OK, now a battery switch question...
 

How did Powerplay set up their battery switches? I know every other boat out there, it is recommended to run the boat with one switch on 1 and one switch on 2 (which runs each motor off it's own battery), unless you own a Cigarette. Cigarettes are wired so that with both switches on 1, each motor is powered off it's own battery. Does anyone know for sure on this one?

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

I also was wondering about this. My boat has three batteries. I am assuming one battery runs the stereo/aux??

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

I have 3 batts, 3 engines, I run them all on Both. Works so far.???

Maybe ED can enlighten us. ED you out there?

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

Ed seems to be MIA - I'm hoping he gets back sometime soon to answer a couple questions. I talked to John Tomlinson about the batteries and he agreed with running the one battery on 1 and the other on 2 if the boat was wired that way... but....wasn't sure if Powerplay set it up this way or did it like Cigarette which he confirmed is wired differently. He said that if you see two parallel leads between switches, that should mean the batteries are wired in the 1 on one motor, 2 on another. If there is a single parallel lead, most likely they are wired like Cigarette, where the 1 switch on the port means 1 battery on the port side is for the port engine, and the 1 switch on the starboard means 1 battery on the starboard side is for the starboard engine. I guess if all else fails, I run on both like everyone has done forever, and everything should work fine, but I am curious. It sounds like by using the switches the correct way, you build in a little bit more of a safety margin against having dead batteries.

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

Can you tell with the pic I posted?

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

I am no electrical engineer, but yours looks just like mine (except for the third switch), which I suspect has one switch set for one side, and 2 for the other. I am going to try screwing around with it some this weekend and see if I can figure it out.

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I would love to hear the answer to this also.

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

Try posting this in the Tech forum, you'll get more hits than in this forum.

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

One battery works each motor. If you shut one switch off, you get no power to that corresponding engine. Electronics seems to be connected to starboard switch on my boat. I don't understand what the switch positions are for. 1, 2, all?? How should you have them while running the boat, then conserve the other battery while anchored and listening to the stereo.

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

I just posted this in the tech section, so we'll see what happens. My electronics are also all fed off the starboard switch (which I assume is fed off the starboard battery). I haven't tried starting the engines yet using the different positions. Active- did you actually start the motors and try different switch positions?

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Trial and error is always the best method...no juice..no spark!!

Hey JROMY:

Check this site out...some good clips...

http://www.floridaoffshorerace.com/Links.html

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

It would make sense to me that there is battery #1 and battery #2. If the starboard switch is set to battery 1, thats which batter is being used. If both switches are on battery 1, then both engines are using the same battery, and visa versa and so on. I just would like confimation that this is corrrect.

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

That is what makes sense to me also - unless the boat is wired like a Cigarette. In that case, setting one switch to 1 and the other to 2 would mean they were both running off the same battery....someone out there must know!!

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I hope not, that wouldn't make sense to me.

So with our set up do you run both switches on both so everything gets charged, then switch starboard switch to 1 and port off so the stereo doesn't drain battery 2?

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

That's where I was headed with this whole thing. I've read in some other posts that running with both switches on both can occasionally "fool" the system, so you could have a dead battery, but the alternator is picking up the one that's charged, so it stops charging and you don't know the one is bad, etc., etc. On Cigarette's, they actually warn you that running on both can do damage. I know plenty of guys who always run on both in boats other than Cigarettes, and have certainly not blown anything up, but I'd just rather do it the right way. If all else fails, I have a friend who is a 747 mechanic, so I figure I'll get him out there with his volt meter and he'll be able to tell me.

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

JROMY:

I was just going to say...grab the Volt meter and you should know everything... Kind of a pain in the butt.

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I was being lazy...

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

I'd help hold the volt meter but electricity and I don't get along.

Wait til you see my doo rags for the boat this summer!

With all this damn rain, I wish I had an ARK!!

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

I just sent a PM to ED, he was a PP employee and will definately know the answer.......now all we have to do is wait for his reply :D


Thank ED!!

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

I've recieved a few more E-mails lately, begging for more "Powerplay Info". Love to help when someone has a question. We wired the Cole-Hershee brand battery switches in a twin installation, with the starboard switch to be placed in the "1" position. The port switch to be placed in the "2" position. A lot of customers put them in the "BOTH" positions, simply because they just could'nt remember which went where. Since PP's very beginning, I always bought the Cole-Hershee's & they all had the extra field disconnect feature. This protects the engines alternators, by not blowing their diodes, whenever a customer would switch battery positions while the engine(s) are still running, which is a no-no. The accessory battery(or "house" battery), was almost always the starboard battery. On the rare occasion that a third battery was ordered(an option usually requested/needed by the stereo fanatics), this became the power for just the extra electronics, amps, etc...Note: As these boats have more & more birthdays...mechanics sometimes get in there & modify things like wiring, etc...So each boat for now on, could be different. Hope this helps clear up some ???'s. Ed :)

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

Thanks ED :drink:

ED for the Powerplay fan club President :D

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

Thanks ED!! We're going to start having to pay you consulting fees :D

A couple other questions on the batteries:

1) I found the breakers under the rear seat to apparently kill the hatch lift. Is that all they are for? If both batteries somehow die, is there an easy way to get the hatch open to charge them?

2) If I have to jump the boat, or charge the batteries, what is the procedure? Where do I connect the leads, and what setting should both switches be on?

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

bring a battery into the cabin area behind the dash switches, use alligator clips to give 12v to the up button.

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

Ed,
Thanks. So after running the boat with starboard in 1 and port on 2, when stopped at the beach running stereo with amps, since each switch is independend of each other the stereo or electonic equipment will not drain battery 2?? and there is no reason to shut one battery off??
And, if starboard switch is switched to 2 does that mean it will draw off battery 2 to start??

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

JROMY:

I bought a 12V socket and connected it to the main battery that operates the engine hatch. I then bought the Husky Jump-Start system with 12V connector at Home Depot. It has a 12v to 12v connector and all I need to do is connect the plug and flip the switch.

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

Actually...This is exactly how the we accomplished this in the shop. The riggers best friend was/is a Makita battery drill. Just carry in a 9.6 volt or 12 volt battery from one of these battery operated tools, hold two pieces of scrap wire onto both of the battery contacts with one hand(you won't get shocked) & touch the contacts with the other ends of the wires to the back of the "UP" hatch switch. The up & down E.A.O. push-button hatch switches have exposed screw terminals & are on the lower vertical helm wall & easily accessible inside the "hotbox", as we called it. This trick was also convienent when needing to move a trailer that would'nt move, due to having electric brakes that were locked up, when not connected to a vehicle. ActiveFun is on the right track. Ed :)

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This definitely works as well! :eureka: ...Ed

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Correct, on all of the above. Ed :)

Re: OK, now a battery switch question...
 

As always, THANKS Gar!