Thread: Marine dual battery system

I have 2 batteries and a marine dual battery switch for mine. The plan is to keep it on "both" when underway, and one of the two when at anchor.

However I won't ever be installing a radio. Just a GPS and sounder. My F70A has a 17A alternator.

Andy, your plan sounds good.

A solid manual switch is the way to go in a boat. Terminate well, use glued heat srink and paint with liquid electrical tape (tinned wire of course). There are a few ways to do it but the following seems to work.

Have all ancillary junk attached to battery 2

Have engine wired to batt 1

Start with switch on batt 1, once engin running switch to both. Some donks love the switching maybe check this first????
When at anchor flick back to batt 1 or off even.

(your accesories will still work as they are wired to the isolated batt 2)

Century Marine Pros N70 size (720CCA) have been good to me. I buy a new one for the boat annually then shuffle them through the pair in the defender.

Steve

Hi Andy,

I fitted the red arc isolator on my boat and as yet it has not let me down.I have my Two way/Music player/sounder/gps on all day when im out and i also fitted a battery monitor so that i can keep an eye on the charge.
The manual isolators are great but you do need to remember to keep switching them over thats the only reason i went with the red-arc because im so forgetful.

Dan

there are some fantastic fully automatic marine dual battery systems out there.

all depends how much u want to spend. i put a fandangle auto with manual override and isolation on mine, but its a 26" ally boat with a bulk load of electrical gear on it, so it was necessary.

just remember its not as easy to jump start a boat motor:P

simple 3pole isolator will do the job ample but if u forget about it you will know about it:P

davo

I run 2xN70 marine.

1 runs the lighting the other runs all accessories.

Each also starts 1 engine.

There's a set of jump leads for emergencies!

If we're really going out for a long time we take a jump pack.


"Where the Desert meets the Sea"
'Did I mention some great 4WDriving is just 5 minutes from home?'

Yesterday I ordered a Centuary 720 marine pro.This battery will be my main battery,exsisting battery is a 660 Centuary marine battery,it is fairly new,it will become the reserve battery.
Andrew

Whilst we are on the topic of batteries, how different is a marine battery from a normal N70?

I have a pile of new and near new Delkor N70s. I have been using them up till now, however what can I expect long term compared to a "proper" marine battery?

usually theres somewhere on the boat you can stick a solar panel...

I know of a guy whose had 4 of the 2 amp roll up weather proof ones sewn into his canopy. hes quotable as saying "even without a battery it puts enough juice in to get the engine electrics up for a rope start"