stlliberator

. Im going to be hooking up another perko switch in my boat, for just the radio batteries. I was wondering can I just run a power wire from the common post on the first perko switch to the second switch. The common on the first perko is the one that has the power wire coming from the starter, instead of running a new wire from the back of the starter to the 2nd perko. If I do it this way it will still charge the batteries on the 2nd perko right, and if I turn off the batteries on the 1st switch, it wont drain from them will it, when I have the 2nd switch turned on...

low_psi

This should help you out. This is the most common ways to wire. I currently have 3 switches, 3 batteries (actually will have a total of 5 batteries, but 3 of them will be wired as the "house bank" and 2 motors. However I think I am going to be switching my set up to # 3 on the diagram.

stlliberator

That really isnt my set up at all...I have one starter. .3 batteries..2 switches..im just wondering instead of running two power wires off the starter.. (1 wire to each switch) I could just run one wire to one switch then a wire from positive of first switch to postive of second switch. ..

low_psi

See diag #1. Just add two batteries to one side(as long as they are of same make/model) and one on the other side. So Battery #1 would be used for starting, Battery #2 would be 2 house batteries wired together. I don't see why the need for 2 switches with 3 batteries.... See Pic Below

Basically wire everything including stereo and amps to the common post. Start and run the boat on battery #1 (your starting battery). When you get to your spot for the day, switch to #2 (your house battery bank consisting of 2 batteries). When time to leave, switch back to #1 to start. If you need extra juice for some reason, switch to all to start. I would never suggest running the boat on "ALL" as 3 batteries is a lot of load for an alternator (unless upgraded). Now if you really wanted to keep the 2 "house" batteries separated from each other (not sure what good it would do), then put your new switch between them. So from your first switch the #2 cable would hook to the common on the new switch then run #1 to one battery and #2 to the second battery. That seems like a lot of extra stuff that isn't needed though..... See Second Pic





The way I have it drawn up in the first pic is how I ran my Velocity (single motor) for years. I used an on board charger to charge the "house" batteries. You don't want to try and charge more than one battery (at a time) with your alternator. It is a lot of load on the alternator.

stlliberator

I was thinking about running two switches cause with the radio and amp are connected to their own batteries, with no boat accessories (i.e..tabs..trim pumps)...and I wasn't going to connect the two batteries in series cause then they will always be charging 3 batteries off the alt. Plus with the other switch, I can completely turn off the power to the radio when not in use, like overnight in the dock..Plus its going to take rewiring the both the amp and radio since one of the batteries is on the port side of the boat, and the other is on the starboard side along with the main battery for weight distribution...