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mitch47
Deckhand

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USA
4 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/19/2011 : 10:24:15

When you are hooking up you Outboard to the battery Where do most of you hook your positive cable to. (I have a two battery system)

Would you hook to the back of the battery selector switch, common pole or just run it to one of the batteries.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 03/19/2011 : 10:33:30

I don't have a battery selector switch, so I connect directly to the primary battery, a dual purpose starting battery. Our second battery sees limited use at present, running the fish finder/depth gauge, so I'm able to charge it at the dock.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 03/19/2011 : 11:51:40

My 2-battery system, with 1-All-2-Off switch, is wired as follows:

* Engine + (red) to common pole on switch

* Battery 1 + to #1 pole on switch

* Battery 2 + to #2 pole on switch

* House + to common pole on switch (fused)

* House negative, engine negative, and battery 2 negative to battery 1 negative.

Thus, the selector determines which battery (or both, or none) connects to both the engine and the house circuits. When the engine is running, I select Both. When at anchor, I select one of the batteries so the other is on reserve. When away from the boat, all are Off.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 03/19/2011 12:18:26

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3521 Posts

Response Posted - 03/19/2011 : 14:33:07

Same basically as Dave mentioned. I have 2 batteries. My outboard positive lead goes to the battery switch. I can use either battery to start the outboard or get charged by the outboard. But I generally leave my battery switch in the combined battery select position.

Edited by - on

keeldad
1st Mate

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84 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2011 : 04:36:18

Dave, If you leave the battery switch in the "off" position when not on the boat, I assume you have shore power. I also own a 22' Mako without shore power and when I leave the boat my battery switch is in the "both" position so my bilge pumps are on and powered by both batteries. Presently the "Emery C" only has one battery and my bilge pump is directly connected (fused) to the battery. I plan on installing a dual battery setup this year and, for the same reason, I plan on wiring her the same way as the Mako. In your opinion, is the correct configuration for someone without shore power?

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2011 : 07:31:44

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by keeldad
 ...I also own a 22' Mako without shore power and when I leave the boat my battery switch is in the "both" position so my bilge pumps are on and powered by both batteries. Presently the "Emery C" only has one battery and my bilge pump is directly connected (fused) to the battery. I plan on installing a dual battery setup this year and, for the same reason, I plan on wiring her the same way as the Mako. In your opinion, is the correct configuration for someone without shore power?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I have no shore power (except an extension cord with an adapter). One of my two bilge pumps is also wired directly to one battery. I guess if it pumps continuously when I'm not around, that battery will die and the boat will sink, but the other battery will be able to start the engine (if not for the lack of air).

Anyway, I have no holes blow the waterline, so the only water in the bilge is rain that drips in somewhere.

Edited by - on

keeldad
1st Mate

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84 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2011 : 09:33:50

Got it. Rainwater is more of an issue with my open Mako than my C25. I know of several instances with center console type boats where rainwater, combined with clogged scuppers, have put the transom low enough that a few large wakes swamped (and in one case totally sank) the boat in the slip.
Back to the topic... when hooking up the outboard, what is everybody using to make the connection? In other words, is there some sort of protected buss bar that would generally be mounted in the lazarette where the outboard wiring meets the battery wires? The PO on mine had a rig that kind of scared me so I ripped it out and ended up using a nuts and bolts with lock washers and a whole bunch of electrician's tape to make the connection between the battery and outboard lugs. There's got to be a better way. Hopefully somebody will chime in with a "why didn't I think of that?" solution.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2011 : 20:57:45

My wires run to an electric trolling motor receptacle installed in the transom. I cut the motor wires to attach the twist-lock plug. Easy motor removal, secure, watertight, and plenty of amperage capacity.

Edited by - on

cshaw
Captain

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USA
460 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2011 : 21:37:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by keeldad
 
... when hooking up the outboard, what is everybody using to make the connection? In other words, is there some sort of protected buss bar that would generally be mounted in the lazarette where the outboard wiring meets the battery wires? The PO on mine had a rig that kind of scared me so I ripped it out and ended up using a nuts and bolts with lock washers and a whole bunch of electrician's tape to make the connection between the battery and outboard lugs. There's got to be a better way. Hopefully somebody will chime in with a "why didn't I think of that?" solution.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I did the same as you did. I made a terminal block from a thick plexiglass plate with two brass machine screws coming out of it, and two brass wingnuts. I painted 1/2 red and 1/2 black on the rear of the plexiglass to make the polarity very clear, and mounted it to the wooden backing plate for the outboard mount (yes, my motor is on the port side).

Its worked great for almost 35 years that way... The wires from the 9.9 Elec start OMC engine come into the locker through the deck vent for the locker. Probably not very proper, but it works!

Chuck

Edited by - on

Tom Gauntt
Navigator

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204 Posts

Response Posted - 03/22/2011 : 04:50:32

I simply epoxied a small piece of marine ply to the inside of the hull back behind the access panel in the quarterberth. This is very near where the engine battery cable enters the transom. I then fastened two terminal post to the wood block. Not quite as elegant as Dave and Chuck's solution, but it works well.

Edited by - on

Scooter
Navigator

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USA
228 Posts

Response Posted - 03/22/2011 : 05:35:37

We just got a new 9.8 Nissan 4 stroke and we plan to use the trolling motor connector on the transom. Probably drilling the hole today. I am thinking of using the same switches I had for my old motor alternator. I don't have a regulator but I wanted a way to isolate the alternator so the motor wouldn't "cook" the batteries.

The place I bought the motor from told me most people don't have regulators or even isolate the alternator. I just don't like that idea. Murphy's law trumps all.

I mounted 2 switches on the breaker panel (1 for the pos and 1 for neg) that I open to completely isolate the alternator. I need to see if those switches can handle up to 6 amps. That's what the motor mfg'r said the alternator generates.

NOTE: The old motor has one of those 2 pin deck plugs that never lasts. It may have worked but the new motor wire is much larger than the old alternator wire.

Side note: Boy is this motor heavier!!!! I am also installing a backing plate to the motor mount. I'm already thinking about some sort of winch and davit setup??? Sorry for the non-relevant comment.

Edited by - on

keeldad
1st Mate

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84 Posts

Response Posted - 03/23/2011 : 05:59:53

Perhaps I'm incorrect but I've always thought that if you open the alternator circuit while it's running, you can damage it because the primary windings see high resistance (open circuit)therefore inducing a high current in the secondary windings. That was why you never switched between batteries while the engine was running if you didn't have a "make before break" selector switch.

Maybe with new technology this is no longer an issue. I'm an old dog and haven't mastered the art of learning new tricks.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 03/23/2011 : 08:15:54

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by keeldad
 Perhaps I'm incorrect but I've always thought that if you open the alternator circuit while it's running, you can damage it because the primary windings see high resistance (open circuit)therefore inducing a high current in the secondary windings. That was why you never switched between batteries while the engine was running if you didn't have a "make before break" selector switch.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Correct. That's why the selector switches are 1-All-2-Off. Going from 1 to 2 is through All, each time making before breaking. The only absolute break is Off.

I mounted two studs aft in the quarterberth, drilled a hole in the transom for the cables, and mounted a small rubber boot on the outside. I punched a hole in the bottom of the boot so it wouldn't collect water.

Edited by - on

skybird
Navigator

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USA
135 Posts

Response Posted - 03/23/2011 : 20:51:21

Dave! I had to read that twice, thought you said you punched a hole in the bottom of he boAt so it wouldn't collect water!!

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 03/23/2011 : 21:35:05

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by skybird
 Dave! I had to read that twice, thought you said you punched a hole in the bottom of he boAt so it wouldn't collect water!!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Ya, if a Canadian read that out loud, it could cause that confusion!

Edited by - on

Scooter
Navigator

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USA
228 Posts

Response Posted - 03/24/2011 : 08:20:06

FWIW,

I too have heard about damaging the alternator. We "typically" don't use the motor very often. Every once and a while we run it for several hours in case we have to hurry home and the wind dies completely.

If I felt the batteries are topped off I would stop the engine and open the switches (1 pos and 1 neg) and completely isolate the alternator. Then I would re-start the engine.

I haven't decided if we want to add solar (and possibly wind) so I don't want to invest too much until we decide that. Then I'll re-do the whole thing with a good regulator and meter etc... I would also add a second battery. This is if we keep this boat long term.......

Until then I'm on the cheap and managing over-charge best I can. Right now I primarily use the alternator on the way home so I don't have to wait too long with the A/C charger once we get to the home dock. The other times are on our annual week long trip. About +/-10 boats for a week along the outer banks and ICW. We tie up at marinas most of the time but we want to start anchoring out more so the alternator will be used more. Sooooo many options. Aint it grand?

On the cheap in NC,

Scooter

Edited by - on

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