Exactly ...

"BruceM" wrote in message
...
Hi GC,
We'll just let those have their fun.
I have had the type of setup you're talking about in both a boat & a motor
home.
Go with the positive to the switch even though it's not quite so important
in a boat but in a vehicle (metal frame) it's essential as unless you have
an old 1955 bedford or something, most are negetive earth.
ALWAYS put your best battery on your motor start side. (say position 1 on
the switch)
NEVER be tempted to use that battery for accessories while on anchor.
(it's
hard to push start a boat!)
Never forget to turn it over to No 2 when stopped.
Never forget to return to battery No 1 before starting motor.
Get a switch that will rotate either way through full 360degrees.
Have an amp gauge to monitor charge.
Once under way for several minutes when amp meter drops to zero switch to
No
2 but AWAYS go in direction of No1 to BOTH to No2 so (like he said) you
always have current to alternator.
Doing it that way you also don't lose your GPS briefly.
I've said enough.
What ever you do make sure that bilge pump is ACTIVE!!!!! (get
that?........ )
Regards..... BruceM


"Folklore killer" wrote in message
...
"bowgus" miserably failed in attempting to insult his superior.....

in Message-id: ....

By blathering.....

So what you're saying is no need to turn in those old batteries, just
hook
up a new one in parallel ...


Which is not what I wrote so you clearly need to go back to "baby
school"
to
learn how to read.

and oh yeah, no problem running a starting
battery (my understanding that's what GC has) for accessories until
it's
dead ...


That is because either

A) You misunderstood what OP wrote or

more likely

B) You did not read it (or perhaps _couldn't_ read it).

or even more likely

C) were so busy trying to prove your superior knowledge (and failing
quite
dramatically) that you forgot to read the entire thread before
collapsing
your
lower jawbone muscles.

they can be recharged over and over and over?


Now please quote where that was stated by anyone.

Geez ... even a deep
cycle's life is shortened by doing that.


You don't say!

I do agree that a healthy lead acid
fully discharged has a very high internal resistance ... as a matter of
fact, so high that it cannot be charged using the alternator ... my
jeeping
buddy found that out.


Well you've improved your standing because now you have actually posted
something that is correct. Well done. Have a banana. As they say...
"there's a
first time for everything".... Now the whole of usenet knows that you
know
_one_ thing, whereas before they all thought you knew _nothing_. Well
done.

But about that old starting battery (that GC has)
that's maybe dry to the plates or maybe bridged or ... my quick and
dirty
risk assessment


So you forgot the read the sentence that said... "unless the battery is
U/S"

U/S being "un-servicable". As in broken, faulty, kapputt. Can you
actually
read?

Or perhaps that sentence did not fit in with your plans of trying to
attack a
superior knowledge?

... adios old batteries ... I for one would do not connect
an old battery in parallel with my only way back to shore.


Again you show your inability to read. I did not tell OP to do that.
Learn
to
read. Apparently, even in your hick ridden town, there are some people
who
read. Even better there are some people who can _teach_ you to read.

So post us a
picture of your batteries configuration ... I'm always up for a good
laugh
... adios ... "killer" :-)


You can laugh at your own inability to read.

That is assuming you didn't actually post using your own name. You
didn't
did
you? Post using your own name I mean.

Not really?

Well now you must feel really stupid.

Don't worry. Usenet only has a memory of about, er.... forever. So
you'll
only
look stupid for about, er.... forever.

I love people like you.

You are so clever in your own little fairy world, that you forget, you
are
actually very stupid.

You girlfriend told me so.

I love you all.
Cuddles.
Folklore Killer.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 7 Nov 2004 18:10:25 +1030, "BruceM"
wrote:
Once under way for several minutes when amp meter drops to zero switch to No
2 but AWAYS go in direction of No1 to BOTH to No2 so (like he said) you
always have current to alternator.

===================================

I consider switching batteries with the engine running to be a high
risk regardless of whether or not the switch is claimed to be
"make-before-break". Contacts and switch wipers can become worn or
corroded creating switching transients that can toast the alternator
in a heart beat. It happens all the time. If you have to switch with
the engine running for some reason, I'd recommend doing it only at
dead slow idle speed, and never switching it to the off position.

Or you could get a "zap-stop" for $30.



For what it's worth, here's what I do if the #2 has become run down.
Start the engine on #1 and let it warm up so that it will restart
easily. Shut down and restart on "both". In the "both" position the
charge will flow to the battery that needs it.

Periodiaclly test #2 by trying to start the engine with it. If it
will not crank and start a warm engine it is shot and should be
replaced. Ideally it should be capable of starting a cold engine also
but that may be asking a lot if it has been frequently deep cycled.

If it won't start the engine its pretty far gone. I've always taken it as axiomatic
that there should be two independent starting systems. I suppose it depends on the
engine, but every one I've used would start in a few seconds. Any reasonable battery
should be able to start a small engine even if age has diminished it's capacity a bit.

On Sun, 7 Nov 2004 12:41:48 -0500, "Jeff Morris"
wrote:

Or you could get a "zap-stop" for $30.

=================================

No question that something like that is a help but I tend to put it in
the same category as make-before-break switching. It's supposed to
work, but it might not.

Having lost a few alternators over the years for various reasons, I've
gotten very conservative, and I've learned to live with not switching
under load as a good first step in prevention.

Guess it depends on your situation & how deep your pockets are.
Mine aren't very deep so I tend to always replace the start one each year &
put the original one in place for anchor accessory use (if you know what I
mean?). Usually by then that one is just about had it from too many low
drains. (Sharking at night with lights on & music playing & mobile phone
plugged in & depth/fish sounder on etc,)
About the bilge pump bit. Once again it depends on your situation. Are you
cruising the big blue? etc, etc.
In my case I only had an ex fishing boat & had it on a mooring. Only used it
in fairly good weather to "do" the lobster pots & some fairly "heavy"
fishing trips.
While on anchor I used to isolate both batteries. (off) I also had a two way
switch so that "under way" the bilge pump ran on the "start" battery through
the big switch. (battery to battery one). Once back on the mooring I threw
the little two way one that fed power to ONLY the bilge pump. This was just
in case of a wire shorting etc, etc (or I left equipment on?)
One chap here has rigged his bilge pump so that if it starts up (auto level
start), it sends a message to his house. Rigged it up somehow through an old
CB radio to act like a kid is flipping the TX button.
ps, I reckon you got some pretty good info here but you need to now work out
the best for YOUR useage.
BruceM


"GC" wrote in message
...

What ever you do make sure that bilge pump is ACTIVE!!!!! (get
that?........ )

Thanks for your tips
When you say the bilge pump is ACTIVE, what do you mean by that? and
it
directly across one of the batteries, not through the switch??
Do you think I'm better off just getting a cheapy battery for my
accessories?? So at least its new
Thanks again!

"BruceM" wrote in message
...
Guess it depends on your situation & how deep your pockets are.
Mine aren't very deep so I tend to always replace the start one each year &
put the original one in place for anchor accessory use (if you know what I
mean?).

If you replace a battery every year, you must have deep pockets! On my previous boat
I replaced all the batteries once in 8 years, and they had a number of years on them
when I bought it. On my new boat the house bank is going strong after five years. I
replaced the starter batteries with Optima's because they were stashed in a location
impossible to properly maintain - I expect them to go a number of years. A cheap
battery goes 4 years in a car ... why shouldn't a quality battery do the same in a
boat?

Usually by then that one is just about had it from too many low
drains. (Sharking at night with lights on & music playing & mobile phone
plugged in & depth/fish sounder on etc,)

If you look at the "discharge depth/service life" curves maybe you would size your
batteries appropriately. A deep cycle battery should be good for hundreds of cycles
as long as you don't drain it too far. A starting battery will only give you a
handful of deep cycles.

Perhaps I don't appreciate your situation (do you have to carry a recharged battery to
a moored boat?) but it seems like something is wrong if you're only getting one year
of good service from a battery!

OK, I might have slightly deeper pockets than some but I fish in some areas
& times of the year where there isn't other boats around & it's vital I
don't have failures unexpectedly.
Also for THAT piece of mind, for the cost of forgoing a couple of meals out
at a restaurant, I reckon it's money well spent.
Where do you live?
In Australia the size battery I use is $A120.00 & a good night out would
cost about the same with drinks included. (for 2 of us)
BruceM


"Jeff Morris" wrote in message
...
"BruceM" wrote in message
...
Guess it depends on your situation & how deep your pockets are.
Mine aren't very deep so I tend to always replace the start one each
year &
put the original one in place for anchor accessory use (if you know what
I
mean?).

If you replace a battery every year, you must have deep pockets! On my
previous boat
I replaced all the batteries once in 8 years, and they had a number of
years on them
when I bought it. On my new boat the house bank is going strong after
five years. I
replaced the starter batteries with Optima's because they were stashed in
a location
impossible to properly maintain - I expect them to go a number of years.
A cheap
battery goes 4 years in a car ... why shouldn't a quality battery do the
same in a
boat?

Usually by then that one is just about had it from too many low
drains. (Sharking at night with lights on & music playing & mobile phone
plugged in & depth/fish sounder on etc,)

If you look at the "discharge depth/service life" curves maybe you would
size your
batteries appropriately. A deep cycle battery should be good for hundreds
of cycles
as long as you don't drain it too far. A starting battery will only give
you a
handful of deep cycles.

Perhaps I don't appreciate your situation (do you have to carry a
recharged battery to
a moored boat?) but it seems like something is wrong if you're only
getting one year
of good service from a battery!

"BruceM" wrote in message
...
OK, I might have slightly deeper pockets than some but I fish in some areas
& times of the year where there isn't other boats around & it's vital I
don't have failures unexpectedly.
Also for THAT piece of mind, for the cost of forgoing a couple of meals out
at a restaurant, I reckon it's money well spent.


Whatever it takes.

Where do you live?

Boston, MA. Of course, I sail in a variety of places on the US East Coast, some of
them rather remote. But I've never had a problem starting an engine.

In Australia the size battery I use is $A120.00 & a good night out would
cost about the same with drinks included. (for 2 of us)

If you didn't use starting batteries as your "house bank" you woulldn't cook them in a
season. That way you would actually have a reasonable backup for your starting
battery. But if your system works for you, feel free.


BruceM


"Jeff Morris" wrote in message
...
"BruceM" wrote in message
...
Guess it depends on your situation & how deep your pockets are.
Mine aren't very deep so I tend to always replace the start one each
year &
put the original one in place for anchor accessory use (if you know what
I
mean?).

If you replace a battery every year, you must have deep pockets! On my
previous boat
I replaced all the batteries once in 8 years, and they had a number of
years on them
when I bought it. On my new boat the house bank is going strong after
five years. I
replaced the starter batteries with Optima's because they were stashed in
a location
impossible to properly maintain - I expect them to go a number of years.
A cheap
battery goes 4 years in a car ... why shouldn't a quality battery do the
same in a
boat?

Usually by then that one is just about had it from too many low
drains. (Sharking at night with lights on & music playing & mobile phone
plugged in & depth/fish sounder on etc,)

If you look at the "discharge depth/service life" curves maybe you would
size your
batteries appropriately. A deep cycle battery should be good for hundreds
of cycles
as long as you don't drain it too far. A starting battery will only give
you a
handful of deep cycles.

Perhaps I don't appreciate your situation (do you have to carry a
recharged battery to
a moored boat?) but it seems like something is wrong if you're only
getting one year
of good service from a battery!