www.iFourWinns.com

I think I have factory stereo, where is the AMP on the upgraded one located???

I may just go with a battery disconnect and a booster pack.

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2005 Horizon 230 5.7 GI/DP 280-HP
2005 Suburban "The Battlewagon"

If you have it, the amp will be mounted to the front side of the helm, accessible from the hinged seat back in the bow.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Great detailed post!
Now that you have had this for awhile, what is your feedback.
Any other suggestions? Anything that you would do different?
I just recieved my switch and going to install it this week-end.
A little Help?



[quote="aguyindallas"]Perfect timing...I just finished adding my second battery and getting it all wired up to my Perko switch.

Here is my setup:

1. I had a 4 gauge, 10ft wire made to connect the ground from battery 1 to battery 2. Battery 1 still has the factory ground to engine cable.
2. I had a 4 gauge, 10ft wire made to connect battery 2 to the Perko switch. Battery 2 is on the port side, Perko on the starboard side.
3. 1 wire from the Perko terminal 1 to battery 1.
4. 1 wire from the Perko terminal 2 to battery 2
5. Common wire removed from factory battery 1 and put onto "common" terminal of Perko.
6. Left the "helm power" wire connected to battery 1 as it was from the factory. This allows me to not lose the radio settings whenever I switch batteries to the off position. I am not sure this is the smartest idea, as this would still allow a drain at the help if there was one to drain the power of battery 1.

I am told my setting is safe as long as the boat is not running while the switch is in the off position. When its running in the off position, the alternator is charging, but has nowhere to dispose of the energy it is making while its running. This is what I am told cooks alternators.

My worry in this deal is knowing when/if its safe to start the boat in the "all" position. Only when they are both to low to start the engine independently? Or is it also ok if battery 1 is nearly dead and battery 2 is fully charged? I am just worried that I am applying too much power in the all position and it will fry something.

My intention is to hit the water on day 1, using battery 1. I will leave it there all day, even while anchored and listening to music, led's on etc...IF it goes dead, I will switch to battery 2 to start the boat. When it is running, I will either switch to all, or back to battery 1 to be sure battery 1 gets a good charge on the ride back to the dock. On day 2, I would be running all day on battery 2 and reverse the process as needed. Since our boat is kept inside our garage at home, I can put a charger on it anytime needed. I am considering going to a dual battery on board charger also.

Here is my Perko, starboard side mounted, above the factory battery.

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1992 Horizon 190

It's all working great. Even after having the stereo loud for 3 plus hours, I haven't drained a battery. My plans of alternating have worked great also. I put the charger on the batteries last week just for kicks and although battery 1 took a little bit of a charge (it was the last battery I ran on), it was nowhere near being drained.

I am very pleased with the results.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

Here is my setup:

1. I had a 4 gauge, 10ft wire made to connect the ground from battery 1 to battery 2. Battery 1 still has the factory ground to engine cable.
Note: it's thought to be better for each battery to have its own ground to the engine....
2. I had a 4 gauge, 10ft wire made to connect battery 2 to the Perko switch. Battery 2 is on the port side, Perko on the starboard side.
Note: you usually figure battery cable size based on the complete run, including the return to ground....you might want to up-size the gauge of those longer cables to 1/0...that's what I did with my longer run (from the bat switch to batt #2 was 9 feet and from batt#2 to ground 3 feet)



My worry in this deal is knowing when/if its safe to start the boat in the "all" position. Only when they are both to low to start the engine independently? Or is it also ok if battery 1 is nearly dead and battery 2 is fully charged? I am just worried that I am applying too much power in the all position and it will fry something.

[b]Note: you are paralleling the batteries....it's still only 12V but double the amps....

It is OK to start in 'all' anytime both batts are weak enough that neither will start it on its own, or if one batt is charged and the other isn't and you want that batt to charge too...as long as the switch is the make before break...
[/b]Keep in mind you are paralleling the batteries...it's still only 12V but double the amount of amps....So you shouldn't be frying anything....[/b]

My intention is to hit the water on day 1, using battery 1. I will leave it there all day, even while anchored and listening to music, led's on etc...IF it goes dead, I will switch to battery 2 to start the boat. When it is running, I will either switch to all, or back to battery 1 to be sure battery 1 gets a good charge on the ride back to the dock. On day 2, I would be running all day on battery 2 and reverse the process as needed. Since our boat is kept inside our garage at home, I can put a charger on it anytime needed. I am considering going to a dual battery on board charger also.

Here is my Perko, starboard side mounted, above the factory battery.[/quote][/quote]

If you do as you say and alternate the use of batts you should be fine...I have had a similar system in my boat since 2005 or so and have never had a dead batt (and this boat is left on a mooring...if water leaks in from rain it may need to run the bilge pump)....I am now running a pair of group 27 dual purpose batteries...and they can run radios, depth finders..etc for a long time and still start the engine....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

My FW dealer service dept gave me the following information about a week ago on charging the dual batteries in my 240:

The alternator cannot tell if one of the two batteries is in a greater need of a charge so it charges both batteries at the same, slower rate when set on "both". So it helps to run the boat on battery 1 sometimes and switch to battery 2 at other times.

I don't know about changing batteries when the engine is running.

Trust me, the set and forget functionality of an isolator and combiner like in the Blue Sea Systems "Add a Battery" package more than compensates for the $100 price tag, given it's a switch and combiner. Instead of "Batt 1", "Batt 2", "Both", and "Off" you have "On", "Combine", and "Off". Mine is set to On all season long, then goes to Off. Doesn't get much more user friendly than that.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

I finally picked up a 2nd battery. I mounted it on my port side to balance the boat. I have some 1 awg wire, current is 2 awg wire, so I should be good there. I picked up a blue sea 6007 mini switch. It has 3 different mounting options. I was thinking of doing the 'front panel' mounting option. To do this, I need to cut a 2 5/8" hole, then drill out my 4 holes for the screws. I was thinking I would mount the switch above the starboard battery. My question is, what should I use to cut the large hole? Or should I just take the easy way out and use the standard surface mount?

Edit: I picked up a 2 5/8" hole saw today. After mowing the lawn, I started in on wiring in the 2nd battery. Got the switch installed on the starboard side above the factory battery. Ran my 1 awg behind the motor (zip tied it to some existing zip tie spots) over to the switch. All the positives are hooked up. I just need to find a spot to hook up to ground on the 2nd battery. I thought I would connect at the same ground as the factory battery, but that is proving to be difficlut to reach? Any suggestions (motor mount maybe or some easier to reach spot on the block or just connect it to the factory battery)? Also, knocked the blower vents off, so I get the fun of putting those back on

Overall, not going to bad. I just wish there was a bit more room to work.

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'99 Horizon 200

For the ground, just go straight to the engine block - sand off any paint the lug would contact, and apply dielectric grease. I'd use the same gauge wire as used on the positive side. No need to run the second battery's ground lead to the same grounding point as the stock battery.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Mine has the factory selector switch for dual batteries (Off, 1, both, 2). I see an extra positive wire (but did not notice the negative). Were the boats set up for a dual battery system and just mount and connect? I did not see any predrilled holes for the second battery and the main battery appears to be screwed down. I would like to add a second battery, just wondered how much of a project it was if the boat came pre-wired/setup for a second battery.

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2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

I was able to get my second battery negative to the same ground as the 1st battery. I had to remove the hatch cover and then had some room. All is done and working fine now. I just need to find some positve lead terminal covers that will cover the normal battery post and the threaded post.


The battery switch should have 3 positive wires if setup for 2 batteries. I would say one positive goes to your engine system and 1 positive goes to your battery. Then your battery negative goes to ground. It's pretty easy to add the 2nd battery. Weight distribution and room are the key for placing it. I put mine on the port side to balance the weight on the starboard side. Pick up a battery tray (I got mine at gander mtn for like $6), get a marine (probably dual purpose group 27, same as your main battery) battery, then you'll need some cable. Try to keep the cable at or 1 size bigger (esp if you have a longer run) than the main battery. I went from 2 awg to 1 awg, but I think 2 awg would have been fine. Marine cable is typically tinned but I noticed as several others have pointed out that the factory cable was not tinned. I just used non-tinned cable rated for this application. Since I trailer my boat and am not in salt water, I don't see it being an issue and can always replace later. From there, mount your battery tray, run your cables (positive lead to your switch where you should have an extra stud and negative to the engine block). Mount in the battery, connect it all up and you should be fine. It's very simple. I don't have a factory dual-battery setup, but based on your comments, I think you have the switch and that is all.

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'99 Horizon 200

Since it was colder and rainy yet again today....
I found some large battery terminal covers at gander mtn (my new favorite boating supply store since boaters world is gone and west marine seems to never be open or have what I need). I did some clean up covering up the terminals so I don't get a nice 12V weld. I was a bit nervous about that as my switch is directly above my negative lead on battery 1. I may swap this battery around backwards just to be safe.

Here's some pics of the final install...
Starboard side overview

Starboard side battery 1 and switch

Bluesea M-series 6007 dual-battery switch

Port Side Battery 2

BTW, the folks at bluesea are certainly intelligent on their switch designs. I could not figure out how I was going to get the back cover on the protect the pos leads. Well, wouldn't you know the folks at bluesea designed the back cover to remove some side panels, so I was able to run each cable lead out it's own side.

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'99 Horizon 200

Thanks for the pictures yrless!

Here is what my current battery and switch looks like now (note the extra red wire with some black electrical tape which I assume is for battery #2).



In reading through the thread and I intend to mount the second battery on the port side (see picture for location), I need to extend the red positive wire from the switch, through the engine compartment to the port side and connect to the new battery (which will be mounted like the main battery). Can I run a black negative from the new port battery back through the engine compartment and connect it to the original battery or do I need to find where it connects on the engine?





I think the additional thin gauge black wire on the battery is for the add-on depth finder (red thin gauge wire probably runs up to the depth gauge mounted at the helm).

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2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4