Type of battery

[Domsz06]

Does it matter for me in my charging of the batteries via the xantrex 40 that in my three different banks I have the following batteries.

bank 1, the starting battery, a maintence free, sealed battery

bank 2, all coscto deep cycle batteries (3 total)

bank 3 2 cosco deep cycle batteries, and one maintence free sealed battery

i'm just curious as i don't want to mess anything up. The one maintence free in bank 3 is the old second battery from the boat, figured I'd use it for a while, and then when it dies, replace with another cosco.

also, when i'm hooking up my charger to the batteries, Since the banks 2 and 3 are off switch position 2 on my perko switch, should I just run bank 3 of the charger to bank 3 of the batteries, and then bank 2 of the charger to bank 2 of the batteries, or should I just use 2 banks off the charger and hook it to the 2 on the switch.

Thanks.

[Coach]

I thought it charges your banks according to the type of battery you have. I have different battery types but I charge them at the main bank AGM vs my starting Flooded. The difference is the voltage at which they are charging (which is minimal at most) The key is the cold, warm, hot setting as to where you are charging them.

[Wake Bandits]

I've had a somewhat similar set up and it worked fine for us.
But that's just my 2 cents worth
COSTCO batteries have beenvery good BTW.

[chpthril]

Does it matter for me in my charging of the batteries via the xantrex 40 that in my three different banks I have the following batteries.

You should be fine. The key is that they are all the same type - wet cell. Its when someone mixes wets and gels, etc, that they run into problems. Different types charge at different rates and the charger will leave your batteries under-charged.

also, when i'm hooking up my charger to the batteries, Since the banks 2 and 3 are off switch position 2 on my perko switch, should I just run bank 3 of the charger to bank 3 of the batteries, and then bank 2 of the charger to bank 2 of the batteries, or should I just use 2 banks off the charger and hook it to the 2 on the switch

I assume the GND's for banks 2 & 3 are connected, and if the POS's are connected @ the B2 lug of the Perko, then I don't see a problem hooking the POS of the charger there, and the GND from the charger to the closest bank 2/3 battery GND post.

[Domsz06]

thanks for the info. The difference is the odd ball is a maintence free, where the others are not, will that be a prob?

[Domsz06]

I thought it charges your banks according to the type of battery you have. I have different battery types but I charge them at the main bank AGM vs my starting Flooded. The difference is the voltage at which they are charging (which is minimal at most) The key is the cold, warm, hot setting as to where you are charging them.

i saw the cold, warm, hot, what's that mean/got to do with anything?

[Domsz06]

but will it hurt anything to just attach a lead to each battery bank? that way they can charge better/faster?

[CP3]

I think as long as you dont hook them up in parrallel but dont ask me I dont know anything. I just know parallel is bad

[Domsz06]

um, parrallel is good. It's how you keep it at 12V. Which is what I want. and how I have them hooked up.

[dogbert]

Dom, different batteries require different chargers. On my fishing boat I have 2 deep cycle and 1 starter. My charger has separate charging leads for each battery. If you're going to mix them, you might consider looking at chargers intended for fishing boats as they will be closer to your set-up.

Also, with that many batteries, when are you getting your trolling motor?

[Domsz06]

ha ha ha dog, your funny.

I already have a charger, so I'm guessing that it won't work now that I have it huh? I'll just hook up the charger to the batteries. The one's that are not all the same are 4 years old anyway, and I have noticed they are not holding as good a charge. If they die, they die, but I"M not going to hurt anything it sounds like. Plus if I kill the costo's, I'll just return them.

What do you think dog?

oh yeah, and parallel is the right way to wire them right? CP3 has me second guessing myself now

[Moki]

Parallel = good You are right.

[spharis]

parallel is bad if you don't seperate banks. If the starting bank isn't seperate from the accessories, then the one with the highest charge will leak out into the other, then it will stop, and be lower, so the other will leak into it.....it will continue until the batteries are depleted, but it takes a long time (months not days).

[Domsz06]

spharis,

I have 7 batteries in the boat. Right now on switch #2 on the perko switch it is the starting battery and only the starting battery.

Swtich position #1 is the other two banks. Which consists of 3 batteries per bank, both wired in parallel back to the swtich. This ok?

[spharis]

Yes it is fine. The batteries wired together will deplete given enough time though (> 2 months).