12volt battery and trolling motor

[Olgrey]

My boat has a 12 volt trolling motor and the battery(1) does not last long in wind. If I install a second 12 volt battery and connect them in parallel, positive to positive and negative to negative, is there any advantage to having a cutoff switch between them and only using the first one until it gets weak? Is it better to use the current from both at the same time? I do not have any experience in this area. Thanks for any information!

[wannabe fisherman]

My boat has a 12 volt trolling motor and the battery(1) does not last long in wind. If I install a second 12 volt battery and connect them in parallel, positive to positive and negative to negative, is there any advantage to having a cutoff switch between them and only using the first one until it gets weak? Is it better to use the current from both at the same time? I do not have any experience in this area. Thanks for any information!

use both at the same time if wired parallel. otherwise you'd just be carrying 2 batteries. If you run one down then switch to both the first would pull the second one down, sort of level off current so to speak.

[Drifty4]

If you use the first one and then turn on the second one, the first one will try to drain power from the second like it was a charger.

Use them together. They will last longer.

[Drifty4]

Good morning Wannabe.