Running without a Battery Switch

[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.

[RidgeRunner]

Maybe that is a sign, we need to get our otherwise handicapped arses together. Maybe between the two of us we can find a happy medium and figure this thing out. Your obviously slated to be the brains of the operation , I'll be the ballast..
It has fuel,(God only knows if it will burn) I'll keep you posted.

[THEFERMANATOR]

Originally Posted by RidgeRunner

Maybe that is a sign, we need to get our otherwise handicapped arses together. Maybe between the two of us we can find a happy medium and figure this thing out. Your obviously slated to be the brains of the operation , I'll be the ballast..
It has fuel,(God only knows if it will burn) I'll keep you posted.

If I'm the brains, were screwed as I'm brainless if you ask my wife

[bradford]

Appreciate everyone's response, decided to run without one. Real close to finally being done, don't know if I'll do another full project/resto. Lot of money, but even more a lot of time. Rather be running them.

[Lance Pearson]

As of the moment I plan to run one Deka 800/1000 group 24m7 starting battery without a switch and an emergency portable battery starter aboard in case I need to start with a second source. I don't plan to put a switch on the battery but will probably disconnect one side of it when it's not in use. Keeping it as absolutely simple as I can...actually, found a very simple battery post switch that you just turn a knob on to disconnect the negative side and turn it back down again to make contact...easy to do when you leave the boat. Have one to try.

[jrisapirate]

I just got into this yesterday. Went from changing the switch to running to the depot for starboard. Tried to mount the switch from from behind and it didn;t look as good as a photo i saw. Added a knife sheath for up to 9' blade.