Battery Switch

[johar]

So after reading most of the discussion threads on batteries on this site, I still don''t quite understand how the whole 1-2-Both-Off Battery switch works. I have a 12V Starting Battery (#1), and 2 6V Batteries in series for my House bank (#2). I also have a dual output alternator. Now...if I set the battery switch to "1" before cranking the engine, does that mean my House Bank is off and I''m only using my starting battery? So am I then (after engine successfully started) supposed to put the switch on "2" so that my Starting Battery is off and isolated from the House bank which is now powering all my electronics? And then, given the dual output alternator, should I have the switch set to both when the engine is running so both are charging, or do both batteries always charge with the dual output alternator regardless of the switch setting. Am I making this harder than it needs to be?

I hope my rambling questions makes some sense, and I would really appreciate any help with this. Thanks.

[kimberlite]

I believe the correct answers are
yes
yes
no
yes
yes
fair winds,
eric

[skyamsen]

Have just got a new to me outboard with a charging system on it but no starter how should I wire it into my battery system? I want to be able to charge both batteries at different times I have a Perko 9603 Series with Alternator Field Disconnect. Two Battery Switch 1-2-Both. I am running 2 12 volt batteries for my system. What posts do I connect the output from the motor to on the Perko switch
>
Thanks for any help
>
Scott Johnson
> C&C 25 MK2
> Cole Sere

[h37skipper]

To the original question. I think "eric" is right but here is a suggestion. Take a pad and pencil and sketch what you can see. I think you will find three red cables off of the back of the Battery Switch.

One should go to the starter or thereabouts. That post should also have a wire to the DC bus behind the panel. This is the 12V for your boat''s electronics, pumps, and lights.

Another red cable should go from the back of the switch to your starter battery. The third red cable to one of the 6V house batteries. So in switch pos. #1 there is only 12V from the starter battery to the starter(and everything else). In pos. #2 there is 12V from the house batteries to the starter and everything else.

Now draw the wiring from the alternator. If you find two wires can you trace them? On a single-wire alternator the one wire goes to the starter since the wire to the battery switch is already there. But with a 2-wire alternator you probably have a wire directly to each battery bank. If so then the battery switch position does not matter, if the engine is running then both banks are being charged.

[fer@fer]

You need first to understand how the wiring of the batteries and the switch was made.

The fact is you know to start your engine, know how to sail your boat, and you do not understand how your battery switch works.

Same happened to me.

If I were to ask a crew mate to switch one, two or both batteries, he would probably need to read a manual to understand what he was doing. This is the main reason why I swiched from a 1,2,both switch, to two tiny and ridiculous non good looking on-off switches. I get another on-off switch to paralel both banks.

I do also have alternator supplying current directly to the bank, bypassing the on-off switch.