Running without a Battery Switch

[spareparts]

no need for a dual battery switch, just run a single on/off switch. If youre limited to space, I've flush mounted them inside a group 27 battery box with a group 24 battery. Cut a 2X4 to keep the batteyr to one sideof the box and off the switch

[phatdaddy]

bradford, one of the biggest reasons is your trim relays on your outboard. if the two way switch on the binnacle control were to go bad and give a constant up or down , possibly burn out a relay or trim motor before running battery down. was more of a problem when the trim switch was a seperate rocker swwitch on the dash.
that being said, i still haven't put an isolater switch on my v, so , what do i know...

[GregV20]

Originally Posted by phatdaddy

bradford, one of the biggest reasons is your trim relays on your outboard. if the two way switch on the binnacle control were to go bad and give a constant up or down , possibly burn out a relay or trim motor before running battery down. was more of a problem when the trim switch was a seperate rocker swwitch on the dash.
that being said, i still haven't put an isolater switch on my v, so , what do i know...

This exact thing happened to me a couple of years ago. Trim switch stuck on my bowrider. Somehow I missed it. By the time I got back to the boat, I had a dead battery and a burned out trim pump.

Care to guess how much the new pump was? $890 from a Volvo-Penta dealer (just found the invoice). That's the part only, without labor.

Guess what? I installed a battery switch - cheap insurance. And a second battery later.

[bradford]

Originally Posted by spareparts

no need for a dual battery switch, just run a single on/off switch. If youre limited to space, I've flush mounted them inside a group 27 battery box with a group 24 battery. Cut a 2X4 to keep the batteyr to one sideof the box and off the switch

Already got the 2x4 in the group 27 box with a group 24 battery plus the electrical for the jack plate.

Think I'm gonna run without a switch. I never turn off the ones in the v. If I had 2 batteries like the v I would have one. I never charge the batteries, just run the engine at least once a week. A few other boats I've had in the past didn't have battery switches either. Trying to simplify the rigging as much as possible, less b.s. is better

[THEFERMANATOR]

Mine don't have one, and I have no plans of adding one either. I just don't see a need for it myself.

[smokeonthewater]

thousands of watercraft run fine without a battery switch and if you want you can wire it so the power trim and electronics only works with the ignition switch in accy or on... my boats that do have them, I pretty much never turn em off.... That said, I like to have em so I at least have the option of killing power without pulling batt cables.

[garbubba]

I have a switch on my V for the above reasons plus I moor it at a marina every now & then, so I have it rigged to turn off everything but one bilge pump.

My runabout has no switch, keeping it simple, but it has very little wiring & is never moored.

[SkunkBoat]

15 years, no battery switch, running one grp 27 DP battery, in water all season.

I have had a dual battery switch in my garage for 13 years...someday....

[RidgeRunner]

Convenient for sandbar music listening when you can isolate the one battery that will carry you home. BUT
Necessary? No, especially on a skiff. It is a couple more copper connectors that can corrode behind the body of the switch itself and you won't know what is going on until your eat up with corrosion and something malfunctions. Sure it is easy to just turn off a switch as opposed to disconnecting a battery terminal. I wouldn't leave the battery connected for the reasons mentioned earlier, although I am guilty of doing it all the time.
Ironically, I left mine on BAT1 in the Wellcraft. Checked it today, both batteries are toast. Wouldn't even make a solenoid click/fuel gauge work when combined, I think it said 10 volts on the meter. I haven't used it since Memorial Day and don't have a maintenance charger because I never needed it before. I am just not using the boat much. My skiff has had more action with the new 4-stroke and the console makeover... Just easier all the way around to handle and operate. Oh well, anyone want a Center Console? $maybe not just yet..

[THEFERMANATOR]

Originally Posted by RidgeRunner

Convenient for sandbar music listening when you can isolate the one battery that will carry you home. BUT
Necessary? No, especially on a skiff. It is a couple more copper connectors that can corrode behind the body of the switch itself and you won't know what is going on until your eat up with corrosion and something malfunctions. Sure it is easy to just turn off a switch as opposed to disconnecting a battery terminal. I wouldn't leave the battery connected for the reasons mentioned earlier, although I am guilty of doing it all the time.
Ironically, I left mine on BAT1 in the Wellcraft. Checked it today, both batteries are toast. Wouldn't even make a solenoid click/fuel gauge work when combined, I think it said 10 volts on the meter. I haven't used it since Memorial Day and don't have a maintenance charger because I never needed it before. I am just not using the boat much. My skiff has had more action with the new 4-stroke and the console makeover... Just easier all the way around to handle and operate. Oh well, anyone want a Center Console? $maybe not just yet..

If you're not using it, I'll babysit her. Problem is I doubt I could handle it by myself anymore. It's all I can do with my skiff anymore.