Second Battery?

[NorthStar]

I was trying to ask this question of Northriver but we know that story!

Hopefully someone on thie site can help.. I have a NR 18 that I am taking up to BC this summer to Salmon fish. I have a T-8 Yamaha I will use for trolling. The boat has a single 12 volt battery and I am running a Lowrance GPS/FF and a VHF. I Need to know assuming I am running the big engine or the T-8, will I need a second battery if I want to use my Scotty 1106 electric Downriggers? And what about my Ace Line Hauler?

Thanks!

[garyk]

You really need to for safety.

Keep battery #1 for starting and isolated from #2 that you'll be running all the equipment off of.

[baitsauce]

I have a 21ft Weldcraft with a 175SJ and a Merc 9.9 Bigfoot. I also have electric downriggers, GPS, two sonars and only one battery. I'm probably asking for trouble but I have only one battery. But the kicker wired so it charges the battery and I've never had any problems.

However, I agree with garyk, a second battery good to have for safety reasons.

//

[Tinman]

I was trying to ask this question of Northriver but we know that story!

Hopefully someone on thie site can help.. I have a NR 18 that I am taking up to BC this summer to Salmon fish. I have a T-8 Yamaha I will use for trolling. The boat has a single 12 volt battery and I am running a Lowrance GPS/FF and a VHF. I Need to know assuming I am running the big engine or the T-8, will I need a second battery if I want to use my Scotty 1106 electric Downriggers? And what about my Ace Line Hauler?

Thanks!

A simple solution is to carry a loose spare battery, fully charged. If the main battery ever runs down, you can swap in the spare.

[NorthStar]

Good idea! Or maybe even one of those jump starter battery packs?

[dog501]

I like the jump start package because it is lighter does not leak and you can lay it on its side if you want, has a light on it, can be stored just about any where And will not scratch your boat up. I only have to charge it up once a year. Works great, I think I have never had to use it. But it is there if I ever need it.

[Pickles]

You really need to for safety.

Keep battery #1 for starting and isolated from #2 that you'll be running all the equipment off of.

I couldn't agree more, especially with an outboard motor as they typically don't put out much more then 14-16 amps. I personally use a Group 24 starting battery that it's soul purpose is to start my main engine. My second battery is a Group 27 deep cycle that runs all my electronic's, downriggers, TR-1 autopilot, boat lights etc.... I use an on board dual bank 20 amp charger that re-charges my Group 27 and maintains both batteries when not in use! This by far has been the most reliable method for me over the last few years! :D

[BARCHASER]

Matter of fact, I have a 2005 NR Seahawk with Scotty DRs. I ordered two bats when I bought the boat. My sixth boat and all the others just had one bat. Two bats gives me a much more comfy feeling, particularly using electric DRs. I would advise running two.

I trailer my boat up to BC, Ucluelet, every summer, resers for two times this coming summer.

Another coincidence, I just traded my 1991 Merc 8hp kicker in on a new T8.

I was trying to ask this question of Northriver but we know that story!

Hopefully someone on thie site can help.. I have a NR 18 that I am taking up to BC this summer to Salmon fish. I have a T-8 Yamaha I will use for trolling. The boat has a single 12 volt battery and I am running a Lowrance GPS/FF and a VHF. I Need to know assuming I am running the big engine or the T-8, will I need a second battery if I want to use my Scotty 1106 electric Downriggers? And what about my Ace Line Hauler?

Thanks!

[RiverJohn]

You really need to for safety.

Keep battery #1 for starting and isolated from #2 that you'll be running all the equipment off of.

Yep...

You will drain a single battery.

I have a double battery set-up in my NorthRiver - just to see what happens, I ran just one battery while trolling and using my power tilts alot...battery started to sound stressed.

With 2 batteries, fast nice power all day.:twocents:

[dieselpwr]

Being a former rigger for NRB in Aurora until recently, the answer to your question is yes. If you are going to run downriggers they draw a pretty good amount of amperage out of the battery, so you run the risk of killing your single battery. So I totally agree with the advice everyone is giving you. Also, it's really easy to set up dual batterys.

[RiverJohn]

My fav things

Dual Battery
Onboard battery charger (Mine is a Guest - the brand)

Plug her in at the end of a trip and good to go - every time.

No trauma, no delays = more fishing !! :meme:

[Fly Junkie]

A second battery would be the safest way to go.

[steelheaderz]

I was trying to ask this question of Northriver but we know that story!

Hopefully someone on thie site can help.. I have a NR 18 that I am taking up to BC this summer to Salmon fish. I have a T-8 Yamaha I will use for trolling. The boat has a single 12 volt battery and I am running a Lowrance GPS/FF and a VHF. I Need to know assuming I am running the big engine or the T-8, will I need a second battery if I want to use my Scotty 1106 electric Downriggers? And what about my Ace Line Hauler?

Thanks!
have you thought of getting two batteries and running them off a battery switch and if youve got an electric start t8 that should help to keep battery charged while trolling with the elect. downriggers also onboard charger is a great way to have peace of mind, ive got both and even without on board charger, having a battery switch that can go from either #1 batt. or #2 batt. or both, and when done boating for the day its nice to know that you can even switch it in off position to eliminate any draws from batteries from any electrical components as well, call Motion Marine at 503-557-1802
they rigged my boat and i love these added features

[bluehewes]

you don't need another but I would get one. Your downriggers only draw when you are pulling up your gear and with your T8 going it should not be a problem.

It's a good piece of mind having that second batt. If your battery you have now is not holding a charge you should replace both of them or the older battery will bring down the newer one.

[joefish]

I would always get a second battery for peace of mind. Get a selector switch that is easy to install and all is good...if you are a saltwater guy I encourage it more...good luck....

[Lanyard X]

When we built my brothers boat i wired in two seperate systems. One was for the main motor deck lights and nav lights. The second was off of his t8 that was only used for down riggers and his ace pot puller. When we are using the puller we just start the t8 and throttle it up a little. Never have had any problems with it and if needed there is always a second battery in the boat that way. Also buy running two seperate systems if there ever was a problem with one there is always a motor with a good battery and wireing.

[shorthair]

Being a former rigger for NRB in Aurora until recently, the answer to your question is yes. If you are going to run downriggers they draw a pretty good amount of amperage out of the battery, so you run the risk of killing your single battery. So I totally agree with the advice everyone is giving you. Also, it's really easy to set up dual batterys.


Welcome Another experienced brain to pick. :meme:

[itoofish]

you should have two if at all possible, a couple weeks ago I was washing my boat and five year grandson was helping had a great time, when I got to the ramp a week later battery one was dead switched over and got on our way realized he somehow had turned the switch on and the sterio was left on for a week I know I should have checkedthe switch but was having to much fun ken

[Hunt'nFish]

Yes I agree w/ the others dual batt banks fer sure.

Many options on how to do it as well.
1. put the T8 on one bank, and the big motor & down riggers on the other. w/ jumper cables on board. This means that the big motor will be charging and should make up for drain caused by the DR's.

2. Dual batt banks w/ batt selector switch. Connect main motor to output of switch and set switch to Batt1 w/ DR's connected directly to Batt1 and T8 & FF/etc connected directly to Batt2. Again main motor will do the majority of charging on Batt1 to make up for DR's drain......BUT you still have the option to switch to Batt2 for backup starting power. But if you do switch to Batt2 for starting the big motor, you should NOT have the T8 running. You NEVER want to be running both motors off the same Batt at the same time, as the charging circuits can be damaged. Rare but it can happen.
This set up also gives you the choice to switch the switch to Batt2 so the big motor can charge that batt as well. But to be honest if the T8 is elec start, it'll charge it's own batt just fine on it's own. In fact T8's have been known to boil off a batt from over charging, so hooking up the FF and assessory lights etc can provide a little drain to prevent this boil off. Many smaller kicker motors don't have voltage regulators, just simple rectifier circuits, and they frequently are charging ALL the time. So some drain on it's batt is a good thing to prevent this over charging boil off.

If the T8 is not an elec start model and only has a pull cord for starting, I'd not worry about it so much. But even the pull start models usually have a small charge coil in them and rectifier. And hooking up them to batt2 does give you the ability to at least charge a batt even if both are dead. At least enough charge capability to get a batt charged enough to get the main motor started.

3. And of course you can elect for dual batt's and an on board "Stealth" charger to manage main motor charging. Quite the slick setup, but also spendy. But a Stealthy charger IS the cats meow as it does all the thinking and charges both batt banks indepentantly to keep both charged all the time.

And I'm sure there are other configurations that would work, but these are the best choices IMO.
As a bass/walleye fisherman, I know all about batt power management.
On mine I run my T9.9 & FF/ect on one batt and have twin Batt's in parallel hooked to the main motor w/ the elec bowmount connected to them as well. Main motor does a fair job of keeping the twin SCS225 Trojon 's charged.
On my previous boat, I replaced the charge coil on the main motor with one that outputed 2x the normal amps. I suppose if you found your DR's draining the batt too much for your liking, you could elect to upgrade your main motor's charge coil as well. But I don't think you'll need to.
Hunt'nFish

[fishkisser]

I have 2 motors on my boat a 350 jet main and a T-8 kicker ...
I run 1 switch per motor with a dedicated deep cycle starting battery for each motor / switch ...
That way I can use battery 2 to start the motor if battery 1 is too low ...
Or combine the batteries on the both setting on the switch to charge them both while trolling , as my depth finder runs on the main motors battery ...
I like this setup the best , but it looks like an octopus back behind the switches ...
Heres a schematic on how to wire them up ...
Later ... Barney

http://www.foreandaftmarine.com/BATT...TCHDIAGRAM.htm

http://www.affordable-solar.com/admi...0415164211.pdf

Here is a link for the best deal on wire and they will put your components together for a minimal charge just the way you order them ...

http://shop.genuinedealz.com/Marine%...ttery%20Cable/