Adding a second battery

[mraz72]

So I am going to add the second battery myself, first step is buying the additional battery and the battery tray/box.

here is what is in my boat currently, I've read that you should match as close as you can the cranking amps, i'm guessing the is a 635 cold cranking amps battery? Should I match this one or get two better batteries?

I plan on adding a subwoofer, 1 or 2 amps, potentially some cockpit and underwater lights and a fishfinder. Not all this year, probably the sound system this year.

Here is my current battery

 

[Bill D]

That battery is a starting battery. You'll want to add a deep cycle battery for your stereo and electronics. If you add a battery switch and set up house and starting banks, you can add any size deep cycle. It is important to have the same size and capacity when batteries are hooked together. For example if you had two batteries hooked in parallel for your house bank, you would want those to be the same.

 

[mraz72]

Ok, so get a switch, get a deep cycle batter and run the electronics off of the second battery?

this is a switch I've seen mentioned here

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Sys...5514786&sr=8-8&keywords=Marine+Battery+Switch

 

[subysti]

I second what bill said. Get a blue seas add a battery kit and then a good group 31 size deep cycle battery.

 

[jawsf16]

Third that... You can still combine them with the switch for emergency double low battery, or switch to house for cranking if start battery dies.

 

[Bill D]

That sounds like a good start. You can always add a second house battery if you need to later. There are a couple different setups, but they all have good documentation on here.

 

[mraz72]

so to add additional electronics to the house battery, would use use a busbar? Stick with BlueSea?

I'll pulling the trigger on the add a battery kit, looking for a battery, then I can get a tray or battery box. My current battery is in a tray, so I'll probably go that route.

 

[Bill D]

All of my batteries are in trays. Just make sure you have the terminals covered by the little boots to make sure they can't accidentally short if something crosses them. As far as the bus bars, again, there are options. You could add bus bars for the positive and negative feeds and then use in-line fuses for circuit protection. I added fuse panels to eliminate the in-lines and make wiring cleaner. I have one in the battery compartment and one behind the helm. When you install your amp(s) you'll want the bus bars for the large wires.

 

[mraz72]

since it is hard to ship a battery, I will head over to west marine tomorrow and see what they have. I'll look to get a group 31 agm. Not sure if I'll get the switch there, since they are pricey, we'll see.

I will have more questions about hooking up additional electronics and the easiest way to go. sounds like a bus bar for each positive and negative, and then a fuse panel? The electronics hook into the fuse panel, which hooks into the bus bar? which hooks into the switch?

I'll know more when I get the add a battery switch with instructions.

 

[mraz72]

I'm also going to go with a charger from chargerGuy, there is a 6mo warranty and reading about it, sounds like lots of happy customers.

I need a deep cycle battery, battery tray, add a battery kit and charger. Probably a 3 bank charger in case I go with two house batteries later.

I am guessing a fuse panel and a 2 bus bars would make things easier...

 

[2nazt]

I wouldn't get a battery at West Marine. I'm sure way over priced. Most members have luck at Sears, Costco,Sams etc. AGM is nice no maintenance like watering. Just to help out. Plus some put batteries on a slide tray to push back out of the way. Remember use Marine wire more costly but wont corrode out.

 

[0627Devildog]

Ok, so get a switch, get a deep cycle batter and run the electronics off of the second battery?

this is a switch I've seen mentioned here

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Sys...5514786&sr=8-8&keywords=Marine+Battery+Switch

Since we don't technically have alternators. . . . . which one, the mini?

 

[mraz72]

I was going to get the 120A kit, is that correct?

 

[subysti]

Watch out about getting a 3 bank charger. Many of the Chargers, like the prosports, need to have all the leads connected to a batterys to work. Check out the exide marine batteries at Home Depot. Exide is one of the 3 battery companies that makes all the other batteries.

 

[0627Devildog]

@ChargerGuy . . . . . any idea which switch/charger for the setups outlined above?

 

[0627Devildog]

Some good details here. . .. took me a while to find it.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/blue-seas-add-a-battery-kit-questions.1645/

 

[mraz72]

I went to home depot's website and it seems like people are having trouble buying the batteries from them because they don't ship, and only some stores have them. I would have to go to the store and have them look up availability.

I went to sears website, how does this one look

http://www.sears.com/diehard-marine...p-02850033000P?prdNo=7&blockNo=7&blockType=G7

Is 200 about what I am going to pay for this type of battery?

 

[Bill D]

That battery would work, but it is a lead-acid construction, meaning it will require occasional maintenance. I went with an AGM maintenance free battery from Sams Club linked below. It was the cheapest AGM battery I found. These batteries will cost between $200-400 depending on the size and construction. Also, don't forget that if you don't have a battery to exchange they will hit you with a core charge. I think at Sams it was $18.

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/durace...rv-battery-group-size-31dtmagm/prod3590232.ip
https://www.batteriesplus.com/battery/marine-and-boat/deep-cycle/bci-group-31m

 

[mraz72]

I like the Duracell as sams, but I am not a member. I guess I could join for a year, what the hell.....

I would then pickup a battery tray at west marine (eventhough pricey, probably won't be too bod for a tray) and use the add a battery kit. I would also needs whatever cable....

 

[Bill D]

It was $40 to join for the year. I had to purchase two new batteries, so it made sense for me. Since then my wife has spent way more there than I saved on the batteries... West marine should have the other things that you need. If you aren't going to do the install for a couple days, Amazon has everything too.