single battery charger - two batteries

[MacFern]

Is it possible to maintain two batteries with a single battery charger/maintainer? I was planning to buy a dual charger, but someone just gave me a single 1.5 amp maintainer - is splicing the leads an option?

 

[sparky]

Yup, just run hot to hot, and ground to ground. That's how I keep my stable of Deep Cycles charged. I've got 4 wired together, and a single 1.5A Battery Tender on them.

 

[MacFern]

Thanks, I was hoping fo the simplest and cheapest solution.

 

[MacFern]

Well I guess in my case it's not so simple.

If my batteries are isolated by a 1, 2, both, or off switch can I still maintain both (without removing all the other connections) with the single charger by simply setting the switch to BOTH. Would I still attach the positive lead to the positive terminal on one battery, and the negative to the negative on the other battery? That’s how I understand it could be done if the batteries are in parallel. Or would it work better (or at all) if I split the charger leads so that I could attach to all 4 terminal? Also, I have always turned the power off when I am not using the boat (sits on the trailer), is there any reason I should not leave the battery switch on BOTH as long as I have the battery maintainer on. Sorry for the stupid questions, but my electrical skills/knowledge pretty much sucks.

 

[MacFern]

I guess what I'm asking is if setting the switch to both is the same as if the batteries were wired in parallel. I just don't want to screw anything up.

 

[sparky]

Yup, Set the switch to Both, then charge from either battery. On Both, the batteries are in parallel.