Quinte Fishing

I have a 12volt trolling motor and 2 deep cycle batteries. I would like to set the batteries up with a switch so that when one battery goes dead I can just flip the switch to go to the other one.
I assume the negatives can be connected together as they just go to ground.
I believe I would need a 12v 3 way switch with the switched part going between the 2 batteries and the feed going to the motor.
Has anyone else done this and where could I find this switch as I believe it would have to handle around 30amps. Tried the automotive places.
Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

Have you considered hooking the batteries in parallel? Might be an easier solution. That way you do not drain either battery, draw evenly from both. Or if you install a 12/24 plug with four leads you hook the batteries to the leads as normal and wire the plug for 12 volt. Again batteries drain evenly and unlikely to drain completely.

How does everyone else have their 2 battery systems hooked up. Do you just switch the leeds when one battery goes dead?

hook them in parallel or buy a switch that can handle the current usually around 50-70 bucks. make life easy hook em together.

Most 12V motors are wired with #6 AWG wire which would suggest that a 60 A switch would be needed. A 60 A three way switch would run you alot more than 50 or 60 bucks if it even exsists. I would run run the two batteries in parrallel to the motor. They drain together then you can charge them togther. If an uncharged battery is connected to a charged one it will drain the charged one to charge itself make sure they are charged together.

Hope this helps

John

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2 simple rules:
1. Can't catch'em if your line isn't in the water
2. Hook-sets are free

Thanks John
So from what you are saying if I hook my batteries up in parallel than when they are drained I would only have to hook my charger to the one battery's terminals and they would both charge equally? I dont have to remove any of the wiring from the batteries?

I'm interested too......I don't get the parallel thing though. Is there a switch that's needed for this too?

Cheers

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The fishing was so good........I thought I was here yesterday!

No switch is needed to wire them up parallel. However I was at NAPA yesterday and looking through the marine section I came across the very thing you were looking for. Its a round dial type thing that lets you switch batteries.
orrsey

Hey Guys,

No switch is require when the batteries are connected in parrallel, and yes, hook the charger to one battery and it will charge both batteries.

John

_________________
2 simple rules:
1. Can't catch'em if your line isn't in the water
2. Hook-sets are free

What if you're using a regular marine battery and a Nautilis deep cycle battery that you can charge with a normal house outlet?

First, would that cause problems and does anyone know if that would work the same for charging both?

Cheers,

Paul

_________________
The fishing was so good........I thought I was here yesterday!

Good question, I have a Nautilus charger and it has 3 settings on it for different types of batteries. "regular" "deep cycle" and "gell cell" I am not sure but Im sure someone on here will know.
orrsey

I'm heading out to a remote location in a couple of weeks. I was hoping that I could charge both batteries with using the power to just the Nautilus and not need a seperate charger. The Nautilus is one of those all in one batteries...lights, cigarette plug, air compressor.

Any ideas if it's a bad thing to run this type and a regular deep cylce in parallel?

Any power we have is from a generator and I'm trying to limit the plugs needed.

Cheers

_________________
The fishing was so good........I thought I was here yesterday!

Okay...scratch that last question....not a good idea according to CT.

Cheers

_________________
The fishing was so good........I thought I was here yesterday!

Thanks John
Hope to wire them in parallel this weekend.