Multiple Batteries and Battery Isolator Question

[NautiqueJeff]

I just bought two Optima Blue Top D31M batteries, and I am planning to add a third Blue Top hooked up in parallel to my non-starting battery. When using a battery isolator, I know the batteries are supposed to be the same type, and of similar age. If I have two batteries hooked up in parallel, can I still connect them to the battery isolator as one battery without any problems? I would think that this probably isn't a good idea, but I thought I'd ask around and see if this is possible. Here's a diagram of what I'd like to do.

[actiondcpd]

RE: Multiple Batteries and Battery Isolator Question

Jeff, where are you physically going to put the batteries? I want to add at least one more batter to my stock one but am not sure where to put it or how to mount it.

[NautiqueJeff]

RE: Multiple Batteries and Battery Isolator Question

I have a custom seat that I built for behind the driver's seat. It is identical to the cooler seat on the other side, and fits between the driver's seat and back seat perfectly. There is storage under that seat, and the batteries should fit in there without a problem. Right now, the seat that I built for behind the driver's seat looks identical to the one wakejunky built. His is pictured below.



Also, the floor under the left rear cushion (when facing the back of the boat) may already be cut for a second battery in some boats. This is the stock location for the second battery on newer Super Air Team Edition boats.

[NautiqueJeff]

RE: Multiple Batteries and Battery Isolator Question

I absolutely love what gotwake did with his cooler seat. I plan to duplicate that as closely as possible with the seat I built behind the driver's seat.

[clubmyke]

Clean install !!! Looks great !!!

[Onthewater]

it is, also is a shame he'll have to do it all over again.

[Grant_West]

Hey Jeff why dont you want to put the 2 extra batterys in the place directly across from your stock battery. BTW your wiering diagram looks good. Let me see if I can find some photos of Harolds battery set up

[Grant_West]

Hey Jeff I dont knw why but when I try to up load 2 or more photos it dosent let me??

[redelf75]

What is all the rave about these new Optima batteries? why are they so much better?

Jeff, Whitechoc...when you have 2 batteries with a switch, when do you use one or the other, or both?

Jeff, when will you use the pair of batteries and when will you use the single?

[Sbt3]

Can you guys help me out with this. I am sure over the next few weeks when I am getting this boat ready for riding I am going to have many more questions so I appreciate all the help that people have done so far and for future help.
This question is related to battery mounting. The mounts pictured in this post so far are really nice jobs. I am trying to find a spot to put at the battery so that it won't take up space in the v-drive locker area. I have 2- 20x20x50 sacs coming that will fill both sides of the engine lockers. These sacs are going to take up all the space when full so I am trying to find the best place for the battery or batteries.
In one of the pictures the batteries are mounted under the side seat in a custom box, are those countersunk into the floor or are the seats in that higher than mine? I was thinking about counter sinking the batteries under the rear seats where I have the battery box in this picture. Can that be done? Is there a problem with cutting a big piece of the flooring up or is there anything under there that would f-up the hull integrity? any comments appreciated.

[NautiqueJeff]

What is all the rave about these new Optima batteries? why are they so much better?

Jeff, Whitechoc...when you have 2 batteries with a switch, when do you use one or the other, or both?

Jeff, when will you use the pair of batteries and when will you use the single?

Mine are hooked up to an automatic battery isolator/combiner. That unit combines the batteries when the engine is running, so that both can be charged by the alternator. When the engine is off, the batteries seperate. This way I can have the stereo on while we're sitting around with the engine off, and not run down my starting battery. The isolator/combiner is totally automatic, so there's no need to flip a switch. The other nice thing is that if for soe reason my starting battery did experience problems, there is a switch that mnually combines the batteries, so that the boat can be started using the aux. battery.

[redelf75]

Thanks Jeff,

But is the pair of batteries for the stereo and the single one for starting, or the other way around? Is this isolator do what yours does?

[NautiqueJeff]

The pair of batteries would be for the accessories, and the single battery would be for starting. The isolator that you linked to above might be similar to the one that I use, but the description doesn't really say too much about it. I can tell you for sure that you wouldn't be able to manually combine the batteries in the case that your starting battery failed. You'd have to unhook the batteries and swap them in order to start your boat if your starting battery happened to fail. There is a ton of information at www.hellroaring.com about these things.

[mgswed]

Which model optima batteries are you guys using? I see three on their website.

[simplysanj]

Which battery

First off hello fellow CC'ers

This is my first time here, found indirectly through google and I am very happy to find this place.

So what battery then? I have seen D31M, D34M and D24M being used by different people on this forum.

I am probably going to use a pair of D34Ms (available conveniently) without a combiner and upgrade my power cabling to the breaker box to 8 guage. I don't have any need to hang out for long periods of time with the engine off while using power.

Any major problems that anybody can point out?

Thanks!!
Sanj