Blue Sea

[jwanck11]

I want to have a starting batt and 2 house batteries for the tunes. I have a 1/2/both Perko, but wanted to go to a blue sea (unless I really dont need one?)

How do i wire the batts? right now i have to turn the key on (or to acc) for the stereo to power on. would that be the case if I isolated the batttery banks?

[chpthril]

I want to have a starting batt and 2 house batteries for the tunes. I have a 1/2/both Perko, but wanted to go to a blue sea (unless I really dont need one?)

How do i wire the batts?

How many batteries do you currently have? Is the 1/2/both/off already wired in?

right now i have to turn the key on (or to acc) for the stereo to power on. would that be the case if I isolated the batttery banks?

The addition of the Iso/combiner will not change this, you will need to relocate the small red wire from it's current location on the ACC terminal of the ignition switch to rocker switch, if you want to have the radio continue to play when the engine is shut off.

[jwanck11]

I currently have 2 batteries and want to add a third. The two I have are both cranking batteries and I want a cranking and 2 deep cell (Ill keep the other cranking as a backup.)

THe 1/2/both/off is all ready wired, but I am not exactly certain what goes to what. I have to open it up. I guess I will buy the parts and post up picts and then ask for assistance...

Thanks for the advice so far. Yes, I would like to be able to run the stereo when the engine is off... that is really what I am trying to accomplish - completely isolate the stereo from the cranking battery.

[chpthril]

I currently have 2 batteries and want to add a third. The two I have are both cranking batteries and I want a cranking and 2 deep cell (Ill keep the other cranking as a backup.)

THe 1/2/both/off is all ready wired, but I am not exactly certain what goes to what. I have to open it up. I guess I will buy the parts and post up picts and then ask for assistance...

Thanks for the advice so far. Yes, I would like to be able to run the stereo when the engine is off... that is really what I am trying to accomplish - completely isolate the stereo from the cranking battery.

Easy peezy!

Pull out which very one of the starting batteries you want and replace it with one of the new deep-cycles. Now, to wire in the 2nd deep-cycle, simply connect the two deep-cycles + to + and - to -. Now you have one big stereo battery.

For the Blue Sea ACR, all you need to do is connect terminal A on the ACR to the + of the starting battery and terminal B of the ACR to the + of one of the deep-cycles. Next, run a 14ga wire from the GND terminal on the front of the ACR to the starting battery. Terminal A and B of the ACR can be connected directly to the batteries, or to the BATT-1 and BATT-2 terminals on the back of the Perko switch. Since these are coming from the positives of the 2 batteries, the ACR doesnt care.

[ajholt7]

Can the stock alt. handle two deep cycles and a starting battery?

[chpthril]

Can the stock alt. handle two deep cycles and a starting battery?

Think of a water spigot filling two five gallon buckets. Now lets say you swapped one of the 5 gallons for a 10 gallon. It will still fill them, just takes longer.

On the other hand, an alternator is not really made to be a battery charger. So, if someone is really running down a couple of deep-cycles, they may find that the alt is not able to replenish then with a short trip back to the dock. In this case, a battery charger is needed. Either a regular charger or an on-board, depending on the owners situation.

When gas his $4 a gallon, we anchored more, rode less, and would find the 2 deeps run down by Sunday afternoon. Knowing the 15 minute ride back to the dock would do it, I just plugged it up to my shop charger.

[jwanck11]

Awesome, Thanks Mike.