# help w/ charging and wiring questions



## Starfire01 (Mar 12, 2008)

I currently have two batteries hooked up, one for the accesories and one for the OB. I am in the process of buying a 24V TM and debating on an onboard charger or portable. I bought 2 new Interstate Marine batteries (29 bank) for the TM. I am not sure if I should just hook the accesories to the OB and get rid of one of the older batteries or not and then get a 4 bank onboard charger or portable. Weight and storage isn't an issue. 

I was wondering how you run the wiring for an on board charger . I take it each individual battery gets connected to the charger? The reason I ask is because I have a 24 volt (2 12v batteries for my trolling motor) system . Do I also need a circuit breaker for each battery? I am clueless on this issue and wanted to get a better idea so I can buy everything needed at once. Is there anything else I should get? 

If I decide to go w/ a single bank portable charger......how does that work for charging the 2 batteries wired together to make them a 24 volt system? Do I have to disconnect them prior to charging? 

If possible...attatch a picture to how you have your system wired. 


THANKS!


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## Jim (Mar 12, 2008)

If your going to stick with the 4 batteries (I wouldn't, those little accessories don't draw much power at all). The Charger will come with 4 sets of wires and a plug for an outlet. Each "set" of wires will have a positive and negative wire/clamp to connect to each battery. Thats all there is to it. Plug it in when your not on the water. My guest charger has indicator lights red (charging) green (full/maintaining). 

Nothing else is needed. 

Here is a picture just for reference...I recommend a 10 amp charger. Notice the 2 sets of wires, 1 set for each battery.


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## Starfire01 (Mar 12, 2008)

What about a Fuse to each battery connection?


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## Jim (Mar 12, 2008)

Starfire01 said:


> What about a Fuse to each battery connection?




No need for a fuse. Your inline fuses should be from the accessories (trolling motor, Lights, fishfinders) to the batteries.


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## Starfire01 (Mar 12, 2008)

thanks. I am still debating on 3 or 4 batteries.


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## Jim (Mar 12, 2008)

I ran downstairs to the garage to check, and there is a fuse inline already on both sets of wires. 

So you are all set (With Guest chargers anyway, Im sure they are all like that)


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## Starfire01 (Mar 12, 2008)

thanks Jim. Do you leave it charged 24/7 ? Any suggestions on what to look for in a charger?


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## Jim (Mar 12, 2008)

Here is a better picture!


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## Jim (Mar 12, 2008)

Here is a link to their 3 bank 10 amp charger

https://www.marinco.com/scpt/ProdPage.php?loadItem=2631A_Guest%20Recreational


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## Starfire01 (Mar 12, 2008)

thanks again Jim.


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## Jim (Mar 12, 2008)

Starfire01 said:


> thanks Jim. Do you leave it charged 24/7 ? Any suggestions on what to look for in a charger?



Yes I do! It has been plugged in since last September. I was just down stairs looking at the wires and I touched it (I always have that fear that my house will catch on fire) and it was luke-warm to the touch.

I looked for waterproof, shock proof, and reliability. I think you get that with all of them. 

I ended up getting the dul bank 10 amp per side one from "The Marine Store" on ebay. The store had thousands of positive feedback and there price was like 50 or 60 cheaper.

I think I saw the 3 bank guest for $260 on there.


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## redbug (Mar 12, 2008)

I would avoid using a portable charger, they are pain in the butt. With the on board charger you come home from a long day on the water back your boat in the driveway plug it in and your ready to go in the morning.
The things I look for in a charger are:
1) water proof
2)the largest amp charge per bank i can afford for a fast turn around on the charge I get home from a tournament at 7pm and have to be back on the ramp at 4am so I want my battery charged.
3) good customer service. I have a dual pro charger and they are great but i have heard good things about guest chargers also

good luck I hope this helps 
Wayne


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## toptog (Mar 13, 2008)

If you have room for 4 batteries, then I say go for it! 2 AGM's for the 24V system, one AGM for electronics, lights, and whatever other 12V accessories and one AGM for the motor. That's a lot of juice. Sweet.

Downside is that you will need a 4 bank charger, which means more cost.  

For the 12 Volt system, house bank (electronics, etc...) and the motor bank. I would look into three separate on/off battery switches. One for the house, one for the motor, and one to tie them together should your motor bank not have enough juice to crank your engine.

I saw this in a West Marine catalog and used this system on a former boat and it worked beautifully. I didn't have a 24 V system though, so I'm assuming that it is a separate one from the 12 Volt.

The way I see it is, that if you could keep them charged and maintained the more battery power you could have won't hurt like not having the power.


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## Starfire01 (Mar 26, 2008)

well I am in a quandry ....I received my charger via mail and found that one of the leads is nicked. It looks like the damage was from the charger resting on the lead at some point in time. The wires inside do not appear to be damaged, however the outer rubber/plastic coating is creased and cut. Should I send it back? The damage is about 3 inches from the back of the charger and in the center of the pic.

Pic attatched

The 2nd pic is of a outlet for what I believe is for the bow mount TM. My TM came today and now I am debating on putting the charger near the bow, removing the plug to run the TM wires into the hole from the plug along w/the on board charger wires. See pic. Suggestions? If I decide to stay with the plug then I will need the female end for the TM wires...I figured by splicing the wires it would void the warranty. What do you think?

The last pic is of the eyes for hooking up the TM (on left and smaller eyes) and the charger eyes. on the right The TM eyes are not large enough for the the battery terminal. Is there a reason for this? I realize that they sell a battery connecor however why noy make the eyes large enough for the terminal?


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## Starfire01 (Mar 26, 2008)

sorry here are the other 2 pics..........


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## Starfire01 (Mar 26, 2008)

and .............


next to the outlet is were I was thinking of mounting the charger


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## redbug (Mar 26, 2008)

First thing I would send your charger back . you didn't pay for a damaged unit So why think about it. It may not cause any trouble at this time but down the road it may.

installing a plug on your trolling motor should be fine just make sure the connections are tight. 

I would recommend that you place your charger as close to the batteries as possible. you will lose voltage over a long run of wire i would not splice your charger wires.
The wire connectors on your trolling motor wires are for testing the motor 
they installed them at the place that repaired the motor.

Wayne


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## Starfire01 (Mar 26, 2008)

I agree it should be sent back, I just don't want to admit it....I just want to get everything hooked up.....now I will have to wait 2 more weeks until I get a new charger; crap! I hope the company doesn't give me a problem since I bought it refurbished.


The leads on the charger are only about 4-5' long. I plan on keeping the charger close to the TM batteries and then I will need the charger extensions for the batteries at the stern. I wasn't going to splice the wires, I was thinking of getting the extensions offered by Minnkota. 

Do you think it is worth getting the plug for the TM or just wire direct? I was thinking that if i remove the plug I could avoid drilling another hole for the charger wires...i would just run everything through the plug hole. 

Something so simple is causing me headaches............. :twisted:


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## redbug (Mar 26, 2008)

now you have me confused,,,
The plug that you are showing has wires hooked up to it under your deck 
they should run to the back of the boat where your battery compartment is. I would mount the charger in the battery compartment along with the 3 batteries then hook the red wire going to the front to bat "A"positive. the black wire to battery "B" negative then your jumper from batt"A neg to BATT "B"positive. This will give you 24volts at the plug up front. 


Wayne


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## Starfire01 (Mar 26, 2008)

i have a tendency to do that to people.


I went w/ a 4 battery system....i know over kill . The reason for this is that the boat was already wired for one battery to run the acc. the other for the outboard. Both of these batteries were under the deck at the stern. The boat did not come w/ a TM. 

I just bought 2 batteries at the bow for the new tm. The pic of the plug has the leads that go under the deck to the compartment at the bow for the new batteries. I do beleive there is enough room for all 4 batteries at the stern, under the deck, however I was worried about all the weight on that side and it would be tight for wiring. 

Does this make sense or am I making you crazy?


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## Starfire01 (Mar 26, 2008)

this is what i was thinking.............. 


Cable Extenders


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## redbug (Mar 26, 2008)

already crazy.. i read esquired's posts and they make sense..
these are just my thoughts.. I would go with 3 batteries unless your trolling motor is a 36 volt motor. Your outboard has an alternator. that will charge your starting/acc. battery during the day. that will save you about 60lbs and give you the room you need. keeping the batteries in one area make the maintenance a lot easier IMO...


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## Starfire01 (Mar 30, 2008)

finally got everything I needed and I hooked up the on board charger. I have a 24 v TM. Will I need to disconnect the jumper that runs from the pos to the 1st tm battery to the neg of the 2nd tm battery before I charge the batteries?


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