I have an 88 242LS with factory dual batteries. Currently, both batteries are cranking. I would like to set the boat up with one "house" and one "cranking" battery.

I would only need the house for anchoring and running two small cabin fans, however, I am concerned with killing that battery while sleeping. I don’t know much about house batteries and would like some suggestions/experience. Would it be wiser to have two cranking run in parallel and two house run in parallel and flip the factory switch depending on if I am starting the motor or using the fans?

Eventually I would like to add shore power only to charge the batteries and was looking for a suggested battery charger to use. My understanding is I would need a dual one for the house and for the cranking batteries?

Thanks for all the help.

Jed

Jed,

how are ya? hows that pretty boat doing?? I have no idea to your answer other then I have never killed the batteries on any of our Formula's and the current 303 I even run a fridge for 4/5 hours w/o worries, as far as a charger, i'd say buy a trickle charger and adapter and carry on,, just my opinion thou,

hope all is well havent seen u on here in a while

Sam

You could get a couple dual purpose deep cycle/starting batteries. when your on anchor just put selector on 1 battery then if it happens to die you still have battery 2. You can then switch back once running and charge with the alternator or with the battery charger once you get back.

This is what I do although I've never killed it, a good marine battery has lots of juice

Would it be possible to run 2 cabin fans off one battery for a night of sleeping?

Do you have any suggestions on batteries or a batter charger for shore power?

Thanks.

Jed

I have run a cabin fan all nite a just a small one that plugs into the lighter if that`s what you mean. I would think as long as one of your batteries is a deep cell you would be fine.

Suggestions for a battery?

I would just go grab a couple a decent dual purpose starting/deep cycle batteries (correct group size to fit your battery holder). Should be a 100 dollars apiece or so. I wouldn't over think it too much.

If you have an amp meter you could turn on everything you plan to run. Say it is 8 amps and you buy a battery with a 120Amp hour capacity, then you have 15 hours of use on that battery. Thats only a general guide.

A deep cycle will have better longevity but weaker starting power and a starting battery is the opposite. Thats why I would recomend a dual purpose. If you had a large cruiser you might want to consider a bank of house batteries, for a 24' performance boat I would stay with a 2 battery set-up, just my opinion.

I went to Sears they were close and a decent price, I think one is a cranking battery and the other is a deep cell group 24 size.

This will sound like a silly question, but with the exisitng stock dual battery setup can I keep the one cranking and replace the other cranking with a cranking/deep hybrid so I can switch between the two depending on what I am doing?

Thanks again everyone!!!

Jed

Yeah you can, I just wouldn't run the selector on "both" as the batteries will be different.