2nd battery install....

[mapleleaf]

So I got my VSR unit to run 2 batteries and I understand how to set up the batteries, but I'm not sure on how to run power to my stereo from the second battery. Do I run power from the 2nd bat to the switch in the dash ( replacing the original hookup to the 1 battery)and then power my amps straight from the 2nd batt. as well???
Need a little help on this one.........

[cmtaylor777]

I wouldn't worry too much about changing the power source to the head unit. That's not the reason you need a second battery. The second battery should be to support the amps and other non-vital accesories. The head unit doesn't pull enough power to make a difference to where the power is coming from. Save yourself the trouble and leave the switches alone. Just concentrate on running the amps to the second battery.

[Okie Boarder]

If you want the entire sound system to run off that second battery then just wire it direct. If you want to be able to switch off power to it, you could use the dash switch or add a switch somewhere. I just have mine wired direct and I pop the face plate off when I want to totally cut it off.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

If you have an amplifier, then you want to run thick 4guage cable from the battery to the amp. If you only have a head unit, dash board power should be plenty.

[mapleleaf]

If you want the entire sound system to run off that second battery then just wire it direct. If you want to be able to switch off power to it, you could use the dash switch or add a switch somewhere. I just have mine wired direct and I pop the face plate off when I want to totally cut it off.

Sounds perfect, I forgot that taking the face would do that......I think I'd really like to have the battery use completely seperate.......

[Okie Boarder]

That was my thought and why I did it that way.

[Skylar18]

I'm sure this is a stupid question but......

I have 2 battery's, a starter battery and a deep cycle one connected to a perko switch.

I usually run everything through the deep cycle with the starter as my backup if I'm in a cove for a few hours playing my stuff. I never run both battery's at once.

What is the advantage running all the audio stuff to it's own battery?

[jonyb]

What is the advantage running all the audio stuff to it's own battery?

So if you're rafted up you can play the stereo and still have starting power to go home if the stereo battery goes dead. With some of the jumpboxes out there lately I don't think I'll ever depend on one of those.

[mapleleaf]

So if you're rafted up you can play the stereo and still have starting power to go home if the stereo battery goes dead. With some of the jumpboxes out there lately I don't think I'll ever depend on one of those.

what do you mean??

[Okie Boarder]

I just got my system all hooked back up. Everything goes directly to my "house" battery for the audio. Last year I had an FM modulator to plug in ipods with. It never worked all that well and I took it out. I installed a switch in the glove box next to the stereo for powering that. I decided to use that to provide "switched" power to my head unit. Got it hooked up yesterday and it works really good like that. Something to think about.

[mapleleaf]

Definitely Okie, A switch is going to be something I do, just trying to decide if I try to keep in the dash or not...Thatand I gotta finish working on other stuff that's getting in the way of fixing the boat!!!!

[87SunSportMikeyD]

If you only use one battery, a common 'emergency backup' procedure would be to bring a portable battery powered booster pack that is made to jump a dead car. However they lose their charge quickly and it becomes a PITA.

The point of running your accessories off the deep cycle is that you are never risking your starter battery. You can bump tunes all day and if your stereo battery gets low, you know it's time to start the boat off the fully-charged main batt and let the alternator do its job to charge the 2nd batt (yes I know it wont really recharge a dead battery, but in this situation your batt would not be dead, just low).

If you have a seperator/combiner relay like the SurePower or BlueSea then you can connect the batteries and let the SurePower sense the charge and when to connect/disconnect both batteries.

For example, if somehow your alt belt breaks and your main batt stops charging and gets too low to start the boat, the SurePower will automaticall link both batteries for added starting power. Then it would sense which one (or both) needed charging, and charge that one first. Does lots of kewl stuff.