quick battery question

[specialk]

When hooking two batteries in parallel, either directly or with a perko/blue sea system, do you need to match the amps that they provide, or when you "combine" the batteries, do they average out. I know if I put an isolator/switch that most have one battery for starting the other is a deep cycle for playing radio ect. but I don't know if the batteries have to "match". I don't want one to drain into the other or cause any issues.

The dual battery post here have been extremely good, and this post from the other boat manufacture was helpful too, http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=3557

It is cold and raining, nothing else to worry about.

Thanks.

[chpthril]

When hooking two batteries in parallel, either directly or with a perko/blue sea system, do you need to match the amps that they provide, or when you "combine" the batteries, do they average out. I know if I put an isolator/switch that most have one battery for starting the other is a deep cycle for playing radio ect. but I don't know if the batteries have to "match". I don't want one to drain into the other or cause any issues.

The dual battery post here have been extremely good, and this post from the other boat manufacture was helpful too, http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=3557

It is cold and raining, nothing else to worry about.

Thanks.

Yes and No

Every boat needs 2 battery banks, even if it's 2 batteries separated by a manual switch. I would not suggest wiring your starting battery in parallel with another...period, the starting and "house" need to be separate. Now, to answer some of your question: When 2 batteries are connected, with out a voltage source recharging them (an alternator or battery charger), they will equalize. You do not need "match" the CCA's or amp/Hr's of the batteries, the most important thing is to match type of battery, i.e. - AMG, Gel, Lead-acid.

[specialk]

Besides the fact that you will drain both batteries if you directly hard wired them in parallel, what do you see as the main issue, the mastercraft thread had pros and cons of each, but some people, that seemed expirence (again the emphasis on seemed, I would not know the difference) seem to think straight parallel is ok. I don't have any amplifiers, hardly use the radio, only have a heater, so I would like a little more capacity.

[chpthril]

When you parallel 2 batteries together, you basically double the available Amps, this is the advantage. For a 'starting' battery bank, you really don't need that amount of amps to start the engine and run it's systems, so there is no real benefit. The disadvantage is if one of the paralleled batteries shorts out, you will have 2 dead batteries and will be unable to start the engine.

[MoneyPity]

Has anyone used the BlueSea ACR for seperation and charging. Am curious if anyone has used it. I saw it mentioned in threads last year and am contemplating adding it or equiv in conjunction with Perko. I have seperated house battery for starting and all base electrical and aux battery for amps and H/U

[chpthril]

Has anyone used the BlueSea ACR for seperation and charging. Am curious if anyone has used it. I saw it mentioned in threads last year and am contemplating adding it or equiv in conjunction with Perko. I have seperated house battery for starting and all base electrical and aux battery for amps and H/U

Yep, real simple to install. Pos from each battery to terminals "A" and "B" on the Blue Sea, and then a small ground wire to the GND terminal on the Blue Sea.