One battery - start and house

[lachanpb]

Looking to get comments from anybody using a single battery for all on board electrical requirements. I had a house and start battery on my sailboat being charged with a honda 9.9 electric start. Worked fine.
Moved from a sailboat to a zodiac classic 3.8m
And using the same outboard . I want to charge the batterie and use the battery for a trolling motor while fishing and then use the outboard to get from A to B.

[jonp]

Frig me I've just spent 20 mins posting something up only to have it dissopear again on me. Now the short version.

Over 40 years of boating, yet to have a flat battery or need to flip the switch over to my second battery. Fishing at night I use the waterproof led flood lights which seem to last for several nights and charge in under two hours.

Even though I do remote trips in the top section of Australia island hoping I now no longer bother with dual battery setups.

My Nav lights are run by rechargeable battery's and last many days, I can also charge them easely from my single boat battery. By using these Nav lights on an extendable pole above my centre console the light doesn't interfere with my field of view as front fixed Nav lights do. https://www.railblaza.com/products/ips-light-2/

My emergancy battery is a simple easy to carry lightweight jumper pack that will also power or charge anything else I have onboard Batteries Direct. This battery pack has been used to start other boats at sea as well as 4x4s with flat battery's at the boat ramp. This style is also used by marine rescue groups over here as they are simply so easy to pass over to people in with battery problems offshore.

I'm about to embark on a trip where I will be away from civalization for a week where I will need to carry water and fuel for the length of my stay (600km trip island hoping the barrier reef 70km offshore). Knowing I have my starter pack incase I have any battery problems either onboard or when back at the ramp with my tow vehicle gives me piece of mind. By the way I've also done away with the dual battery system in my 4x4 as well.

[lachanpb]

Thanks appreciate the response and the confidence that I can go that route. I have seen the jumper packs and will take a look at them also. Outboard can be started manually so no crisis if battery power is lost. I like the nav lights kit. Looks like I can get them from our marine supplier here via mail order.

[paintman]

Originally Posted by jonp

Frig me I've just spent 20 mins posting something up only to have it dissopear again on me.

I often find when making a long post that it disappears when I press 'enter' & the site asks me to log in again.
Presumably something to do with lack of activity & an automatic log out after a set period.
I now copy the post to the laptop so if it disappears I just need to log in again & paste the reply.

I too run everything - starter, lights (rarely used) radio & fishfinder/GPS (Dragonfly 7) off one large leisure battery.
I carry a smaller battery (012) as a spare but have yet to use it in anger on my own boat - although I did check that it was capable of starting my engine!

[jonp]

Originally Posted by lachanpb

Thanks appreciate the response and the confidence that I can go that route. I have seen the jumper packs and will take a look at them also. Outboard can be started manually so no crisis if battery power is lost. I like the nav lights kit. Looks like I can get them from our marine supplier here via mail order.

My railblaza light is this older model, I've been more than happy with it for the past two years.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_wrUXMgxWE

[Siochair]

If I may be the voice of caution here...
Is your trolling motor electric? If so you may be better off with a separate battery for it. It all depends on the current draw of your motor, the likely length of time you will use it for against the safe usable capacity of your boat battery.
Just running lights etc is one thing but electric motors can have a fairly large draw from a battery so you would have to be careful not to run the battery below the levels needed to start the petrol motor unless you are happy pull starting that.

[beamishken]

If the 9.9 Honda has a rope start too I don't see the problem you already have your back up starter and it's not like it's going to be difficult to start

[willk]

Originally Posted by Siochair

If I may be the voice of caution here...
Is your trolling motor electric? If so you may be better off with a separate battery for it. It all depends on the current draw of your motor, the likely length of time you will use it for against the safe usable capacity of your boat battery.
Just running lights etc is one thing but electric motors can have a fairly large draw from a battery so you would have to be careful not to run the battery below the levels needed to start the petrol motor unless you are happy pull starting that.

The OP cab pullstart his engine, but I'd echo your sentiments about the capacity of the battery. I suspect that the electric AUX will drain off more power than a 10hp engine can happily recharge in a relatively short time while returning to port. A heavily drained battery will suffer if it is not deep cycle. Personally, I'd take a small purpose specific battery out for the trolling job and leave the main battery alone.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by willk

The OP cab pullstart his engine, but I'd echo your sentiments about the capacity of the battery. I suspect that the electric AUX will drain off more power than a 10hp engine can happily recharge in a relatively short time while returning to port. A heavily drained battery will suffer if it is not deep cycle. Personally, I'd take a small purpose specific battery out for the trolling job and leave the main battery alone.

Surely starting a 9.9 engine wouldn't be a big enough load to harm a deep cycle battery anyway? He could probably use a deep cycle as his main battery and hand start the 9.9 if it goes so flat that it won't start it.
I agree the outboard won't fully charge the battery in a short time but it will put a little in and if it needs charged when home it's no different to charging a stand alone deep cycle anyway.

[lachanpb]

The battery will be a marine deep cycle rated for the eletric trolling motor.
Trolling motor will be low end power . From a friends setup . We can run a trolling motor on a full charge bat for two days without a charge. Aprx 4 x 3 hr trolling with speed at the lowest setting . On small lakes that are protected from the wind.

Just wondering if I should regulate the outboard alt before charging the bat. Honda manual shows direct connetion. Last boat i just had a combiner and direct connection.

[beamishken]

If it's an electric start outboard all you need do is connect to the battery it will have a built in regulator

[jeffstevens763@g]

Just a question why not troll with the outboard?

[lachanpb]

Mostly for noise and pollution , I am on pristine rivers and lakes surrounded by wilderness.
Shutting down unnecessary noise lets you experience the woods while you wait for the line to go taught .