Thread: Onboard charger question

Nice set up Tommy, got her laid out nice. I would like to suggest that you start with a 2 bank mounted up front somewhere and just worry about those 2 batteries up front. Really shouldn't have to worry about the cranking battery most of the time unless you leave something on. Looks like from your set up the only thing you have it doing is cranking big motor and bilge pump. If you have a trickle charger and go out of town you could carry it along just in case or buy a inexpensive single onboard later. If you chose to do a 3 bank I would run some 6 gauge wire from rear battery to charger connection. The idea being to make the charger think it is hooked directly to the battery. Smaller wire equals more restinse equals charger thinking it needs to charge more to the battery and could result in burning up battery or charger bank.

I have a 24' pontoon with batteries at both ends of boat. I purchased a ProMariner two bank and the ProMariner 15' extension. Extension is a little pricey, around $30, but is of very good quality and it has its own fuses. I located the charger so that one of the cables reached the front battery and then attached the extension to reach to the rear battery. I've had this set up for two years with no problems.