perko switch overpowering system

[Great Lakes Lure Maker]

Recently I had problems with my perko switch. I watched a video from the mfg and installed it as was directed to. My original wiring had the batteries in series and the switch was just breaking grounds. Now I have battery 1positive on the #1 lug, Battery 2 positive on the number 2 lug and the common lug goes to my engine and also feeds my accesories.

 

When I select either 1 or 2 I get a massive overpower that shorted stuff out, including my graph/chartplotter. If I stay on "Both" I am fine. Any idea why this is happening? I just went over all the wiring, but I'm not seeing anything out of place.

 

Thank you,

Jason

[Skidplate]

Idk but moors put mine in a few years back and if you want to look at it u can

My boats in ovid

[machzrcr]

That sounds like it is putting out 24 volts. I will double check myn. And let you know how it is wired it. Was just looking at all the wireing the other day fixing a problem but dont want to say it wrong.

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[Great Lakes Lure Maker]

Thanks for the replies so far. Bill, I may have to take you up on that if I cant figure out whats going on. I assume there must be a short somewhere in the wiring, back feeding power.

[smallboat]

If you had your batteries wired in series previously, you were set up for 24 volts unless they were 6 volt batteries. When wiring in series, you double the voltage and keep the amps the same. Wiring in parallel keeps the voltage the same as each battery but doubles the amperage.

Hot side of battery one should go to lug #1, hot side of battery 2 goes to lug #2. Common lug should be wired directly to the starter and a second wire to your main distribution panel. Grounds from the two batteries may be combined.

Check again how you have everything wired. Make sure you can trace the entire run of each lead and there are no crosses or accidental connections.

[Great Lakes Lure Maker]

Thanks smallboat. Going to check it now.

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[muskiedreams]

Are you sure they were in series with the old setup? It sounds like you may be getting 24 volts (series wired) when you select 1 or 2. And setting it to both may be connecting them in parallel giving you 12 volts (both positives connected together and both negatives connected together). Note that if the batteries are connected in series, you will get 24 volts. Most of your equipment, except for some bow mount trolling motors, runs on 12 volts. If you have a 24 volt bow mount, the batteries will have to be in series for it and the other equipment will have to be connected to just one of the batteries. Every system is different depending on what the needs are and the equipment installed. If there is an on board charger that connects to AC Power and if the batteries are charged from the motor are also considerations. There may be other devices installed to enable battery charging modes or an on board charger may control those functions.

 

If you have a DC volt meter, check voltages going to the equipment but disconnect electronics (or remove fuses) to protect them. 24 volts going to 12 volt devices can cause serious damage.

[Great Lakes Lure Maker]

Muskydreams , the original setup was breaking the negatives. Second Battery was positive to the positive of the main battery. Now I have battery ground from number 2 to number 1, then to the engine.

I'm either having a short backfeeding or my switch is bad. At least thats what I can tell. Why it only happens when I isolate a battery, but is fine on "both" is got me baffled.

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[lost a lure]

Is the common from the switch still connected to ground?

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[Great Lakes Lure Maker]

Is the common from the switch still connected to ground?

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No, goes to power cable from the motor. A second common wire to distribution.

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[lost a lure]

What model # switch? What is that "power" cable connected to on the motor?

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[Great Lakes Lure Maker]

All my wires were black originally. I bought red wires for the positives to distinguish them. It was too confusing the way it was before. A lot of distribution wires are all red as well, thats why I think something is wired wrong. There are knots tied in the positives, but who knows if they are correct or not. Probably gonna have to just re wire it all.

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[Great Lakes Lure Maker]

Perko8501. Power cable goes to starter, from there to the coil Alt, and trim.

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Edited August 5, 2015 by Great Lakes Lure Maker

[lost a lure]

Did you measure of the voltage with the switch in all positions?

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[Frogger]

Jason does this help.

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[Great Lakes Lure Maker]

Frogger, thats a good diagram. Thats how I have mine wired, but minus the isolator. that might explain my charge problem. From what I just read, my regulator only recognizes the highest voltage battery when on both. Thats my main. Second battery always discharges and needs a charge at home.

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[Frogger]

Yea, something is not right on why the second battery is discharging even though the main battery is taking the recharge. Unless you have that much draw with electronics and downriggers and such. I found out the hard way on my outboard of not changing positions on the perko switch while engine was running, fried my rectifier, not sure what it does on an I/O for what it's worth. I hope you make out.

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[jimski2]

Is the ground terminal from the second battery connected to the ground terminal of the switch also?somehow it is going to a series connection to the first battery giving you twenty four volts.

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[muskiedreams]

You may have to look at the switch and what connections are made by the switch in each position. Also compare it to the configuration with the original switch. If you have only replaced the switch, the replacement switch must be of identical function and configuration. Also, every boat is configured differently, depending on equipment and needs and could be modified over time from the original wiring.

 

On my boat, I have a 75hp Merc., a three bank charger with two deep cycle batteries and a cranking battery. I originally had a 24 volt bow mount and later went to a 12 volt one. When I did that I had to run heavier gauge wire for it.

 

There is a 12/24v switch on the charger that would switch the deep cycle batteries from series (24v) to parallel (12v). I used to switch it to 12 v for the cannon electric downriggers I had at the time so that the auto stop would work on both of them. I did have each rigger connected to separate batteries so that there was no way to accidentally send 24v to the riggers. If I forgot to change the switch to 12 v, it would just cause the auto stop to not work on one of the riggers.

 

The charger does some automatic switching and has a wire to connect to the output of the voltage regulator on the motor for charging all three batteries when the motor is running. When I first installed the charger, with that wire connected, the voltage regulator in the outboard fried. It is only rated for 15 amp charging current so maybe that is the reason. It couldn't handle charging 3 batteries at once. I disconnected that wire after I replaced the regulator so it only charges the cranking battery now while under way.

 

I don't have a separate battery switch. I just keep the switch on my charger set to 12 v so I am running on both deep cycle batteries in parallel so they are discharged equally. The main battery is only used for cranking and the radio. Everything else is connected to the deep cycle batteries. They do not get charged until I plug in to AC power.

 

I would be curious to learn what the battery isolator does. I wonder if it only charges one battery at a time and switches automatically. I believe some newer boats have the ability to charge a cranking battery and two or three deep cycle batteries from the outboard while under way. I think they charge the cranking battery first. They must have a hefty alternator in the outboard.

Edited August 6, 2015 by muskiedreams

[Great Lakes Lure Maker]

So what i have been able to figure out is I have a short somewhere. I un hooked all but the batteries and went through all positions on the switch and everything is fine. Going to hook up one thing at a time to find my short. Finally getting somewhere.

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