03-15-2021, 01:47 PM
I only have 1 battery in my current boat. It charges off the motor when the motor is running, and during the winter I have a trickle charger (very inexpensive at Harbor Freight) hooked up to the battery.
My first boat (2004 Lund 1700 ProSport) had the main cranking battery of course, and storage spaces up front for 2 aux batteries that were pre wired to the electric trolling motor plug in the bow. That would have been great for a 24 volt trolling motor. But I had a 12 volt trolling motor, so I separated that circuit thru a Perco switch (much like the one dubob showed). I wired a 2 circuit volt meter so I could watch the charge in both aux batteries. I wired from the cranking battery to the console Perco switch and from the aux batteries in such a way that when running the big 115 HP motor I could select ALL on the switch, and the motor would charge all 3 batteries at once.
When using just the trolling motor, I would select Battery 2 or 3 individually and when one got down to about 8 volts, I would switch to the other one. That set up would give me about 4 to 6 hours of electric trolling in calm water. Then when I would start up the main motor, turn the Perco switch to 1+2, it would charge my 2 aux batteries while running. Never took long to top them right back up, so I never invested in a plug in charger bank .
My first boat (2004 Lund 1700 ProSport) had the main cranking battery of course, and storage spaces up front for 2 aux batteries that were pre wired to the electric trolling motor plug in the bow. That would have been great for a 24 volt trolling motor. But I had a 12 volt trolling motor, so I separated that circuit thru a Perco switch (much like the one dubob showed). I wired a 2 circuit volt meter so I could watch the charge in both aux batteries. I wired from the cranking battery to the console Perco switch and from the aux batteries in such a way that when running the big 115 HP motor I could select ALL on the switch, and the motor would charge all 3 batteries at once.
When using just the trolling motor, I would select Battery 2 or 3 individually and when one got down to about 8 volts, I would switch to the other one. That set up would give me about 4 to 6 hours of electric trolling in calm water. Then when I would start up the main motor, turn the Perco switch to 1+2, it would charge my 2 aux batteries while running. Never took long to top them right back up, so I never invested in a plug in charger bank .
"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
Or so it says on my license plate holder
Or so it says on my license plate holder