battery charge.1970 60hp

hi all .heres my qustion. first off i run 2 batteryies on my boat. i run a 60 hp 1970 johnson. i have been told to allways have a good charged battery or i will cause damage to the amp and other ele parts.i ran parellel thick gauge wire from positive to pos and neg to neg . before i did this i just had the 2. one just to start motor and one to run lights radio fish finder bildge pump.this way i all ways had a good charged bat when starting. well the batt for all the extras would die out on me . so i hooked them up in the parellel .figureing i can charge the other one with the motor.how does this work do i get double the life when the motor is off. and does this cause my charging system to work over time.i think i need to hook up a volt gauge so when the motor is not running and i am using the extras and drawing power i will no when to start up and charge. does all this make sence . now hear is my other qustion i want to run my 40 thrust troller ele motor useing a third battery after a while of trolling the batt will die out. can i jump a other temp parrelel line to boost a third trolling motor. or is all this silly. what do you all say

Re: battery charge.

You can jump another battery to run the trolling motor alright. However, do not expect your motor to charge more than one battery. It has a very low amperage output. It might charge them some if all you do is run up and down the river at WOT all day.

Re: battery charge.

I would visit a Auto parts store and buy a battery isolater. If you hook up batteries in a series or parellel they will draw current from each other untill they are equall.So a good battery will go bad a lot quicker if hooked up to a so so battery. An isolater will allow you to charge as many batteries as you have off the alternator but they will keep there own voltage/amperage.Like ibnfishn say your alternator does not have a high output and I do not know if there is a larger alternator available for that model.So if you have a relatively new battery for starting you will not draw it down from your weaker battery and get stuck out at your favorite fishing hole.Maybe invest in a jumper box that can do double duty in the winter for the wife s car.That way you can fish in peace with no worry about starting and she can go to the mall and spend money knowing that she also will make it home to your smiling face. A win win solution.

Re: battery charge.

ya i like your thinking. it is a no brainer she will find some enjoyment on my boating budget nooot.but it is a good try.i no me it will end up in my truck.but then when she calls me with a dead batt i can come to the rescue even better right. she will love this i may even get the goods that night.it really is a win win i will fly it by her.so what we can not pay the morgage and we eat camble soup watered out.i guess this is were us men have to stand up to the plate and set our priorities in line.and the boat comes first right. i was thinking of a good logo on my boat devorse court.so this isolater does it get hooked up mid stream of the parellel lines or hook it up to one batt. is it like a switch. the motor batt will allways have a full charge. then when my other batt for extras goes low i flip on this part.or is this not howit works. because at that point it seems it would take the power from the motor batt. can you explain how this part works and were and how to hook it up . are they short money.

Re: battery charge.

It is basically a relay/electrical check valve that allows current to go one way,into the battery. It does not let the batteries discharge from each other. They are automatic with no switches involved. I had one in a work truck and it was located on the firewall, about the size of 2 cigarette packs. Not sure how they are hooked up but I would guess somewhere between the charging system and battery. I would guess there 50 to 100 and would come with instructions. Maybe the salesperson would know or try wikipedia.com and punch in battery isolater.Let your fingers do the walking and make a few calls to NAPA or whoever is in your area.Oh and your wife will be too drained from the shopping and your rescue to service you! Trust me on that one.

Re: battery charge.

Problem finding the isolator? Pick up a "Perko" 2 battery switch whereas you can manually switch from one battery to a second battery or to both batteries. Easy to understand instructions come with the switch.

Make sure the switch is rated to be a "Make Before Break" switch, meaning that (with the engine running) when switching from one position to another position (#1 bat to #2 bat or to both batteries), the 2nd position makes contact before releasing from the first contact. This "Make before Break" type switch prevents/eliminates any possibility of damaging the charging system.

Re: battery charge.

Problem finding a isolator? Pick up a Perko battery switch, one that handles two batteries. Comes with easy to understand instructions. Be sure the switch is a Make Before Break type switch if you go this route.

Re: battery charge.

thats what i need joe. along with a volt gauge.oh i got the crank yesterday thanks . it is the start of my winter project. i will need some help along the way and your the man. thanks .

Re: battery charge.

www.c-mesales.com have the battery isolaters for 59 .95. that allows you to charge BOTH batteries as your motor is running along with no manual switches to worry/forget about .

Re: battery charge.

ok i have been looking at the perko dual battery switch. it is on ebay for about 25.00 dollars. the system i have hooked up now is 2 batteryies hooked up running parrellel.ihave heavy gauge wire for the parrelel hook up between the 2 batt.how will this new switch be hooked up to what i have now.will it be hooked up to the one batt that i use for accessories.or is it hooked up to both. i will allways have it on the both option on the switch.with it in this position what does this switch do. will the motor still charge both. from what i understand it will stop the curent from my 2 batt from back flowing curent to my main motor batt.or vise versa can some one break this down to me in a simple form.kind of lost on what this does. i realize the consept is to isolate.butt just need some teaching.

Re: battery charge.

When the switch is set to #1 battery, the engine acts as if #1 was the only battery in the boat.... cranking, charging, etc.

This holds true for the #2 battery when the switch is set to #2 battery.

When the switch is set to both, the engine of course is attached to both batteries (in parallel). The battery voltage output is still just 12 volts and the engine recognizes this, allowing the engine's charging system to charge both batteries at the same time.

The downside is that if one battery is bad, it will draw from and drag down the good battery.