Perko Hook Up? Will this work???

I asked a guy at a local Marine store how to hook up a Perko and this is what he drew for me. Will this work, or am I going to fry something??

DC

That's correct

You might want to consider a relay instead.

http://www.pac-audio.com/instructions/PAC-200.pdf

This way you won't have to manually switch over when you want your aux. battery to charge. The relay will combine the batteries when the ignition is on and isolate them when it is off.

"The relay will combine the batteries when the ignition is on and isolate them when it is off."

Combining batteries when the ignition is on is not always the best idea, if you run the relay, use a combiner as well (that will sense the voltage and only combine when the battereis reach 13.4 or so) This way your not combining a dead battery with a fully charged one.

Good point Adam!

Basically all I'm after is to be able to switch batts when I just want to run the audio and not kill my cranking batt. Will batt 2 charge through the Perko? Do I set the switch to "ALL" to charge both?

A Perko switch will be fine as long as you don't run one battery completely down and try to recharge it with the alternator. If you do run one down, get home with the full one, and charge the dead one at home.

Adam - is this a decent combiner?

http://www.pleasureboatmarine.com/xaparepabaco.html?zmam=9583460&zmas=2&zmac=49&zmap =XTX84205300

I like this one in conjunction with a Perko switch.

http://www.yandina.com/c100Info.htm

I like the Hellroaring combiner/isolators. Mine has been flawless for years.

See: http://www.hellroaring.com/

Here's a pic of the install.

I use that PAC-200 and have never had a problem starting the boat. Note, I have discharged my stereo battery multiple times to the point where i would turn the stereo on and it would turn off almost instantly because it had been depleted. Also, I also have subpar batteries which will be replaced if/when they die. They are going on a little over 3 years. I take them out and condition them in the winter so i am sure that helps. A little bit of insurance would be a take along jump starter, they are cheap enough and are very handy.

In the event that my boat does not start because the stereo battery pulls down the other battery I can just unhook the stereo battery and have full starting juice.

I second the Hellroaring automatic combiner/Isolator. I've used one for years and they are a quality unit. I won't run without one ever again as long as I'm running two or more batteries.

Fox:

The wiring diagram for a battery switch is correct. Keep the cables as short as you can, and I would recommend going up one size (lower AWG number) on the battery cables to compensate for the longer length.

But without the combiner/isolator, the Perko will charge both batts when set to ALL???

yes, this is the main reason why you should have the same battery type and simlar age batteries. Running hte switch on all defeats the purpose of having a "backup" battery though. while the chacnes are slim you'll have a battery failure out on the water that b/c the battereis are connected in the "both" positon. If it ever does, you'll be SOL. Leave it on batt 1 or batt #2 charge both at home on trickle chargers. That's my regimate.