boat batteries (12V, in parallel) Questions

[caveman]

Does anyone know of a way to hook up 2 trolling boat batteries together and still get 12 volts. I love to long long troll for crappie in the spring and 1 battery will not last all day. Its getting harder the older I get to change the battery wires from 1 battery to another while on the lake.

If there is a way to do this, will the batteries last twice as long? How do I charge the batteries.

[TapOut64]

You answered your own question in your thread title. You can put as many 12V batteries as you want in parallel and you will still have 12V. You can charge them together or seperate.

http://vdcelectronics.com/charging_multi_batteries.htm

[ShortStorie]

Positive to Positive and Negative to Negative = one big 12v battery.
Easiest way to charge would be with a two bank on board charger.

[Wiskers]

You answered your own question in your thread title. You can put as many 12V batteries as you want in parallel and you will still have 12V. You can charge them together or seperate.

http://vdcelectronics.com/charging_multi_batteries.htm

You can charge them together but it's not a good idea. If one of the batteries is much older than the others and on it's way out it will cause the charger to continue in the charge cycle instead of kick off. This could over charge the other batteries and "boil" them, shortening their life span. Been there; Done that! :D

[fish-wva]

use a batt. switch like on a pontoon to switch from one batt. to another. once it it wired up all you gotta do is throw a switch and your on the other batt.

[Wiskers]

use a batt. switch like on a pontoon to switch from one batt. to another. once it it wired up all you gotta do is throw a switch and your on the other batt.

That's a good idea. :D

[jem270]

I have a three battery set up.

I have one battery used for cranking the engine and all electronics.

The other two are wired up positive to positive and negative to negative. I used two regular battery cables to hook them together. These two are used only for the trolling motor.

I have a three bank onboard charger. It is hooked to each battery.

I have a bowrider with an inboard/outboard and I can troll from daylight until about noon and still have plenty of battery power. Last time I checked, I still had over twelve volts when I came home.

[DTG]

Pos. to pos. neg to neg. then out to tm

[Cane Pole]

I have a three battery set up.

I have one battery used for cranking the engine and all electronics.

The other two are wired up positive to positive and negative to negative. I used two regular battery cables to hook them together. These two are used only for the trolling motor.

I have a three bank onboard charger. It is hooked to each battery.

I have a bowrider with an inboard/outboard and I can troll from daylight until about noon and still have plenty of battery power. Last time I checked, I still had over twelve volts when I came home.

If you are not removing the parallel connection between the two trolling batteries when charging, then you are connecting 2 banks of the charger in parallel. Check with manufacturer about this. You may get away doing this, then again, it might bite ya.

[Barnacle Bill]

If you are not removing the parallel connection between the two trolling batteries when charging, then you are connecting 2 banks of the charger in parallel. Check with manufacturer about this. You may get away doing this, then again, it might bite ya.

Don't need to Tom with the newer "smart" chargers. But always good to read the instructions first. I know for a fact the BPS brand 2 bank chargers can be hooked up with oje bank to each battery. Get home, plug it in and forget it until time to go again. Oh yea, don't forget to unplug the extension cord. Don't ask how I know that.