4 Battery Setup

[bmh2208]

As posted in my cleaning thread, I acquired 2 brand new marine rv deep cycle batteries. I had planned on adding those to my existing batteries. I currently do not have the cash to do an isolator setup at them moment. However, I will eventually do a hellroaring or similar setup.

My question....

Will I fry my alternator by basically hooking up the four batteries in parallel? I have the standard perko switch. My plan was to leave the stock battery in the stern to power the engine only. The two new batteries will be wired in parallel to the bow battery.

The two new ones are slightly different. Same CCA as the others, just new and a different interstate model line.

Is there any way to do this and be safe? I will probably plan on running this setup for a few months to build my funds back up. I will redo the power delivery system when I buy new amps and a sub.

Thanks!

[inboardsonly]

I think what you want to do, is get rid of the Perko switch.

There are charging relay kits from BEP Marine, or Blue Sea Systems that would make your charging issues go away....

With a charging relay, your house (stereo) and start batteries are not connected.

Start your engine with the start battery, and once it is charged, (usually about 5-10 minutes of running, the relay closes, and starts charging the house battery bank.

Shut off the engine, and the relay opens, and you can run your stereo until the batteries are dead. The start battery is not a part of the circuit, and as a result, it is fully charged. If you need to parallel them for an emergency ( i.e.) house batts are charged and engine start is dead, you can do that too. Some of them allow you to do it from a remote location without ever going to the battery switch.

Make sure all batteries are of the same type, if they are in the same bank, too. All deep cycle, for example...the charging requirements for batteries differ in how deep you can discharge them, how hard you can hit them with a charge, etc.

We have been using the Energy One batteries, and the unique property of these batteries, is that two of them fit in the same spot as an 8D battery and each battery gives out the same power as an 8D!

The other benefit is, the can be mounted in any position, too. and they can be vented overboard, too. Lifeline batteries are the same, too, AGM (absorbed glass mat ) and can also be installed in any position, except inverted.

I would also install a Guest Charger, (waterproof, 3 step charger), so that when the boat was back at the house, the batteries would get a proper charge, and you would start out charged up.

The other thing to make sure is that your alternator can put out more power than your boat is capable of using...not sure what the total load is going to be after you have all of the amps etc up and running, you could check it with a clamp on ammeter.

IO