Dual battery problem

southbayboarder · Newbie Joined: 13 Mar 2003 Posts: 39 City: Milpitas

I have a boat with dual batteries and an isolator. One battery is operates all the vital functions including the ignition, bilge blower, bilge pump & gauges. The other battery operates the stereo, lights, ballast pumps and power point. Well before I took it out for the first time I checked out everything and it looked fine. I was able to run my stereo and othe electrical componetes in my driveway without the motor running. I went to the lake turned key and the motor and nothing happened. I realized I still had the main battery disconnnected and connected it. Now my auxilery commponets only work when I have the engine running. Does anyone have any idea what I broke? Is this just a circuit breaker I need to flip?

Tim Krasin · Outlaw Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Posts: 104 City: Houston, TX

Try resetting the circuit breakers for the accessories in the boat - usually under the dash. When you reconnected the main battery, you possible sent a spike to the accessories.

X-Star · Soul Rider Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Posts: 253

I have the two battery option on my boat, and they are both hooked up together to run everything on my boat. There is a standard marine grade battery swich located by my batteries to select either number 1 battery, number 2 battery, or both. I'm not sure if that is a better way to hook them up, but you might want to take that into consideration. I posted a picture of the switch for you. They switches or only about 30 bucks and you can get them at your local boat store. If you do this, you might not run into problems like what you are having. Hope that helps.