Understanding the Battery Switch

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GMUGMU

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- starboard battery to switch position 1
- Motor to switch position 2
- port battery to switch position 1&2

I would like to shut the motor off while fishing in-shore. I'm running a baitwell pump and plotter. How can I be sure that the battery for restarting the motor is not being used to run other stuff? Many thanks
 
tomc585 said:
Port batt to 1&2?
Is it a Perko/Guest type switch?
How many batteries?

Each batt should go to 1 and 2 independently
Click to expand...
I'll get a picture and look for any brand or other markings. One battery hot goes to switch pole/position marked 1. The wire from the yamaha goes to switch pole/position marked 2. The hot from the second battery goes to the pole/position marked 1&2. I agree with you on batteries going to 1 and 2 independently. This is why I am confused/concerned about how it is wired. There is also a forth switch position "off".
 
Here’s how your switch should be wired:
DB5C291F-C00E-4607-98D9-79BB20F3C3BF.gif

Check to make sure yours is done correctly. If in doubt, look up the wiring diagram for your specific make and model switch, all that information is available online.

Just because things are the way you find them (even from the factory sometimes) doesn’t mean that it’s right.
 
GMUGMU said:
- starboard battery to switch position 1
- Motor to switch position 2
- port battery to switch position 1&2

I would like to shut the motor off while fishing in-shore. I'm running a baitwell pump and plotter. How can I be sure that the battery for restarting the motor is not being used to run other stuff? Many thanks
Click to expand...

Let me elaborate on my last post:

You’ll need to pull your battery switch off the bulkhead and look at the terminals to ensure that it’s wired correctly. The picture I posted is a view of the terminals on the back of the switch.

From an operation perspective:
Position 1: one of the batteries (often the start, but not necessarily) is supplying power to both the engine and accessories.
Position 2: the other battery is supplying power to both the engine and accessories.
Position Both or 1-2: both batteries are paralleled and are supplying power to both the engine and accessories.
Position Off: both batteries are, obviously, off.

In order to accomplish what you’re trying to do, i.e. keep a fully charged start battery, you should motor out to your fishing site with the switch on “both” so that both batteries are charging. Then, once stopped, switch to either “1” or “2” (choose the battery that is NOT your cranking battery, if there’s a difference). Run on that battery while fishing. When you’re ready to go, you can either crank the engine on your selected battery if there’s enough juice, or switch to the other “fresh” battery to crank the motor. On the way in, switch back to “both” so that both batteries are charged or, if you cranked the motor on the same battery you were using during the day, leave it in that position to recharge the more deeply discharged battery.

If this sounds somewhat confusing and like there’s a lot of steps involved, and a lot of places where things could go wrong if you forget a step, that’s because it is. Single 1-2-Both-Off switches are a crappy way of managing your batteries. Most guys run battery 1 on odd dates and battery 2 on even dates, or just run in the Both position and hope they have enough juice between the two batteries.

A better option, by far, is to install a BEP cluster switch that will divide your batteries into dedicated house and start batteries, and will charge both automatically.
 
GMUGMU said:
- starboard battery to switch position 1
- Motor to switch position 2
- port battery to switch position 1&2

I would like to shut the motor off while fishing in-shore. I'm running a baitwell pump and plotter. How can I be sure that the battery for restarting the motor is not being used to run other stuff? Many thanks
Click to expand...


There is a better way than messing with the switch.

I had a system installed on my 2320. I have a Cranking battery, and a House battery.
The cranking battery is for starting the boat, the house battery runs everything else.
There is a solenoid that does not allow the electronics to pull from the cranking battery. When the engine is running and charging, all the alternator charge goes to the cranking battery first, only when the cranking battery is charged to 12.6, will the solenoid open and allow the alternator to send a charge to the house battery.

So the final product keeps the cranking battery fully charged, and will never let your electronics deplete your cranking battery. I can't offhand remember what the system is called.

Electrical.jpgElectrical.jpg
 
MikeMarkCA said:
There is a better way than messing with the switch.

I had a system installed on my 2320. I have a Cranking battery, and a House battery.
The cranking battery is for starting the boat, the house battery runs everything else.
There is a solenoid that does not allow the electronics to pull from the cranking battery. When the engine is running and charging, all the alternator charge goes to the cranking battery first, only when the cranking battery is charged to 12.6, will the solenoid open and allow the alternator to send a charge to the house battery.

So the final product keeps the cranking battery fully charged, and will never let your electronics deplete your cranking battery. I can't offhand remember what the system is called.

View attachment 28564View attachment 28564
Click to expand...

What you’ve got is a Blue Sea ACR. It’s one option to isolate your batteries into separate house and start batteries. The BEP cluster switch does essentially the same thing. It’s just usually a cleaner install than the ACR, but both will work.
 
Just an FYI. you can’t always make sense of the switch looking at the poles and assuming. I thought mine was mis wired until I got the right schematic for my switch. It wasn’t. The internal workings of the switch was different than what I thought just looking at the back. I replaced the switch, then opened up the old one to verify. It made more sense.
Using a meter will help you tremendously if it’s confusing.
 
What you’ve got is a Blue Sea ACR. It’s one option to isolate your batteries into separate house and start batteries. The BEP cluster switch does essentially the same thing. It’s just usually a cleaner install than the ACR, but both will work.
Click to expand...

AMEN! I've installed 1- Blue Seas Add -A-Battery........and 50+ BEP Cluster Switch's........Can you guess which one I like Better? :)


Here is a explanation of how they work.

BEP Cluster Switch.

You start your day by turning the Start switch and the House switch to ON.
At the end of the day you turn them both OFF.

It doesn't get any simpler than that. You don't have to remember to turn from Batt 1 when going out and switch to Batt 2 on the way back in. Just something else that you have to remember.

OK so what goes on with it is done all automatically thru the VSR [Voltage Sensitive Relay]

The Relay is in a closed position. As soon as you hit the key to crank the motor the relay opens, due to sensing a large surge of current.

Ok the motor is cranked and running now. The relay is still open. The Alt is charging the Start battery until it reaches a set voltage and charge.

Then the relay closes and is back charging Both the Start & House Battery.

Now another feature that happened when you hit the key is your electronics were ON and wired from the House battery. This will stop any spiking of the Electronics. They don't like to be spiked!

OK...Now your out sitting on the beach. The motor is OFF, but you have the Radio playing for hours. The Relay senses the drop and opens the relay again. The radio is still playing, but the relay just disconnected the Start battery out of the circuit so that it stays at Full charge to start the motor.

When you get ready to leave the beach and crank the motor the alt will charge the Start battery first and when it's back up, the relay will close and charge the House battery.

There is one more switch on the Cluster. It is the Combine switch. Think of that as Jumper Cables without having to dig them out and hook them up. This switch would normally be in the OFF position, until you need a boost on the start battery. Then turn it to ON. After the motor is running turn it back OFF.

Everything is all Automatic. No thinking about it. Your batteries will have a much better charge in them.
 
I have a single engine on 2520 Xl - I just alternate between position 1 and 2, one day position 1, next trip position 2 etc. I also change batteries every three years, never once had a problem - if for some reason one of the batteries dies while I am out, just switch to the other one. Also I use two deep cycle interstate batteries size 31 - both the same. I don’t have a “starting” battery.
 
BEP all the way. Based on this forum and my frustration trying to achieve exactly why the original poster was looking to do I had the BEP installed last year. Best money I’ve spent on the boat.
 
warthog5 said:
AMEN! I've installed 1- Blue Seas Add -A-Battery........and 50+ BEP Cluster Switch's........Can you guess which one I like Better? :)


Here is a explanation of how they work.

BEP Cluster Switch.

You start your day by turning the Start switch and the House switch to ON.
At the end of the day you turn them both OFF.

It doesn't get any simpler than that. You don't have to remember to turn from Batt 1 when going out and switch to Batt 2 on the way back in. Just something else that you have to remember.

OK so what goes on with it is done all automatically thru the VSR [Voltage Sensitive Relay]

The Relay is in a closed position. As soon as you hit the key to crank the motor the relay opens, due to sensing a large surge of current.

Ok the motor is cranked and running now. The relay is still open. The Alt is charging the Start battery until it reaches a set voltage and charge.

Then the relay closes and is back charging Both the Start & House Battery.

Now another feature that happened when you hit the key is your electronics were ON and wired from the House battery. This will stop any spiking of the Electronics. They don't like to be spiked!

OK...Now your out sitting on the beach. The motor is OFF, but you have the Radio playing for hours. The Relay senses the drop and opens the relay again. The radio is still playing, but the relay just disconnected the Start battery out of the circuit so that it stays at Full charge to start the motor.

When you get ready to leave the beach and crank the motor the alt will charge the Start battery first and when it's back up, the relay will close and charge the House battery.

There is one more switch on the Cluster. It is the Combine switch. Think of that as Jumper Cables without having to dig them out and hook them up. This switch would normally be in the OFF position, until you need a boost on the start battery. Then turn it to ON. After the motor is running turn it back OFF.

Everything is all Automatic. No thinking about it. Your batteries will have a much better charge in them.
Click to expand...
Sounds perfect. I went looking for the BEP cluster switch. It seems that there are many different or I’m not finding the right one. Any chance you know the model number? The manufacturer is BEP or is it marinco? Many thanks
 
dave-j said:
BEP all the way. Based on this forum and my frustration trying to achieve exactly why the original poster was looking to do I had the BEP installed last year. Best money I’ve spent on the boat.
Click to expand...
Do you happen to have a picture and model number? I’m sold on the BEP approach. Thanks
 
MikeMarkCA said:
There is a better way than messing with the switch.

I had a system installed on my 2320. I have a Cranking battery, and a House battery.
The cranking battery is for starting the boat, the house battery runs everything else.
There is a solenoid that does not allow the electronics to pull from the cranking battery. When the engine is running and charging, all the alternator charge goes to the cranking battery first, only when the cranking battery is charged to 12.6, will the solenoid open and allow the alternator to send a charge to the house battery.

So the final product keeps the cranking battery fully charged, and will never let your electronics deplete your cranking battery. I can't offhand remember what the system is called.

View attachment 28564View attachment 28564
Click to expand...

@MikeMarkCA... on closer inspection of your picture, what’s going on with those breakers? It looks like you’ve got three circuit breakers, two of which are daisy chained together with two cables on the “line” side, and nothing on the “load” side? So nothing is going through the breaker, opening or closing it does nothing... I’m a bit confused as to the logic here.
 
Last edited:
For single engine .....2 batteries..... I install this one.
https://www.bepmarine.com/en/716-sq-140a-dvsrIt is aprox 1/2in larger in both direction than a Round Perko switch.

The manufacturer is BEP or is it marinco?
Click to expand...

Pretty sure Marinco bought out BEP like they have many other companies.....But we still call it a BEP Cluster.

As to folks that go Out on #1 Batt....Then Switch to #2 Batt for the run back in.
That's fine....BUT...Between Running the boat, Fishing, Now you have something else to remember....You say..."No Big Deal." Good....Keep doing it.......IF you can Remember? :)

OK Then the ones that put the Perko in BOTH.....If 1 battery takes a crap while they are paralleled.....[Thats what BOTH is] The Bad battery will drain the Good battery and you will have 2 dead batteries.

Not one of the people I have installed BEP's for....Has ever said..."That was a waste of Money." In fact they are Thrilled that their boating life has been made simpler.. :)
 
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