Maverick Martin Posted December 18, 2004 Report Share Posted December 18, 2004 Kam You can and I do but wether or not you should I dont know, have never heard that before but may be true Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted December 18, 2004 Report Share Posted December 18, 2004 Hi Kam, The important thing is that the engine MUST be charging a battery all the time it is running. If you disconnect the alternator/charge circuit whilst the engine is running it will blow the alternator electronics! Exspensive repair!!! If you are using an official battery change over switch, this keep continuity onto a battery all the time uless you switch it to the off position, then of course the engine stops! I use a normal car battery to start the engine, cheap and easy to obtain and a leisure battery to run the electronics. It was the other way around when I got my boat but as explained earlier, the electronics pulled down the car type battery after 2 days continual use. Regards Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted December 18, 2004 Report Share Posted December 18, 2004 Kam, As Coddy says, it is OK to switch from 1 to Both to 2. However, it is NOT OK to switch from 1 to OFF ( or 2 to OFF ) whilst the engine is running / charging the battery. The reason for this is that by switching off the current whilst charging can cause the voltage to leap to a high level ( due to inductance ). This high leap in voltage is capable of destroying the diodes which are used to rectify the a/c current from the alternator. A battery switch will have 4 positions - 1 -> BOTH -> 2 -> OFF The thing to remember is to never switch to OFF with the engine running. regards Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 back to your current ( ) batteries - 12.3 after charging, ie a few minutes after charging, is shot. 12.3 as a float charge (few hours after charging) is on it's way out. you chould have 12.8v at least 1 hour after charging - and preferably a week after charging. reference 'start on both then run on 1'........? may I tactfully (moi?) suggest tha tif you start on both (and I do) then you should run out with both on and therefore charging. Then switch back to one when you arrive and stop the engine. Next is preference but I now stay with this battery for the rest of the day, including restarts and the run home knowing that I have a fully charged 'spare' and giving the other a good cycle of discharge/charge on it's own going home. If it's showing below 12.6 volts though I use both to restart. Lowrance Sonar unit, which displays voltage, is now th elast thing off the boat before the battery switches are turned off, and I check each batteries voltages around 45 minutes usually, after switching off the engine - reversing the check before starting up. Battery management - hours of fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted December 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 back to your current ( ) batteries - 12.3 after charging, ie a few minutes after charging, is shot. 12.3 as a float charge (few hours after charging) is on it's way out. you chould have 12.8v at least 1 hour after charging - and preferably a week after charging. Shame both lovely batteries and both less than 1 years old (one in march and one in may) and sod's bloody law, I've only got receipt for one of the batteries....... Oh well, back to Towsure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted December 20, 2004 Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 I would ask Towsure to check them for you siting low voltages and a lack of cranking amps - you never know they may just replace them both for you against the one reciept (similar serial numbers will give them the batteries age anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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