Adding a battery bank

[Esquire]

I am thinking about adding a dedicated house battery bank instead of the single bank that both starts the engines and runs the house supply. Anyone ever do this themselves? How hard is it?

[Maximillion]

Esquire,

What size boat do you have?

[Esquire]

I have a 2000 360 convertible.

[Esquire]

Aw, c'mon... I cannot believe that I am the only one who has thought of, or tried to add a second bank of batteries to a Luhrs???? Dont tell me I am going to have to HIRE someone to help me!:dunno:

[Maximillion]

Esquire,

There is a lot of things that have to be thought out in order to make this happen.

1. First you need to decide how much do you want this battery to run. Electronics, 12V etc.

2. You will need a battery switch and fuses.

3. You need to determine what size wire you have to use to cover the amount of output you are going to be generating.

4. Then you need to run the wiring from the battery to the Main Distibution Panel.

5. You need to decide if you want it hooked up into the battery charging sytem.

6. If so, Then you might have to get a different battery Charger that can carry more than 2 or 3 batteries.

7. Then you have to reconfigure the we he system is wired now and change that so you are not pulling any power from the batteries use to start the engines.

How is that for starters.::blink:

[Esquire]

Maximillion,
Thanks for the reply. The set up would essentially be two type 27 deep cell batteries, one for each of the two 12 volt sides on the panel, like it is now but just splitting the starting batteries off of the system. I know I would need a different battery charger to handle a total of four batteries, an isolator, and switch, I guess my issue is how to split off the house batteries from the starting batteries. Are any of the current model Luhrs designed with dedicated house batteries? If so can one get a schematic of the wiring? I do realize that I just MIGHT be over my head here...:(

[bimini_tom]

Maybe I don't know what you are talking about but my 2004 36 Luhrs SX has a "house" battery that runs the bridge electronics. It seems to be a simpler setup than you guys are talking about. It has a breaker on the main pannel, has a battery switch and a 50 amp fuse (that I put in) inches from the battery. This set up came with the boat. When and if I remember to look, I will look at the schematic and see if it shows clearly enough to scan and send to you.

[dnkstarr]

I find the battery charger on my 360 is more than ample to run the house stuff and keep the battries charged. Or the two alternators when I am running or fishing will do the same.
If I may ask, what is you thinking on the addition of extra battries? Not a bad idea I am just wondering.

[Esquire]

The type of boating I do at times puts a strain on the combined house and starting battery system the boat came with, I fish on the Great Lakes, we troll with only one engine for at times the greater part of the day, I hate trolling with the gen on unless I am running the air conditioning, so there is reduced charging capacity to keep the batteries charged up. Also we perch fish, either anchored or drift with no engines on, or if the fishing sucks then we drop anchor off the beach and go swimming. Several times had a close calls having enough juice to start the engines after running the batteries down, with a seperate house circuit I would never have to worry about getting stuck.