Adding a Battery

[Miss Jazzy]

I’m adding a new isolated “cranking” battery to my console. I will now have four batteries in there. My question is how are you guys that have four how do you have them arranged? One on the service panel or stacked? ‘02 model with oil tank in rear so thats not an option.  Pics would be great!

[Bamaskeet]

I think you will have a tough time shoe horning four batteries in your console without using the space over the inspection cover.   And you will have to add supports in the console floor to handle the added weight.

Unless you have a 36 volt trolling motor, three batteries with the Hobo’s backup system design seems to work well.

[Miss Jazzy]

I have the “Hobo” system now but with all my electronics including a high powered amp it draws my only cranking/house battery down in a hurry. I’m getting flashes on all my electronics when starting the motor. I had the acr add a battery switch in my last boat and it worked perfectly but I had room in the back for the fourth battery(four stroke). It’s mainly added security, always having a fresh battery to start engine without having to mess with the battery on/off switch.  

[TP13]

I should have read this post before posting my own. I’m on a similar situation but want to add a 4th as I’m considering going to a 36v trolling motor. It’s tight for sure. Not to mention I need to upgrade the charger. But would like to see what people say about adding a 4th in the older consoles. I think 2000 and 2003 are virtually the same. 

[TP13]

9 hours ago, Miss Jazzy said:

I have the “Hobo” system now but with all my electronics including a high powered amp it draws my only cranking/house battery down in a hurry. I’m getting flashes on all my electronics when starting the motor. I had the acr add a battery switch in my last boat and it worked perfectly but I had room in the back for the fourth battery(four stroke). It’s mainly added security, always having a fresh battery to start engine without having to mess with the battery on/off switch.  

So I certainly remember Hobo on here way back when, but what was his setup? And does anyone have info on this?

[Miss Jazzy]

1 hour ago, TP13 said:

So I certainly remember Hobo on here way back when, but what was his setup? And does anyone have info on this?

Its using one of your trolling motor batteries as a backup to start your motor. I’ll look for the diagram and post it

[JPizzle]

I just recent added a 4th battery to my 2003 2200.  All 4 are group 31.  I used a piece of 3/4" starboard roughly 30" x 16" and they all sit behind the access panel.  I added a piece of roughly 1.5" x 1.5" aluminum angle to the front of the starboard as my original configuration of 1/2" pvc board with 3 batteries caused the floor to sag a little where the access panel is located.  I screwed the battery trays to the starboard and there is about an 1" gap between batteries.  Thet are parralel to the door if that makes sense.  They are tight, but they fit between the rod holders on the side.  Batteries are the Duracell 31.  I also have an optima 31 for starting that is a little smaller footprint if you wanted to go that route.  

I can add a picture later.  I put in a new noco gen4 charger and the nmea backbone for the trolling motor. Through bolted a  piece of 1/2" starboard on front wall of console and then  a 3/4" spacer behind the charger as when I set it up to test it, it got alot warmer then my old charger.  

[pbspecial]

I went with the Stealth AC/DC charging system, with two Group 31 WalMart Maxx battteries (one cranking and one house/backup) plus one Stealth Lithium Ion 36V battery.  It's a pricey setup, but I can tell you that the performance and on the run charging is fantastic.  I have never run down the 36V Lithium battery, even when using the trolling motor in heavy current and wind for hours.  Plus the one 36V lithium battery weighs less than 30 lbs!  So it's a weight savings right off the top of 1 at least 150 lbs and a footprint of only three total batteries.  The 36V Lithium battery is same size as a group 31 battery.  Over time the weight savings and longevity of the lithium battery/performance (5 year warranty and 10 year 'projected' life span) will pay for itself.

[Miss Jazzy]

Thanks for all the ideas but rite now I’m going to have to stay with the batteries I have for the tm. They are optima’s and less than two years old. I’ll get in there a do some measuring and see if I got room to move them closer together and add the fourth battery beside the rest. Looks tight. May have to go to a smaller cranking battery but I think that’ll be ok. I’ll order up some 1/2” starboard for support. My three bank charger is also new but I never had a charger on cranking battery on my last boat, it always stayed fully charged with the ACR. The whole point of adding it. 

[BradM]

On 5/27/2020 at 2:43 PM, Miss Jazzy said:

Thanks for all the ideas but rite now I’m going to have to stay with the batteries I have for the tm. They are optima’s and less than two years old. I’ll get in there a do some measuring and see if I got room to move them closer together and add the fourth battery beside the rest. Looks tight. May have to go to a smaller cranking battery but I think that’ll be ok. I’ll order up some 1/2” starboard for support. My three bank charger is also new but I never had a charger on cranking battery on my last boat, it always stayed fully charged with the ACR. The whole point of adding it. 

I just added a 5th battery to my HPS, and while I can’t speak to room on your boat, the 5th battery is for the amplifiers only. I opted for the Blue Seas 7610, no switch. I installed it between the house/crank and the amplifier. As you well know, it will charge when it senses a charge current and isolate when depleted beyond a specific point. The 7610 model has start interruption which is nice to keep from potentially surging the amps when cranking the engine, and no switch makes it mindless when I plug in my 4 bank.

I’m running an 800/8 and 600/1 off one group 27 (as of last Sunday) and it ran all day at the sandbar just fine...and the 45 miles to it and 45 miles back to the ramp. No help on your fitment issues, but a shot of encouragement on getting it all buttoned up and worry free for those extended days of loud music.  

[Miss Jazzy]

Thanks brad. That’s the assurance I needed. I only have one amp, m600 that’s bridged to a pair of 8.8’s and also running a pair of 7.7s. Do you think I’ll be better off hooking the amp to the house battery by itself and run the rest Of my electronics with the cranking battery? Or leave the cranking by itself. With the add a battery switch I can always “combine “ battery’s in case the cranker dies. 

[JPizzle]

I have the m400 and two speakers.  I am not sure how much more power usage your system uses, but I have never had an issue with running it off my starting battery while being at the sand bar all day. And alot of times the livewell is running too. Every hour or two I start the boat for 10 mins or so, but not always.  But had the trolling motor batteries as backup, considering if I am at the sandbar, I am not using the trolling motor at all.  

I am not a battery expert, but I feel it is the draw needed to start the engine that makes the gps say low voltage, even though the overall charge isnt low.  Kind of like my golf cart when running, my digital battery gauge might say 46 volts, but once you stop it jumps back up to 50 volts.  

[BradM]

I'm running 1,400 watts of amps, so I isolated them from everything else. I do have my pumps, etc. hooked to my cranking battery and my emergency start circuit (wired like Hobo's) is intact from the factory. I've never need it though, even when I had the 800/8 running off the same battery. I think you would be fine leaving your existing electronics on with the cranking battery, so long as you maintain an emergency start circuit. 

[P@thfinder]

On 5/27/2020 at 7:08 AM, JPizzle said:

I just recent added a 4th battery to my 2003 2200.  All 4 are group 31.  I used a piece of 3/4" starboard roughly 30" x 16" and they all sit behind the access panel.  I added a piece of roughly 1.5" x 1.5" aluminum angle to the front of the starboard as my original configuration of 1/2" pvc board with 3 batteries caused the floor to sag a little where the access panel is located.  I screwed the battery trays to the starboard and there is about an 1" gap between batteries.  Thet are parralel to the door if that makes sense.  They are tight, but they fit between the rod holders on the side.  Batteries are the Duracell 31.  I also have an optima 31 for starting that is a little smaller footprint if you wanted to go that route.  

I can add a picture later.  I put in a new noco gen4 charger and the nmea backbone for the trolling motor. Through bolted a  piece of 1/2" starboard on front wall of console and then  a 3/4" spacer behind the charger as when I set it up to test it, it got alot warmer then my old charger.  

JPizzle, I've got the same boat ('03, 2200) and have 3 trolling batteries under console and cranking battery in the starboard/stern hatch next to oil tank.  I'm thinking of putting another battery for my electronics (JL audio 500 watt amp, JL Radio, 9" Navionics GPS, VHF).   My thought is to put it in the stern/port side to balance things out... Did you put 4 batteries under the center console?  

[JPizzle]

Yes all 4 are in console. I was going to take some pictures last night but it was pouring when I got home. Will try to tonight. 

[JPizzle]

Hopefully these work. The optima is the starting and the Duracell are the trolling along with my backup battery 2. I have some zip tie work still to do once the nema is all hooked up on trolling motor. All group 31 size.  There is the black starboard with the aluminum angle across front. 
 

[TP13]

Very nice setup 

[Miss Jazzy]

Yes! That looks very nice and clean. I’ll be rearranging some batteries. 

[drumbeater]

I’m adding the Blue Sea ACR to my boat also. Mine has a Blue Sea 6011 switch standard, and the ACR is only another $80. I think it should come from the factory this way so both battery’s can charge off the engine when running. 

[Miss Jazzy]

I agree.

I installed mine yesterday. Still got to clean up the wiring but after 4-5 ours of in and out of that console I was done for the day! I ended up using 3/4” marine plywood for support of the four batteries. I also waterproofed it so it should last a long time. It doesn’t flex like starboard would plus it’s 1/4 of the price. 

[JPizzle]

Looks good.  You can still see some flex in the front that is why I added the alum angle. 

As much as I dont really enjoy working on stuff like this in the console, I do enjoy knowing pretty much what everything does.  I redid all of the controllers / motor/ wiring on a golf cart we use for hunting, and I feel alot better now trouble shooting anything that might come up. 

[Miss Jazzy]

Actually the board is dead level. The floor however is bowed from the way it was with no support. 

[Bamaskeet]

I suggest you mount an aluminum angle underneath the floor to stiffen the saggy floor and keep the plywood from shifting.