I'm going to install a new Battery Charger today and have a question --

1> Can I wire the charger to the Battery Switches--on the battery side of switch rather than connecting directly to the battery?

The manual is a little ambiguous on wiring and confusion factor is a temperature sensor they say is in wire from charger to each battery. I'm wondering if it really senses temp enough to add value and if it will be functional by connection throu the switch..

The wires on charger aren't long enough to get directly to battery posts without wither outting charger on engine compartment which I'd prefer to avoid becasue of hazard and it would make indicators invisible unless hatch is open.

Thanks

I would wire it to the battery switch that way you can charge either or both battery's .

Just my opinion, but I don't think it really matters whether you connect the charger to the battery or to the battery switch. It's not clear to me why you wouldn't want the charger in the engine compartment. If you really want to read what the charger's doing, you could wire a voltmeter or ammeter for that matter into the system and mount the guage up front. Just my .02

If the cables have thermistors in them (for temp reading) then you can't cut them or extend them (I've not seen any done this way, I'm familiar with the SEPARATE temp sensors you stick on the side of the battery case...).

If the charger is "bilge rated" then you can put it in the engine compartment. No reason not to. If it is a 3 stage electronic charger, then you don't need to "watch the meters", just leave it turned on, especially if it has temp sensing.

I assume this is a multi bank charger... If so, then you must wire it to either the batteries themselves (which is the way it is usually done) or to the BATTERY SIDE of the switches. You do NOT want to wire it to a place where you can switch the battery out of the charging loop.

I have always wired mine directly to the battery. Just finished mine last week for the new boat.

If you plan to just put it on for one week a month, then Harbor Freight has a decent Battery Tender for about $10.

I've had good luck with the Pro-Mariner staged unit for boats plugged in all the time.