Perko battery switch

[CrusrDug]

How do you guys handle or set your switch? My backup battery is dead and the switch has been on \"1\" since I bought it in 2007. I guess it doesn\'t charge if you don\'t actually set it to \"2\" and your not supposed to use \"all\" unless neither battery has enough juice to start.

 

How often do you switch back an forth?

[madmatt]

The way I was told you should start and run your boat in the \"ALL\" position. This will allow the alternator to charge both batteries. When you anchor in a cove to relax and listen to your tunes, switch to either 1 or 2. If you kill that battery, then all you have to do is switch to \"ALL\" and your boat should start no problem. If you leave your boat in either position 1 or 2 while the engine is running then you will only be charging that battery, while the other slowly drains over time.

Hope this helps.

[IXFE]

I am new to the Perko switch as well... seems everybody has an answer, but nobody is sure.

 

Here is the best info I\'ve found on the subject.

 

http://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/showthread.php?t=487089

[Alan-S]

MadMatt has the answer and I am 100% sure.

[mlb75]

+2 for madmatt

[Moon]

So, do the two batteries need to be the exact same when you have one hooked to bank #1 and one for bank #2 on the perko switch? Before this spring I had three batteries hooked to a perko switch. On bank #1 I have a blue top running accessories, and on bank #2 I HAD TWO (both are dead, niether would hold a charge)Interstate Deep Cycle Batteries (but the numbers were not identical) in parallel, I believe for starting? I ran it on all and never had a problem and switched it to bank #1 when just relaxing and listening to tunes. Now, I purchased this boat used last year not knowing anything about anything when it came to boats. After removing all the batteris (to get charged) this spring, and looking at the cables hooked up to the switch, I\'m kind of stumped on why I had two batteries for starting and one for the accessories? The more i read about batteries the more confusing it gets (lol). I\'ve heard when running batteries in parallel they need to be the exact same, but I\'ve never really heard anything about it when not running in parallel and using a perko switch. To take the confusion out of all this, I\'d like run only two batteries one on bank #1 and one on bank #2 and if I do this can they be different batteries? Sorry for this being so long and probably confusing, but I don\'t want to be stranded and I don\'t won\'t to have to spend money on two new batteries if I don\'t need too.

 

Thanks,

Moon

[madmatt]

I was in the boat this off season, not knowing exactly what option I wanted for power. There tons of different options out there. Every one has there idea of the right set-up, up to and including ten batteries for the stereo and one for starting. My 08 came with two starting batteries, so I needed to find another option as I want to power my stereo and not worry about dead batts. I went to three, all the same, all AGM, all three can power all electronics, but I can isolate one using the perko to save for starting. I do recommend you use the same batteries and install a on board conditioner/charger then all your problems will be solved. good luck.

[JEFF]

just a quick note. Do not switch the switch with the boat running.

[Moon]

Jeff, what you said is interesting to me. I\'ve heard you can switch from bank #1 to bank #2 when the engine is on, and you just don\'t want to switch it to off in that situation. There seems to be a lot of discussions on this in other forums but no straight answer. Also, I ended up purchasing three Kirkland Marine Batteries from Costco instead of buying 2 new optima blue tops. Each Kirkland battery had 85 amp hours and my blue top had 55.

[CrusrDug]

Last weekend I was camping and running the stereo off #2 at night. I forgot to switch to all and ran the boat all day surfing the next day. That night when listening to the stereo it started to distort. Battery #1 was dead, switch was on #2.

 

Why would the dead battery (#1) interfere with the good battery (#2) if the switch was on 2? I thought the switch isolated everything.

 

The other question is why did #1 die if I had the switch on 2? Am I not telling it I want to start and run the boat on 2 if that is where the switch is?

[iowatwb]

In my 2010 TWB the amplifier is hardwired to one battery. From your description of your issue I suspect it is the same on yours. Once the battery was too low the amp could not produce a clean output for the speakers.

[yellj]

Bigger question, is how do you plan to charge battery number 2, I have found alternator can keep up with the starting battery and slow the drain on the stereo battery, not recharge it to where you can power your amp. I get about 3 hours for the stereo before it needs recharging, since I am not haning in coves and pulling back to the lift between morning and evening riding just plug in the charger fo 2-3 hours and good to go again.

[Rich74]

I was told this is what i need if i am going to add a 3rd battery. I am planning on adding the 3rd battery to my #2 position on the switch. I will be adding it parallel from the current #2 battery

http://www.batterymart.com/p-dual-pro-se-12-24-36v-30a-battery-charger-3b.html

 

and this is what you should use for 2 batteries

http://www.batterymart.com/p-dual-pro-12-24v-30a-battery-charger-2b.html

 

If i have been misinformed someone please correct me before i purchase this.

 

Cheers

Rich

[yellj]

I have that charger, an it is quite, good, very heavy too, will probably need to mount it to the floor. The chasis is constructed so that the charger is raised a 1/4\" off the floor. That helps with 2 things; heat disappation and water. You have 2 different ratings on your link, one is a 10A charger and one is a 15A charger. I went with the 15A, for speed of charging. Just so we don\'t confuse things, if it says a 30A charger it is a 2 bank (battery) charger at 15A each. If you are charging overnight, the 10A charger is plenty, if you are trying to charge in a couple hours might want to go with the 15A. My starting battery is almost always fully charged, it takes about 10 minutes to top it off, if you wanted you could get the 2 bank charger and connect to your stereo batteries only, let the alternator take care of the starting battery. Here is a pic of where I mounted mine. HTH

[Moon]

I know I\'m replying late, but since my post last year I purchased a 10 amp dual charger made by Guest (5 amps per bank). My starting battery gets charge by the alt. and the stereo batteries get charged at night fromt he battery charger. I think the two battery chargers above are nice but a lot more expensive then I think you really need to spend. My 10 amp charger does just fine charging my batteries over night. I can be out on the water all day listening to tunes and come home and plug the batteries in and be ready to go by the next morning. Not sure if you\'ve already purchased the charger, but thought I\'d through it out there.