallel. 

[MLA]

1 hour ago, jeffs3K said:

I just found out my kids have been running the boat 2016 LSV 23 with the battery on #2 for over 10-12 days

 

Service light came on today and engine temperature light as well.

 

Any ideas ?

 

Boat starts fine if turned off.

 

Ballast tanks and display screen was a little squirrely before the warning lights came on today.

 

thats when I found this out.

 

Appreciate any feedback.....

With the description gives, ill presume you have the OFF/1/1+2/2 switch. In this case, there is a good chance that both batteries are cranking batteries. So running on 1 or 2, would be the same. 

How old are the batteries? If more then 3 years, may be a good idea to refresh them anyway. Could be a poor or corroded connection. What was temp when the light was on? 

[Nitrousbird]

23 hours ago, PopsA22 said:

Simple answer. Switch to off when being stored. Battery 1 first day.  Battery 2 second day.  Alternate each day.  Alternator charge both batteries regardless of switch position.  No reason to ever run on both 1&2 as they are set up in parallel. 

The right answer is to run an ACR and never have to touch the switch.  Then both batteries can be fully utilized.  It is 2022 - there absolutely no reason to be switching between batteries.

[TAQ44]

Isn’t battery 1 the ignition/starter battery and battery 2 the house battery? I’ve always run on both during operation and switched to only battery 2 when hanging out with engine off while swimming/listening to music….

[PopsA22]

14 hours ago, TAQ44 said:

Isn’t battery 1 the ignition/starter battery and battery 2 the house battery? I’ve always run on both during operation and switched to only battery 2 when hanging out with engine off while swimming/listening to music….

That is not correct.  To prove my point switch to battery 2 and your boat will start up just like if it were on battery 1.  

[PopsA22]

Hey TAQ44 your procedure for battery control is a good one for always having a charged battery.  It's a good practice to keep doing it the same way you currently do it.  

[PopsA22]

16 hours ago, Nitrousbird said:

The right answer is to run an ACR and never have to touch the switch.  Then both batteries can be fully utilized.  It is 2022 - there absolutely no reason to be switching between batteries.

What is ACR?

[CaptainMorgan]

37 minutes ago, PopsA22 said:

That is not correct.  To prove my point switch to battery 2 and your boat will start up just like if it were on battery 1.  

Could you start a boat on battery 2?  probably, but doesn't prove the setup as you've described.  Pretty sure that if switch is in position #1, then its like battery #2 is completely out of the loop -- it can't start the motor nor can it be charged by alternator. When they are in 1+2, its kinda one giant battery as they are in parallel. 

I haven't done the following experiment, but i hypothesize you can easily check by putting switch in position 1;  then measure voltage on each battery individually.  If in parallel, you will get the exact same voltage on both, but i predict you will get slightly different voltages because #2 is out of the loop (if motor is running during this experiment, alternator will be charging #1 to like 14V and your #2 will be <13V). 

My understanding/use is same as @TAQ44: battery #1 is a starter (maybe 1000 CCA but minimal capacity) and battery #2 is a deep cycle with significantly less cold cranking amps (maybe 500 CCA?) but higher capacity.  i always run in 1+2 when driving so they are both charging via alternator.  if we hang at the cove, i switch to #2 just in case we stay for a long time and kill the battery - meaning i can always re-start the boat with #1. 

[oldjeep]

3 minutes ago, CaptainMorgan said:

 

My understanding/use is same as @TAQ44: battery #1 is a starter (maybe 1000 CCA but minimal capacity) and battery #2 is a deep cycle with significantly less cold cranking amps (maybe 500 CCA?) but higher capacity.  i always run in 1+2 when driving so they are both charging via alternator.  if we hang at the cove, i switch to #2 just in case we stay for a long time and kill the battery - meaning i can always re-start the boat with #1. 

Depends on what you/dealer decide to install.  Mine are both identical starting batteries.

[Nitrousbird]

41 minutes ago, PopsA22 said:

What is ACR?

Automatic Charging Relay

https://www.bluesea.com/products/7650/Add-A-Battery_Kit_-_120A

[shawndoggy]

2 hours ago, PopsA22 said:

That is not correct.  To prove my point switch to battery 2 and your boat will start up just like if it were on battery 1.  

Although... my boat (2021 A24) came from the factory with a 1-2-1+2-OFF switch with the stereo distribution block wired to the battery 2 switch stud instead of the common output stud.  Pretty dumb, but something worth checking to confirm.

[MLA]

19 hours ago, TAQ44 said:

Isn’t battery 1 the ignition/starter battery and battery 2 the house battery? I’ve always run on both during operation and switched to only battery 2 when hanging out with engine off while swimming/listening to music….

Really depends on if one battery is actually a cranking battery and the other is an actual deep-cycle. If they are both the same, then they are neither. Also, it would be an assumption that the cranking is on 1 and deep is on 2. 

 

[TAQ44]

5 hours ago, PopsA22 said:

Hey TAQ44 your procedure for battery control is a good one for always having a charged battery.  It's a good practice to keep doing it the same way you currently do it.  

Awesome thanks for letting me know!

[PopsA22]

23 hours ago, MLA said:

Really depends on if one battery is actually a cranking battery and the other is an actual deep-cycle. If they are both the same, then they are neither. Also, it would be an assumption that the cranking is on 1 and deep is on 2. 

 

Does anyone here actually use two different batteries on their boat?  That would be odd IMO.  I can see bass boats doing this for trolling motors, but surf boats always come from the factory with the same batteries.  

[Slayer]

2 minutes ago, PopsA22 said:

Does anyone here actually use two different batteries on their boat?  That would be odd IMO.  I can see bass boats doing this for trolling motors, but surf boats always come from the factory with the same batteries.  

My boat didn't come from the factory with 2 of the same batteries.......

 

 

[PopsA22]

Interesting, I stand corrected.  Do you have the thruster option? 

[shawndoggy]

3 minutes ago, PopsA22 said:

Does anyone here actually use two different batteries on their boat?  That would be odd IMO.  I can see bass boats doing this for trolling motors, but surf boats always come from the factory with the same batteries.  

Sure, depending how you want your system to work.... especially with an ACR.  Lots of us do a starting battery that's basically only wired to the alternator/starter, and a second larger bank that's wired to everything else.  That way there's a ton of reserve capacity to rock out on the stereo while you are floating, and a fully charged  starting battery that automatically has priority as soon as you turn the key.

If you look at @RCorsa's battery thread, he has a pic of the three battery setup on his M240, where one battery is the starting battery, and the other two are wired in parallel to create one big battery for other loads (I think this is necessitated by the thruster).

[MLA]

49 minutes ago, PopsA22 said:

Does anyone here actually use two different batteries on their boat?  That would be odd IMO.  I can see bass boats doing this for trolling motors, but surf boats always come from the factory with the same batteries.  

Maybe one or 2 that you have experience with, but many come with a cranking and a deep-cycle. Many other types of boats also use a cranking and DC. As stated, it depends on how the system is setup and used. With the 3 position switch and voltage relay, you would want a cranking and DC. If you are one that spends a lot of time at anchor, then a deep-cycle on one bank would be far better then a cranking on both banks. 

[dalt1]

1 hour ago, PopsA22 said:

Does anyone here actually use two different batteries on their boat?  That would be odd IMO.  I can see bass boats doing this for trolling motors, but surf boats always come from the factory with the same batteries.  

Mine came with 2 Deep Cycles from dealer. I believe the dealers are the ones who actually supply / install the Batteries.