Dual Batteries

[Okie Boarder]

Hmmm, I'm going to keep looking into this. Maybe I don't need the switch. I do like the idea of the switch for the "combine" idea, with respect to the Blue Sea option.

Tay,

Yeah, you remove power completely when you go to off. You could wire the stereo 12V constant wire directly to the battery. But, then you defeat the purpose of the switch being put in the "Off" position because the stereo is going to drain the battery slowly.

[cmtaylor777]

Tay Tay

I have the same issue and I don't think there is a way around it. You are shutting down all power to the stereo head unit. This resets the "brain". When you turn the battery back on all presets are cleared. Much like reinstalling the unit. Some newer high end units will save the settings on an internal hard drive but I'm guessing you have a standard head unit. My Kenwood 7120 in my truck will do this, but my older kenwood that is in my boat does not save anything.

I HAVE THE SAME SET UP AND IT IS VERY ANNOYING! If anyone has a way of fixing this, I would love to hear it.

P.S. Tay Tay

I am in the process of changing my amp rack to something like yours. Did you ever finish it? I spent the whole weekend on it and I am almost finished. I incorporated the Perko switch and fuses on the rack. Needless to say it has been a tedious process. I will post the pics when I finish.

[dusty2221]

Can't wait to see the pics!!

[tg0824SSVGG]

in the setup I was describing, this is a TOGGLE switch at the dash, not a switch
like a Perko ...



Here is the isolator:

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Oakie and Tay - I dont want to sound like a knowitall because I'm no pro, but it is my understanding that the SurePower accomplishes what both of you are looking for.

Oakie, the SurePower will AUTOMATICALLY combine batteries for starting if the main batt is too low, or when charging if it detects one batt is lower than the other it combines or just charges one automatically. But it also automatically keeps you from leaving batteries combines and draining both like is possible with Perko.

Tay, with the Perko you are physically disconnection power frpm one batt or the other. This is going to reset your stereo everytime. The SurePower will keep your stereo battery isolated but always connected. Even if there is a powerdrain while you are away, just the stereo battery will be dead and once you start driving the alt should charge it (I think it could bring it back from the dead...right?). Especially if you had a nice new 105amp alt!

[Okie Boarder]

Hmmm, I'm going to read more about the Surepower too.

I have a concern with combining batteries for charging. I would think only one battery at a time should charge or else it puts too much load on the alternator, right?

[TayTay]

Tay Tay

I have the same issue and I don't think there is a way around it. You are shutting down all power to the stereo head unit. This resets the "brain". When you turn the battery back on all presets are cleared. Much like reinstalling the unit. Some newer high end units will save the settings on an internal hard drive but I'm guessing you have a standard head unit. My Kenwood 7120 in my truck will do this, but my older kenwood that is in my boat does not save anything.

I HAVE THE SAME SET UP AND IT IS VERY ANNOYING! If anyone has a way of fixing this, I would love to hear it.

P.S. Tay Tay

I am in the process of changing my amp rack to something like yours. Did you ever finish it? I spent the whole weekend on it and I am almost finished. I incorporated the Perko switch and fuses on the rack. Needless to say it has been a tedious process. I will post the pics when I finish.

I haven't finished it yet. I work full time and am taking 21 credits of college right now so I have NO time to do anything. Hopefully this weekend I can make some more progress. The rack is done, now I just have to organize and clean it all up.

On the thread topic, I do have a new deck specificaly made for boats from Alpine. It is there "digital media player". Honestly, I dont listen to the radio but what I "lose" is the settings for the subwoofer and the internal crossovers and the fade/balance. I think what would alleviate that would be a WS-420 We will see this spring but I may just have to buy one!

[87SunSportMikeyD]

The SurePower moderates how strong the incoming charge demand is so as not to over-load the Alt.

[Newty]

The surepower WILL NOT combine batteries until the starting battery is charged past 13.2 volts while the motor is running or when you have a charger on the starting battery. Once the starting battery is charged past 13.2v it will then combine the batteries until the starting battery drops below 13.2v again. It will only do that if the aux battery has been significantly drained. In this case the batteries will combine, then seperate, then combine, seperate etc until both batteries are fully charged.
One of the main benifits of the Surepower is that its has built in circuitry to absorb voltage spikes when the combining to avoid any unnesssecary wear on your factory equipment.
It also has a million plus cycle life so its built specifically for this application. Provided you have no excessive draw on your starting battery while the motor is off, the surepower will always make sure the starting battery is charged (over 13.2v) then charge your aux battery while maintaining a full charge on your starting/priority battery.

Hope I didn't muddy up the water.

[docdrs]

Newt ...i believe that it will not separate till voltage drops below 12.9 volts when the system is charging. the actual voltage of a 100% charged battery is 12.73 volts . there is also a delay built in to prevent sensor chattering during excessive voltage changes