Trickle charger and battery placement?

fredhatch · 08-28-04, 12:50 PM

Some of you may remember I picked up a 16.5 foot alumacraft bass boat. Question- I have two batteries upfront for my trolling motor and one in the rear for everything else. Would I be able to rewire and put all three batteries in the back and link them together to run evrything and will a simple trickle charger be enough to keep them up? Also if the trickle charger is a can do thing would 2 batteries be enough to power everything? This is not a fancy boat, got 1 livewell,TM, radio and 2 depth/fishfinders also running lights.

Rich · 08-29-04, 12:12 AM

You can move the batteries without too much trouble. Â*Just use 6 or 8 gague wire (Not sure which is the thicker one-go with the bigger wire). Â*Run it from the TM to the battery compartment and hook it up the same way you have it in the front. Â*Regarding the battery charger I don't think you can use a single bank trickle charger for all three batteries. Â*The way I have mine set up is the big engine charges the cranking battery when it is running, so I use a 2 bank charger for the 2 TM batteries and use a separate external charger for the cranking battery I usually hook up the day before I head out. Â*If the boat is going to sit, however, a 3 bank charger that will keep all three batteries maintained might be the way to go.

Just re-read your post-don't hook all three batteries together unless all three are a deep cycle/cranking battery and even then I'd be hesitant. The batteries I have are 2 deep cycle for the TM and one cranking battery that handles the accessories-lights, 2 depthfinders, etc. If you hook them all together it might mess all three up. You can use a three bank charger and hook up both types of battery, just don't hook the different types of batteries together. Hope this helps!

catfishtonyd · 08-29-04, 07:59 AM

Another question is what are you trying to get?

Do you have a 12 or a 24 volt TM? If you don't know, you need to find out. Usually having two batteries indicates 24 volt, but not necessarly. I have two TM batteries for one of my motors and it's a 12 volt. The two batteries are wired "in parallel". That's + to + and
- to -. (Just like jump starting a car) It gives you one big battery, lasts longer, and is easier on the batteries. (My boat has two electric motors and three batteries)

If you got a 24 volt motor, you can't hook anything else up to those batteries unless, they're also 24 volt. Not much of that stuff around. (live pumps, radio's, etc.)

If it's a 24, you just wire everything else up to the one battery that not running your TM.

For three batteries, the new built in chargers are no doubt the best way to charge. Get a three bank charger, and it's a no hassle deal. A trickle charger won't handle the job.

However the old fashioned external charger like you buy at Wally World will still do the job. For three batteries, idealy you'll want three 10 amp chargers, especially if you pull your batteries way down, and need them charged up overnight.

For my set up I get by with two external chargers and haven't had any problem with it. I charge the batteries (2) for my front TM with one 10 amp charger. I use a smaller 6 amp charger for the other one. I've done away with the alligator clips that come on most chargers and have them wired up with a quick disconnect twist lock plug that matches the one on my TM's. No mess, no hassle.

As Reb said if you have a gas powered outboard, with a cranking battery, you can just wire your accessories to that battery. (livewell, radio, depth finder) Depending on how big the alternator on your outboard is, and how much you run your outboard you may not need to charge that battery at all. I've always found that it's a good idea to hook a charger up to it once in a while.

jeffman · 08-29-04, 10:10 AM

REB,

Like CAJUN said, if you are running two 12 volt batteries in parallel for a 12 volt trolling motor, why are you using a two bank charger for both batteries. If it is hooked in paralell you can charge both battries with one bank of a two bank charger and charge the cranking battery with the other bank of the charger.
If you have your two 12 volt batt's hooked in series for a 24 volt TM, that explains the two banks.

JackL

Rich · 08-29-04, 09:20 PM

Jack-it is a 24V TM. My old one was a 12 but I upgraded, but even then I used a 2 bank charger rather than hook them up in parallel because they were 2 different age/types of batteries. When I got the 24V motor I also got 2 new batteries and after some thought decided to get a better on-board charger to go along with it.

fredhatch · 08-31-04, 05:52 PM

Thanks gents, think Ive figured out what to do.

08-28-04, 12:50 PM	#1
fredhatch BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Posts: 0	Trickle charger and battery placement? Some of you may remember I picked up a 16.5 foot alumacraft bass boat. Question- I have two batteries upfront for my trolling motor and one in the rear for everything else. Would I be able to rewire and put all three batteries in the back and link them together to run evrything and will a simple trickle charger be enough to keep them up? Also if the trickle charger is a can do thing would 2 batteries be enough to power everything? This is not a fancy boat, got 1 livewell,TM, radio and 2 depth/fishfinders also running lights.

08-29-04, 12:12 AM	#2
Rich BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Posts: 0	Re: Trickle charger and battery placement? You can move the batteries without too much trouble. ÂJust use 6 or 8 gague wire (Not sure which is the thicker one-go with the bigger wire). ÂRun it from the TM to the battery compartment and hook it up the same way you have it in the front. ÂRegarding the battery charger I don't think you can use a single bank trickle charger for all three batteries. ÂThe way I have mine set up is the big engine charges the cranking battery when it is running, so I use a 2 bank charger for the 2 TM batteries and use a separate external charger for the cranking battery I usually hook up the day before I head out. Â*If the boat is going to sit, however, a 3 bank charger that will keep all three batteries maintained might be the way to go. Just re-read your post-don't hook all three batteries together unless all three are a deep cycle/cranking battery and even then I'd be hesitant. The batteries I have are 2 deep cycle for the TM and one cranking battery that handles the accessories-lights, 2 depthfinders, etc. If you hook them all together it might mess all three up. You can use a three bank charger and hook up both types of battery, just don't hook the different types of batteries together. Hope this helps!

08-29-04, 07:59 AM	#3
catfishtonyd BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Posts: 0	Re: Trickle charger and battery placement? Another question is what are you trying to get? Do you have a 12 or a 24 volt TM? If you don't know, you need to find out. Usually having two batteries indicates 24 volt, but not necessarly. I have two TM batteries for one of my motors and it's a 12 volt. The two batteries are wired "in parallel". That's + to + and - to -. (Just like jump starting a car) It gives you one big battery, lasts longer, and is easier on the batteries. (My boat has two electric motors and three batteries) If you got a 24 volt motor, you can't hook anything else up to those batteries unless, they're also 24 volt. Not much of that stuff around. (live pumps, radio's, etc.) If it's a 24, you just wire everything else up to the one battery that not running your TM. For three batteries, the new built in chargers are no doubt the best way to charge. Get a three bank charger, and it's a no hassle deal. A trickle charger won't handle the job. However the old fashioned external charger like you buy at Wally World will still do the job. For three batteries, idealy you'll want three 10 amp chargers, especially if you pull your batteries way down, and need them charged up overnight. For my set up I get by with two external chargers and haven't had any problem with it. I charge the batteries (2) for my front TM with one 10 amp charger. I use a smaller 6 amp charger for the other one. I've done away with the alligator clips that come on most chargers and have them wired up with a quick disconnect twist lock plug that matches the one on my TM's. No mess, no hassle. As Reb said if you have a gas powered outboard, with a cranking battery, you can just wire your accessories to that battery. (livewell, radio, depth finder) Depending on how big the alternator on your outboard is, and how much you run your outboard you may not need to charge that battery at all. I've always found that it's a good idea to hook a charger up to it once in a while.

08-29-04, 10:10 AM	#4
jeffman BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Posts: 0	Re: Trickle charger and battery placement? REB, Like CAJUN said, if you are running two 12 volt batteries in parallel for a 12 volt trolling motor, why are you using a two bank charger for both batteries. If it is hooked in paralell you can charge both battries with one bank of a two bank charger and charge the cranking battery with the other bank of the charger. If you have your two 12 volt batt's hooked in series for a 24 volt TM, that explains the two banks. JackL

08-29-04, 09:20 PM	#5
Rich BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Posts: 0	Re: Trickle charger and battery placement? Jack-it is a 24V TM. My old one was a 12 but I upgraded, but even then I used a 2 bank charger rather than hook them up in parallel because they were 2 different age/types of batteries. When I got the 24V motor I also got 2 new batteries and after some thought decided to get a better on-board charger to go along with it.

08-31-04, 05:52 PM	#6
fredhatch BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Posts: 0	Re: Trickle charger and battery placement? Thanks gents, think Ive figured out what to do.

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