Battery maintainer

[gatodoc]

My new boat has 2 batteries that can be switched in case one is dead. I've got power at ny dock. Can I plug in one battery maintainer (tender) and wire accross to the second battery and keep both boosted or should I set up two tenders?

 

[Pilchard]

Buy an onboard charger instead perhaps? Do you have a main switch that can be switched from 1/2/All? This is a lot easier than switching wires due to a dead battery.

 

[gatodoc]

I'm not sure I know what an "onboard" charger is. The batteries charge off the engine when running. I was told it had 2 batteries so if I was a dumbass and ran one down while parked (radio etc) I could switch to the other and have juice. It's a pontoon boat I bought used.

It looks like the switch just clicks between battery 1 and battery 2. I was gonna put a short connector between each pole of them and hook my tender to one to maintain charge as it sits in the lift this winter. The internal wiring may already be set up so if I charge one it'll also charge the other. I'm kinda dumb on this stuff.

I had also heard of putting a "controller" on it to avoid overcharging even though I'd using a "battery tender" to charge.

 

[Bucket]

You don't want to put one (simple) battery charger on two batteries, because those batteries will have different charging needs. I used two separate battery maintainers on my boat until I upgraded a few months ago to a dual channel onboard charger.

 

[Pilchard]

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[gatodoc]

Thanks for the information....ordered an onboard battery charger from West Marine...
I appreciate the advice and education.

 

[WTM]

You don't want to put one (simple) battery charger on two batteries, because those batteries will have different charging needs. I used two separate battery maintainers on my boat until I upgraded a few months ago to a dual channel onboard charger.

+1. you dont want to charge them at the same time, they wont charge evenly. you need to charge them seperately or get a 2 bank charger.