Dual Battery Setup 2021 195S

[traderfjp]

Hi,

I just bought a 195S Yamaha boat and want a backup battery and use a solar panel to top off both batteries. I also would want a 2nd bilge with a float to work off the 2nd battery. Do you think this would work? I'm open to suggestions.

 

[marcham]

Congrats on the new boat!

There are many threads on dual battery setup. My only advice would be to keep them as separate circuits. With 1 solar controller that means that only 1 would get charged unless you use an automatic battery combiner (ACR).

 

[Stang7tl]

Following

 

[traderfjp]

I read a lot of the threads and most utilize a switch that combines the batteries. I really wanted to leave what I have now and then just piggy back the new battery to the old battery and use the solar to charge the 2nd battery. I can't find any threads like that.
Link to Solar Panel

 

[Yamahaul]

Where is the solar panel gonna go? This outside the boat?

 

[tdonoughue]

Where is the solar panel gonna go? This outside the boat?

I actually bought a solar panel and a controller some years back. But this is the issue that held me up. I don't see where on the boat to mount my solar panel (and I figured out exactly how much charging I would get out of it, likely, and abandoned the whole project temporarily--years ago). I could go for a tower mount, but then I would have to pull wires in the tower, etc. So any good ideas on that front would be welcomed.

@traderfjp , as to the controller, etc., it looks like the right type. It may not be marine-grade, which would get you some waterproofing. Depending on where you are and where you store (and how much the controller is) that may or may not be important to you. Basically if it were a $20 I would do it at least to prove the concept. If it died from humidity or water after a year or two, you could replace it with a marine one. Or it may just keep going, in which case you are fine.

My 2 cents.

 

[marcham]

I read a lot of the threads and most utilize a switch that combines the batteries. I really wanted to leave what I have now and then just piggy back the new battery to the old battery and use the solar to charge the 2nd battery. I can't find any threads like that.
Link to Solar Panel

If you want the batteries to be combined automatically when there is a charging source (engine, solar, 120V), the you need an automatic relay.

m-Series Automatic Charging Relay - 12/24V DC 65A - Blue Sea Systems

Automatically combines batteries during charging, isolates batteries when discharging or at rest.

www.bluesea.com

Digital Voltage Sensing Relay (DVSR) 12/24V

The Digital Voltage Sensing Relay (DVSR) allows the charging of a second battery bank from any single charging source. When the voltage on the charged bank rises sufficiently, the DVSR engages allowing the 2nd battery bank to charge. When charging stops and voltage falls, the DVSR automatically...

www.bepmarine.com

You could run 2 batteries hard wired in parallel. They would have to be same type and age. However, that would not give you any redundancy, only increased capacity (amp-hrs).

 

[Yamahaul]

I was just wondering where on the boat would it go. It’s not a 242 type top

 

[marcham]

https://jetboaters.net/threads/ar195-dual-battery-install.25694/

Lots of room beside or behind the oem battery for the 2nd one...
Solar panel, that might be tricky... unless you're willing to loose the Bimini top.

 

[traderfjp]

Where is the solar panel gonna go? This outside the boat?

I was going to attach it to the side of the tower.

 

[traderfjp]

If you want the batteries to be combined automatically when there is a charging source (engine, solar, 120V), the you need an automatic relay.

m-Series Automatic Charging Relay - 12/24V DC 65A - Blue Sea Systems

Automatically combines batteries during charging, isolates batteries when discharging or at rest.

www.bluesea.com

Digital Voltage Sensing Relay (DVSR) 12/24V

The Digital Voltage Sensing Relay (DVSR) allows the charging of a second battery bank from any single charging source. When the voltage on the charged bank rises sufficiently, the DVSR engages allowing the 2nd battery bank to charge. When charging stops and voltage falls, the DVSR automatically...

www.bepmarine.com

You could run 2 batteries hard wired in parallel. They would have to be same type and age. However, that would not give you any redundancy, only increased capacity (amp-hrs).

I just am trying to avoided rewiring my boat and using a switch. I'd rather keep it stock so if there are warranty issue they won't blame my wiring. I really just want an extra battery in case the main battery is to low to jump. It happens. I could just install a 2nd battery with a solar charger and hookup my bilge to this battery. If for some reason the main battery died I could just install the 2nd battery to start the boat or wire 2nd battery in parallel. Not really sure.

 

[Stang7tl]

If you don’t want to touch wiring just bring a good jump pack they are now small and keep charge for long time. That is what I did before install my second battery. I’be looked at a few solar options a month again but haven’t been able to get a good answer on if the unit could over charge my batteries. I keep my boat at 2 places one has electric so I use my onboard charger but other place does not so was looking for something to top them off

 

[212s]

I just am trying to avoided rewiring my boat and using a switch. I'd rather keep it stock do if there a warranty issue they won't blame my wiring. I really just want an extra battery in case the main battery is to low to jump. It happens. I could just install a 2nd battery with a solar charger and hookup my bilge to this battery. Of for some reason the main battery died I could just install the 2nd battery to start the boat or wire 2nd battery in parallel. Not really sure.

Ok if I understand you correctly, and if you don't rewire with a dual battery switch and ACR then you only have two options - a second battery must be connected in parallel with the original to double your capacity and the solar panel with charge both, or you add a second battery and connect ONLY the bilge pump to it and the solar charger to the second battery. This means the second battery will only run your second bilge pump and the only way to charge it will be from the solar panel, not from the engine though.

 

[traderfjp]

A

If you don’t want to touch wiring just bring a good jump pack they are now small and keep charge for long time. That is what I did before install my second battery. I’be looked at a few solar options a month again but haven’t been able to get a good answer on if the unit could over charge my batteries. I keep my boat at 2 places one has electric so I use my onboard charger but other place does not so was looking for something to top them off

The Jump Pack will not work if the battery is completely dead. I have one and they are great as a backup if your battery is low.

 

[Stang7tl]

A

The Jump Pack will not work if the battery is completely dead. I have one and they are great as a backup if your battery is low.

Mine worked and my bad was bad got home took to my family auto shop to test it and test bad and wouldn't even show any cracking amp power. Which I have had our machine read cranking amps on other bad batteries down to 2 amps. But at the end of the day its up to owner on what they want to do. I have 2 trolling batteries , house battery and starting battery in my boat. so if I have a problem I one I can just swap it out on the water to get home.

 

[traderfjp]

Ok if I understand you correctly, and if you don't rewire with a dual battery switch and ACR then you only have two options - a second battery must be connected in parallel with the original to double your capacity and the solar panel with charge both, or you add a second battery and connect ONLY the bilge pump to it and the solar charger to the second battery. This means the second battery will only run your second bilge pump and the only way to charge it will be from the solar panel, not from the engine though.

I think what you are suggesting would work perfectly for my setup and goals. I can add the 2nd battery in parallel and then hookup the solar charger and let it charge both batteries. Would the boat also charge both batteries? I was thinking of getting a red and black cable. The red cable would link the positive on both batteries and the black would connect the negatives of both batteries.

Mine worked and my bad was bad got home took to my family auto shop to test it and test bad and wouldn't even show any cracking amp power. Which I have had our machine read cranking amps on other bad batteries down to 2 amps. But at the end of the day its up to owner on what they want to do. I have 2 trolling batteries , house battery and starting battery in my boat. so if I have a problem I one I can just swap it out on the water to get home.

That is good to know. I just want to keep these simple. Thanks

 

[212s]

The Jump Pack will not work if the battery is completely dead. I have one and they are great as a backup if your battery is low.

Actually the NOCO jump pack will start a dead battery - even if the battery is so low it won't turn the starter, just clicks and the lights won't work. It has a voltage sensor and won't work until you use the over-ride feature and then it will. Just don't try to jump a frozen dead battery - they can explode or rupture causing a mess or injury.

As a rule, lead-acid batteries should never be run down that low, they sulfate badly and can never be brought back to normal - they will continue to lose capacity each time they're run down low until they can't hold a decent charge to start the vehicle or boat. Deep cycle marine batteries are designed with thicker/heavier plates and can run down lower than a start/marine battery, but you don't want to leave it discharged. Run it down and charge it back up fully so the lead sulfate can be re-adsorbed and it won't hurt it. Leaving a battery dead causes the sulfate to harden and increases electrical resistance and makes it much harder to recover, often at this point the battery is junk.

 

[212s]

I think what you are suggesting would work perfectly for my setup and goals. I can add the 2nd battery in parallel and then hookup the solar charger and let it charge both batteries. Would the boat also charge both batteries? I was thinking of getting a red and black cable. The red cable would link the positive on both batteries and the black would connect the negatives of both batteries.

Yes that's the proper way to parallel batteries and it will double your capacity - try to get a matching battery to whatever you have now for a balanced system. The boat engine will charge both, but it'll just take twice as long to do so.

If you find you're running them down regularly, you should get a marine-rated charger to fully charge your pair of batteries in the event the boat doesn't have enough running time and can't fully recharge. NOCO and Promariner both make excellent waterproof and ignition-protected 1-bank chargers ideal for your needs 4-8amps would work well for overnight charging. The solar panel will help when you're not using the charger, but to be honest a 30w solar panel is not very strong and would take days or weeks to recharge depending on how low they are when you use the solar panel, and how bright the sun is during use. I have a 70w panel that I used on my old single battery boat and it would charge it during the week and keep it topped up for winter storage just fine, but a 30w may not be enough for two batteries as it only puts out a max of ~1.75amps under perfect conditions. If you pulled the batteries and put them in a heated garage and put the solar panel on them, it would be enough to keep them topped up over the winter. An on-board charger is a better option in my opinion.

With our new boat and its dual battery system I no longer need the solar charger on the boat. I have a NOCO 4amp charger in the boat that tops up during the summer and maintains for the winter. The solar panel is now a backup charger.

 

[traderfjp]

Yes that's the proper way to parallel batteries and it will double your capacity - try to get a matching battery to whatever you have now for a balanced system. The boat engine will charge both, but it'll just take twice as long to do so.

If you find you're running them down regularly, you should get a marine-rated charger to fully charge your pair of batteries in the event the boat doesn't have enough running time and can't fully recharge. NOCO and Promariner both make excellent waterproof and ignition-protected 1-bank chargers ideal for your needs 4-8amps would work well for overnight charging. The solar panel will help when you're not using the charger, but to be honest a 30w solar panel is not very strong and would take days or weeks to recharge depending on how low they are when you use the solar panel, and how bright the sun is during use. I have a 70w panel that I used on my old single battery boat and it would charge it during the week and keep it topped up for winter storage just fine, but a 30w may not be enough for two batteries as it only puts out a max of ~1.75amps under perfect conditions. If you pulled the batteries and put them in a heated garage and put the solar panel on them, it would be enough to keep them topped up over the winter. An on-board charger is a better option in my opinion.

With our new boat and its dual battery system I no longer need the solar charger on the boat. I have a NOCO 4amp charger in the boat that tops up during the summer and maintains for the winter. The solar panel is now a backup charger.

The problem I'm having is that the marina doesn't allow extension cords from what I've been told. If you are lucky enough to have a slip that is right in front of an outlet then you can use a 115v charger. This would be my preference. I can get a 75 watt solar panel. A bigger panel than that might look silly on the tower. I was thinking of maybe not paralleling the batteries and just let the boat charge the main battery and use the 2nd battery for the 2nd bilge pump with automatic float and use the solar panel to only charge the extra battery. In case the main battery doesn't start the battery I could always hook up the 2nd battery and I can also get a small NOCO 1500 amp starter pack. Would this make sense?

 

[212s]

The problem I'm having is that the marina doesn't allow extension cords from what I've been told.

Never heard of that before, all marinas I've seen have extensions running along the slips - how else do people plug in their boats?

If it were me, I'd parallel the batteries and use an AC charger with an extension cord. If for some crazy reason I can't run a cord, I'd use the solar charger and make sure I run the boat engine long enough to charge, with a jump pack as emergency backup.

In case the main battery doesn't start the battery I could always hook up the 2nd battery and I can also get a small NOCO 1500 amp starter pack.

You can get away with a small pack, like the GB20 as these are small engines that don't take much to start. I have a GB40 (1000a) and it will start V8 engines...I got it for the same sale price as the GB20 so I figured what the heck.