battery selector

[thefrenchman]

Hey Guys

i'm planning on installing a battery switch on my boat

number one battery: main motor ,automatic pumps,dash instrument

number two battery: downriggers,gps,sonar,cb,fishawk,autopilot

kicker will be plugged directly on battery two and not on the selector switch

kicker is a 9.9 merc with elec start

my question is this

if i'm cruising with main motor can i hit the selector switch and put it on number two battery or do i have to stop the motor

i want to make sure that the number two battery gets enought charge at the end of the day for the next outhing

considering that the kicker wont be on since i'm cruising with the main

can this do something to my battery or the alternator

THX in advance for all the good help

thefrenchman

[Richard]

The way I understand it is that if the selector switch has a both 1 & 2 between the 1 position and the 2 position you can do it. you never want to disconect the battery when running. It will damage the charging system on the motor.

[thefrenchman]

Hey Bud

after reading your reply and what i've read on perko home site

it does make sense thx Richard

so i got to take a battery switch with an ( ALL) or ( BOTH) in between one and two

thx again

[jimski2]

There is a difference in battery selector switches. One of them disconnects the alternator circuit before the battery circuit. This prevents the alternator from sensing no voltage and surging a lot of amps thereby destroying the diodes in the alternator. The diodes supply the DC current from the alternating current in the alternator supply.

[Xxx]

There is a difference in battery selector switches. One of them disconnects the alternator circuit before the battery circuit. This prevents the alternator from sensing no voltage and surging a lot of amps thereby destroying the diodes in the alternator. The diodes supply the DC current from the alternating current in the alternator supply.

BEGYMSKYTO NOW I'M CONFUSED~~~

[jimski2]

Amps or amperage is the flow of power in electric, sort of like a lot of flow in a pipe. Too many will melt your wires, connections, terminals, fuses, trip breakers melt diodes, cause fires and trip breakers.

[emtystringer]

My advice to you is be sure never touch your switch while your motor is running!I had someone change my switch while i had my motor running and it fried every thing on the boat.I WOULD SHUT MY MOTOR DOWN FIRST TO BE SAFE.

[BullGator]

If you wire it the way you intend to, Your battery switch will have to be in the "all" position. This kind of defeats the purpose of the dual battery system......making sure you can get home if your main battery discharges. Like mentioned earlier, be sure to get a quality battery switch that has a maintained charge circuit to both batteries.

[Fish Hunter]

And a spare battery on board, isn't a bad idea either.