2008 VLX Stereo Build

[Twitch02x]

5 minutes ago, boardjnky4 said:

Why bother with the Perko switch at all then? 

Wire the 6-battery bank directly to your stereo, and use it solely for the stereo. Onboard charger handles charging

Then use the 2 standard batteries to feed the starter and the house circuits with the Perko Switch, wired traditionally. Then use the Alternator to charge.

Guess thats possible but unless there is a rule or law about how it needs to be i dont see a problem with how i have it.

Always more than 1 way to skin a cat. 

And I dont mean that in a smartass way either as I truly am here looking for opinions and help on my issue, so please dont take it that way.

[boardjnky4]

5 minutes ago, Twitch02x said:

Guess thats possible but unless there is a rule or law about how it needs to be i dont see a problem with how i have it.

Always more than 1 way to skin a cat. 

And I dont mean that in a smartass way either as I truly am here looking for opinions and help on my issue, so please dont take it that way.

You should aim to follow best practices at all times, regardless of rules or laws. Just because it "works" doesn't mean it's the best way to do it. And when you eventually need help and bring this to a stereo shop, they're going to end up looking at you like you have 10 heads, and they're going to want to start with a complete re-wire.

Think of the entire boat as 3 seperate circuits. Engine, House and Stereo. Start simple and expand out only as needed.

Edited April 12, 2017 by boardjnky4

[Twitch02x]

Just now, boardjnky4 said:

well, i guess i oversimplified my statement. The batteries still could have some other issue.... It seems odd that all 4 of them are going to be bad, but a wiring issue may have damaged them.

As i said in my previous response, I would look to simplify this entire thing and separate the battery bank entirely from the house batteries. ESPECIALLY if you don't plan to use the alternator to charge the bank (which I would also disagree with, I'd invest in a high output alternator).

Re-design it

Get 4 fresh batteries for the stereo bank

This i plan on doing later..

And maybe i shouldnt have said that i dont plan to charge the stereo bank with stock alt, if im out on fresh batteries then i wont have a problem letting the alt run to the stereo bank keeping them topped off.

But if its the end of the day and they are drained then im not going to try and charge them up on the ride back to shore etc. 

Also i like the idea of knowing if something was to happen to the house bank i would be able to crank the boat via stereo bank if i put switch on 1+2

[boardjnky4]

Just now, Twitch02x said:

This i plan on doing later..

And maybe i shouldnt have said that i dont plan to charge the stereo bank with stock alt, if im out on fresh batteries then i wont have a problem letting the alt run to the stereo bank keeping them topped off.

But if its the end of the day and they are drained then im not going to try and charge them up on the ride back to shore etc. 

Also i like the idea of knowing if something was to happen to the house bank i would be able to crank the boat via stereo bank if i put switch on 1+2

If these are your goals, then your perko is wired completely wrong. The way the diagram is drawn, power can't get from stereo bank to your starter.

[Twitch02x]

2 minutes ago, boardjnky4 said:

You should aim to follow best practices at all times, regardless of rules or laws. Just because it "works" doesn't mean it's the best way to do it. And when you eventually need help and bring this to a stereo shop, they're going to end up looking at you like you have 10 heads, and they're going to want to start with a complete re-wire.

Think of the entire boat as 3 seperate circuits. Engine, House and Stereo. Start simple and expand out only as needed.

Point made, wasnt aware that one way was "better" vs my way. Thats a fairly easy fix.

Just making sure im understanding this correctly.

House Battery B+ to pole 1 on perko

Stereo Battery B+ to pole 2 on perko

Starter(engine), Amps, & 2 gauge wire that runs over to driver dash for all electronics.....<<<----all that to the common pole on perko

 

That sound right^^^^^^?

 

[boardjnky4]

Just now, Twitch02x said:

Point made, wasnt aware that one way was "better" vs my way. Thats a fairly easy fix.

Just making sure im understanding this correctly.

House Battery B+ to pole 1 on perko

Stereo Battery B+ to pole 2 on perko

Starter(engine), Amps, & 2 gauge wire that runs over to driver dash for all electronics.....<<<----all that to the common pole on perko

 

That sound right^^^^^^?

 

that's correct

Then when you're sitting in the cove listening to music. Switch her over to Perko 2, to isolate off the house bank. Then when you're ready to leave, switch it either back to 1+2 or just 1 depending on your choosing.

Edited April 12, 2017 by boardjnky4

[Twitch02x]

Just now, boardjnky4 said:

If these are your goals, then your perko is wired completely wrong. The way the diagram is drawn, power can't get from stereo bank to your starter.

Even if perko is on 1+2??

Wouldnt that join all 6 batt together essentially getting power from stereo bank to starter?

[boardjnky4]

Just now, Twitch02x said:

Even if perko is on 1+2??

Wouldnt that join all 6 batt together essentially getting power from stereo bank to starter?

nope, the common is the battery output and the charging input. And even if would "work" (I'm not sure exactly how the perko joins the circuits together), it would be the wrong way to do it.

Edited April 12, 2017 by boardjnky4

[Twitch02x]

Just now, boardjnky4 said:

nope, the common is the output. And even if would "work" (I'm not sure exactly how the perko joins the circuits together), it would be the wrong way to do it.

Gotcha

Sounds like I need to get some more 0 gauge and get that problem fixed.

[boardjnky4]

31 minutes ago, Twitch02x said:

Gotcha

Sounds like I need to get some more 0 gauge and get that problem fixed.

right on... you'll be in good shape then. Maybe take one of the "bad" batteries over to an auto parts store and have it tested.

[Twitch02x]

28 minutes ago, boardjnky4 said:

right on... you'll be in good shape then. Maybe take one of the "bad" batteries over to an auto parts store and have it tested.

plan to this evening

[Fffrank]

I'll bet you my boat that your batteries are just fine.

 

If you're only hooking up the B+ / B- / remote, then your problem is a short in your remote wire.  Remove the remote wire coming from your dash/head-unit and add a jumper wire from the + terminal on the amp to the remote terminal on the amp.  You'll have 12v.

[Twitch02x]

8 minutes ago, Fffrank said:

I'll bet you my boat that your batteries are just fine.

 

If you're only hooking up the B+ / B- / remote, then your problem is a short in your remote wire.  Remove the remote wire coming from your dash/head-unit and add a jumper wire from the + terminal on the amp to the remote terminal on the amp.  You'll have 12v.

Then why does it work fine with house battery???

[Fffrank]

Just now, Twitch02x said:

Then why does it work fine with house battery???

My suspicion.... the house battery is feeding +12v to the remote wire and you are then adding the +12v from your stereo bank and there's a wiring problem (in the house circuit) that's creating +24v when you hook it up this way (with both batteries involved.)  When you eliminate the stereo bank you are left with ONLY the 12v from the house batteries feeding both the remote turn-on and the amp power.  

IT'S NOT POSSIBLE THAT YOU ARE MEASURING 12V AT YOUR BATTERIES AND THEN THEY ARE SOMEHOW MAGICALLY TURNING THAT INTO 24V WITH NO OTHER WIRING OR BATTERIES INVOLVED.  GET IT OUT OF YOUR HEAD.

I don't know what you hope to accomplish by continuing to argue with everyone on here when you're unwilling to do the tests we're telling you that you need to do.  We're all trying to help you and it's like you have your fingers in your ears going NANNNER NANNNER NANNER about the house battery and about how your batteries are bad.  I'm telling you: THAT IS NOT TRUE.

I'm done with this thread until you begin to listen and take some steps to troubleshoot this the right way.

[boardjnky4]

Just now, Fffrank said:

My suspicion.... the house battery is feeding +12v to the remote wire and you are then adding the +12v from your stereo bank and there's a wiring problem (in the house circuit) that's creating +24v when you hook it up this way (with both batteries involved.)  When you eliminate the stereo bank you are left with ONLY the 12v from the house batteries feeding both the remote turn-on and the amp power.  

IT'S NOT POSSIBLE THAT YOU ARE MEASURING 12V AT YOUR BATTERIES AND THEN THEY ARE SOMEHOW MAGICALLY TURNING THAT INTO 24V WITH NO OTHER WIRING OR BATTERIES INVOLVED.  GET IT OUT OF YOUR HEAD.

I don't know what you hope to accomplish by continuing to argue with everyone on here when you're unwilling to do the tests we're telling you that you need to do.  We're all trying to help you and it's like you have your fingers in your ears going NANNNER NANNNER NANNER about the house battery and about how your batteries are bad.  I'm telling you: THAT IS NOT TRUE.

I'm done with this thread until you begin to listen and take some steps to troubleshoot this the right way.

3 hours ago, Twitch02x said:

Then what explains why I can take a single battery from the stereo bank and wire it straight to an amp bypassing all other grounds, perko, extra wiring, etc and it starts arcing and stinking.

Then i can do the exact same with a house battery and everything works fine???

 

That is what I dont understand???

[boardjnky4]

@Fffrank , Any idea on the above?

[Fffrank]

1 minute ago, boardjnky4 said:

@Fffrank , Any idea on the above?

Yes, as I said before: I think even when he says that he's using a single stereo battery -- he's still using the remote turn on from the house battery side.  It's not truly isolated to just one battery.

To test this -- use a single battery, hook it up to the + and - on the amp.  Then take a small piece of wire and add a jumper from the + side of the amplifier to the remote-turn on terminal on the amplifier. 

 

[Twitch02x]

3 minutes ago, Fffrank said:

Yes, as I said before: I think even when he says that he's using a single stereo battery -- he's still using the remote turn on from the house battery side.  It's not truly isolated to just one battery.

To test this -- use a single battery, hook it up to the + and - on the amp.  Then take a small piece of wire and add a jumper from the + side of the amplifier to the remote-turn on terminal on the amplifier. 

 

WRONG 

  Im getting the remote wire power straight from same power source as batt terminal of amp.

3 hours ago, Twitch02x said:

Then what explains why I can take a single battery from the stereo bank and wire it straight to an amp bypassing all other grounds, perko, extra wiring, etc and it starts arcing and stinking.

Then i can do the exact same with a house battery and everything works fine???

 

That is what I dont understand???

 

[Twitch02x]

20 minutes ago, Fffrank said:

My suspicion.... the house battery is feeding +12v to the remote wire and you are then adding the +12v from your stereo bank and there's a wiring problem (in the house circuit) that's creating +24v when you hook it up this way (with both batteries involved.)  When you eliminate the stereo bank you are left with ONLY the 12v from the house batteries feeding both the remote turn-on and the amp power.  

IT'S NOT POSSIBLE THAT YOU ARE MEASURING 12V AT YOUR BATTERIES AND THEN THEY ARE SOMEHOW MAGICALLY TURNING THAT INTO 24V WITH NO OTHER WIRING OR BATTERIES INVOLVED.  GET IT OUT OF YOUR HEAD.

I don't know what you hope to accomplish by continuing to argue with everyone on here when you're unwilling to do the tests we're telling you that you need to do.  We're all trying to help you and it's like you have your fingers in your ears going NANNNER NANNNER NANNER about the house battery and about how your batteries are bad.  I'm telling you: THAT IS NOT TRUE.

I'm done with this thread until you begin to listen and take some steps to troubleshoot this the right way.

Ha If thats how ya feel then do what you gotta do!

I never said i was magically getting 24 volts nor have i even been that worried about it, i mentioned that i was only to reproduce it in 1 scenario.  Hell i even turned it all on and let it arc and stink while i checked voltage right at each amp with everything like the sketch, only 12 volts!!!

Im not an idiot by any means and def not trying to argue with everyone and everything.

 

Either chill or move on 

[MLA]

5 hours ago, Twitch02x said:

1st being I dont plan to use the stock alt to try and charge 6 batteries at once, I have the onboard charger to handle charging the stereo bank.

I totally understand your thinking. 4 dead batteries is a lot of load for an alt. However, you did not prevent this any more than with a proper and traditional wiring scheme. 

5 hours ago, Twitch02x said:

12.8

So each battery measured 12.8 individually? I swear you've got an incorrect wiring scheme. Wire them all in parallel and they will still = 12.8. The only thing changes, is the ah reserve. And theres no such thing as excessive Ah in reserve.

I keep circling back to that switch configuration. 

[Twitch02x]

7 minutes ago, MLA said:

I totally understand your thinking. 4 dead batteries is a lot of load for an alt. However, you did not prevent this any more than with a proper and traditional wiring scheme. 

So each battery measured 12.8 individually? I swear you've got an incorrect wiring scheme. Wire them all in parallel and they will still = 12.8. The only thing changes, is the ah reserve. And theres no such thing as excessive Ah in reserve.

I keep circling back to that switch configuration. 

Yes 

i checked each one after i unhooked all wires

 

Tonight im going to rewire to the traditional method and get one new battery to check it all with it wired traditionally.

[minnmarker]

If you consider this install to be a learning experience it might end up being an expensive one

Smoke and funky electrical noises and smells...

[Twitch02x]

8 minutes ago, minnmarker said:

If you consider this install to be a learning experience it might end up being an expensive one

Smoke and funky electrical noises and smells...

Havent seen any smoke yet.

Im a very persistent person, I will figure this out and get it right i just hope like you said that i figure it out before im replacing ecms and gauges etc.

 

Going to start by rewiring the switch and having batt tested and going back over every connection again.

[MLA]

A volt meter will tell you its correct, long before any loads get hooked up. 

[Twitch02x]

1 hour ago, MLA said:

A volt meter will tell you its correct, long before any loads get hooked up. 

Load test is the correct method right?