WakeWorld

WakeWorld (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/index.php)
-   Boats, Accessories & Tow Vehicles (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=3183)
-   -   How do you wire 3 batteries ? (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=753541)

12-28-2009 6:41 PM

How do you wire 3 batteries ? <BR>I also have a pro mariner 150 battery charger wired into 2 of the batteries and I will hook up the third to it also since its a 3 bank charger do I just connect + to + and - to - and will my charger see they are wired together or will it hurt the charger? <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/753542.jpg" alt="Upload">

mikeski 12-28-2009 11:02 PM

the search button is your friend

hatepain 12-29-2009 6:28 AM

Yeah just wire the bank all together in parallel. You can hook up one section of you charger to the head of the bank and charge them all and the charger will just see one large battery. (+ to + and - to - is parallel)

polarbill 12-29-2009 9:56 AM

<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/753586.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR> <BR>Sorry for my terrible paint skills. The bottom box is the charger and you only need to use it as a 2 bank. Also, like the diagram show connect 2 batteries in parallel that will run the stereo equipment and the other battery will be separate for starting and vital systems.

meathead65 12-29-2009 3:57 PM

If the charger is already a 3 bank, simply run 1 set of charge leads to each battery. Your accessory/stereo battery can then be wired in parrallel to battery number 2, giving you twice the capacity at 12 volts.

polarbill 12-29-2009 4:14 PM

Are all of your batteries the same? The other thing you can do is if you have the batteries wired like my diagram, you can hook up just one of the charger positive leads to the common terminal on the perko switch and put the perko to both when charging. That will charge all batteries as one large bank.

12-29-2009 7:01 PM

They are all Lead-acid Battery's 2 are deep cycles one is cranking. So if I hook up each bank to each batt will the charger be OK. So meathead says you can hook the 3 bank charger up or should I just hook it up like Brett has it. Just don't want to screw up my charger.

meathead65 12-29-2009 7:26 PM

The benefit of using all 3 charge leads is that the charger can recognize each battery and charge it accordingly. Plus, it will charge faster, as your charger is probably 5 or 10 amps per output lead, and if you only use one, it will take 3 times as long for the single lead to charge the set.

polarbill 12-29-2009 7:49 PM

C, I think we need to know better how you have your batteries hooked up currenlty. I don't understand your diagram at all. Is battery 3 hookeup up to anything? <BR> <BR>In my opinion you need to make sure the batteries are hookup up like I have in my diagram. The starting/cranking battery should be hookup up to the stud for "battery 1" on the Perko Switch. The 2 deep cycle batteries should be hooked up in Parallel(+ to +, - to -). Your amps should be hooked up to this bank of batteries. You may already understand this but 2 or more batteries hooked up in parralel makes one big battery. Don't even think of it as 2 batteries. If you have your system setup like this it is basically a 2 battery/bank system. <BR> <BR>With it wired like this you would basically leave the switch on both most of the time this way both banks of batteries are receiving a charge from the alternator and at the same time using all the batteries for starting. If you are sitting with the boat off you would turn the switch position 1. This means that the deep cycle bank is isolated from the starting bank and your amps are only drawing down the deep cycle batteries. When you go to start the boat leave it on position 1 until after you start the boat once it is started go to the switch and turn it from position 1 to the both position. Make sure to never turn the Perko to off while the boat is running. This is how you blow the diodes in the alternator. Once you put it to both then it puts both battery banks back in parallel(making one big battery) and all batteries are receiving a charge from the alternator. <BR> <BR>Now for the 3 bank charger there is no reason to ever hook up all three outputs. Here are your 2 best options. Plug just one of the positive leads to the Positive of one of the batteries. Then hook up the negative lead to one of the batteries negative posts. If you want to charge both banks(all 3 batteries) just turn the Perko to BOTH. This will charge all 3 batteries with the full capacity of the charger. <BR> <BR>Your other option is to plug one of the positive leads from the charger to the positive of the cranking battery and the second positive lead from the charger to one of the positive terminals of the deep cycle battery bank. If there is only 1 negative output from the charger send that to the any of the battery negatives. If there are multiple negative leads from the charger hook them up to the negatives on the same batteries the positive leads are on. When you are charging it hooked up like this leave the Perko in any position but both. <BR> <BR>Sorry for the really long over explanation. This type of question comes up a lot and it may help someone else.

polarbill 12-29-2009 7:52 PM

Meathead, I looked up the Pro Mariner 150 and it gives all 15 amps to whatever battery needs it most. Each lead is capable of the full 15 amps.

meathead65 12-29-2009 8:08 PM

I was not aware of that.

meathead65 12-29-2009 8:14 PM

We do quite a few charger installs on multiple bank systems...we prefer to not involve the Perko switch in the charge process, as the typical owner wants to turn the Perko 'off' and then plug in the charger. With the perko needing to be in any 'on' position, you increase the risk of draw down if something is left on in the boat. <BR> <BR>Brett is correct in all his wiring options, but since you already have a 3 bank charger, why not use all three banks and let the charger monitor each battery individually.

12-29-2009 9:05 PM

The 3rd batt is not hooked up yet i was just making a digram of what is already hooked up. I have all 3 bats in my garage on bat tenders. <BR> <BR>So if I hook 2bat in parallel and the one by itself the 2 in parallel <BR>will not efect the charger it will no that their are three batt hooked up I just did not no if the battb hooked up to eachother would efect the charger

polarbill 12-29-2009 9:09 PM

ROFL <BR> <BR>C, I have zero idea what you are trying to say in that post. I hope that was from a phone or something. Either that or you became a Nigerian ebay scammer all of a sudden.

12-30-2009 6:02 AM

Sorry it was from my phone. <BR> <BR>The picture that I made is what was set up already I was just asking the best way to wire in the third battery. If I hook up all three battery's and two are wired together will it be bad for the charger. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/753658.jpg" alt="Upload">

david_e_m 12-30-2009 8:23 AM

C, <BR> <BR>That setup (per the diagram) will not damage your charger. The charger will not charge and condition the two stereo batteries on an individual basis but if both batteries are equal in age, size and type then this is not a major concern. <BR> <BR>There is no such thing as a perfect charging system. It's important to manage the big issues which you are by investing in a multi-bank multi-phase true charger versus a tender. <BR> <BR>If you want total isolated treatment you would have to add a second and simple on/off battery switch between the two stereo batteries and open both switches during AC shore charging. But it's not a big deal. <BR> <BR>David <BR>Earmark Marine

polarbill 12-30-2009 8:29 AM

That looks fine C. According to your diagram battery 2 is going to be the cranking battery, correct?

12-30-2009 11:16 AM

Yes battery 2 will be cranking battery. Thank you Brett, David, meathead and hate for solving my problem.

wakeboardsam 12-30-2009 1:35 PM

Sorry, but I saw this on another forum and really, really, wanted to use it... so here you go! <BR> <BR><a href="http://tinyurl.com/ycp2zks" target="_blank">The complete guide to wire three batteries!!</a>

denverd1 12-30-2009 1:37 PM

You're such a dick

wakeboardsam 12-30-2009 1:39 PM

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1><b>quote:</b></font><p>By Nacho (denverd1) on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 - 1:37 pm: <BR>You're such a dick<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote> <BR> <BR>You like it too?? I about died the first time that I saw that page! <BR> <BR><a href="http://lmgtfy.com/" target="_blank">http://lmgtfy.com/</a>

crghou 12-31-2009 8:48 AM

that is great. to funny. <BR> <BR>Question, If I wanted to wire up 2 batteries to a charger on opposite sides of the boat. There should be no problem in extending the wires from the charger all the way up to the 2nd battery? One is in the nose of the boat, the other the rear.

polarbill 12-31-2009 9:12 AM

Chris, does your charger have pre-attached leads? How many amps does the charger put out? <BR> <BR>There is a max number of amps that should be run across a certain gauge wire so you may want to be careful. Length of the run does affect what size wire you need.

crghou 01-02-2010 9:57 PM

well I do not have a charger yet. I was looking to buy one. I had seen a few minn kotas or maybe the one from bass pro. Just something small and simple like a 3amp or 4 amp per battery so around 6-10 total. Just something to maintain the batteries. Both of those do have pre-attached leads.


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 2:32 AM.