Bowrider dual battery location

T

Tony G 180

New Member
Aug 7, 2018
4
Boat Info
1999 sea ray br180. 2016 GMC Sierra all terrain
Engines
3.0 alpha one
hey everyone, I’m new to the group. I’m prepping my Bowrider for the season and I’m trying to figure out the best way to mount my second battery. Whether it be next to the original battery or on the port side compartment above the gas tank. Basically I don’t know if I can put a screw down into the fiberglass floor or if I should put it into the plywood above the tank. Any info would be helpful! Thanks! also if this has already been a thread, feel free to point me in the right direction
 

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Stuck mine in that little cooler box location under the far rear seat just in front of the current battery.
 
Could you rotate the original hold down and then place the 2nd one right next to it?

You might have to move/slide the wire bundle out of the way to give yourself enough room.

Are you going to wire the two batteries together or run them separately?
 
My 185 has two batteries, each in the same place as your STB battery. I think I would put them on opposite sides on a small boat like these. As far as the screws holding the tray in place, these boats have a hull liner so it is pretty thick. Pull a screw out of the existing tray, go with the same size and you should be fine.
 
It's tough in smaller boats. With your fuel tank where it is, it pretty much negates using that spot behind the port jump seat. There are USSCG regulations regarding how close to a fuel tank or fittings a battery can be placed.

If you just want redundancy, get a small jump pack - those new Lithium ones will have MORE than enough power to start a little 4-banger.

If you want it for running the radio when the engine is off... you might do best to just get a portable bluetooth speaker and use your phone.
 
Little Ducky said:
Could you rotate the original hold down and then place the 2nd one right next to it?

You might have to move/slide the wire bundle out of the way to give yourself enough room.

Are you going to wire the two batteries together or run them separately?
Click to expand...
Thank you, I ended up putting it in front of the other battery on the lower level. There wasn’t enough room to put it next to the other one.
 

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Just ordered this dual battery tray to go along with this Add-a-Battery Mini Kit to be able to run the stereo and house accessories on a separate battery in my 185BR. The battery in this 1998 in the port-side aft compartment, which looks like it has jussssst enough space to fit the two batteries. Only issue is I'm going to have to remove the carpeted-wood transom baffle every time I want to take the batteries out of the boat. I'm thinking about replacing the screws for that baffle with some quick-clips or something that makes that process easier. >>>thinking, thinking<<<
 
This low voltage alert/cut-off switch has worked well for several years now. I throw the lithium jump pack into the boat if there could be an issue. If you are going with 2 batteries, the best dual battery switches will keep the deselected battery charged. Boats and skiers get older and find it harder to get on the plane and the weight of a battery in the stern doesn't help. There could be room in the bow anchor locker but the electrical cable route is not easy. http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/to-go-to-two-batteries-or-not.98066/#post-1132519
 
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Tommo, what you ordered is perfect. Although, unless you're using group 27 batteries, you might want to get smaller trays. You can get group 24 DC batteries. It is super tight in that space! You don't really have much in the way of "house" loads on a little boat so it's really just the stereo use. Truth is, you can run that stereo, easily, for a number of hours and still have plenty of juice to start the engine on the same battery... meaning, you really could be just fine with one battery and then just carry a jump pack as backup. BUT... that's a conversation and not why you posted :)

I think you're over thinking the necessity of making easy access to the batteries by redesigning the transom bulkhead... which still needs to be secure enough to support the jump seats, of course... you ONLY need to remove/install the bulkhead, at most, one time a year. Remove it in the fall, leave it loose, reinstall in the spring. Besides, it only takes about 10 minutes to remove it. PLUS, you really don't even have to remove the batteries for the winter. Either run an extension cord to the boat and use a portable charger over the winter hooked up all the time OR charge the batteries up in the fall then just take the negative leads off the batteries and leave them off. The batteries will be PERFECTLY fine and will start the engine up just fine in the spring.

FYI, aside from not having enough room in your anchor locker... spending $$ on battery cables... and then not having a good place for the anchor, installing a battery that far forward is a bad idea. The bow sees too much "bouncing" and it's highly likely you'll shorten the life of the battery.
 
Batteries should be checked monthly. Big nuisance and should be able to look straight down into them despite the ravages of age.
If you were putting a battery into bow, I would cross the cables over in engine compartment and run them up starboard side. This was my experience running wires up each side for electric anchor project.
In that project, I had to remove the hardware from the anchor hatch and permanently secure it as it became the base for a MiniKota electric anchor. The image is solely to demonstrate the size of the well. Might have to go to a smaller Group.
[The crude cedars blocks do not reflect my usual craftsmanship and I replaced the split one.]
index.php
 
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Arminius said:
Batteries should be checked monthly. Big nuisance and should be able to look straight down into them despite the ravages of age.
If you were putting a battery into bow, I would cross the cables over in engine compartment and run them up starboard side. This was my experience running wires up each side for electric anchor project.
Click to expand...
Doesn't the plywood interfere with the "anchor project"?
 
Lazy Daze said:
Tommo, what you ordered is perfect. Although, unless you're using group 27 batteries, you might want to get smaller trays. You can get group 24 DC batteries. It is super tight in that space! You don't really have much in the way of "house" loads on a little boat so it's really just the stereo use. Truth is, you can run that stereo, easily, for a number of hours and still have plenty of juice to start the engine on the same battery... meaning, you really could be just fine with one battery and then just carry a jump pack as backup. BUT... that's a conversation and not why you posted :).
Click to expand...

Thanks, Dennis! I'm running 24 DC batteries but could only find the dual battery tray in the 27 size. Seems like it will fit nicely in the back compartment there, so outside of the batteries not fitting perfectly in the tray, I think it should work.

I'm going a little nuts with the upgrades on my first boat here... (98 185BR). Adding a swim platform next week, which along with the extra battery, will certainly be extra weight in the back. Planning on adding some passive trim tabs to help a bit with that, and maybe a 4 blade prop for a better hole shot if needed. Frankly, I've been a little scared of the super-high top end of this little boat (52MPH), as it feels more like a jet ski at that speed - meaning, one false move and you're shooting people off the sides of the boat. Especially with the low gunwales on this 185. So I'm okay with some extra weight and possibly losing some top end (if... no, let's say "when..." I change out the prop).

So as you might imagine, I've got plans to add a small amp and subwoofer to the new head unit & 4 speakers I just put into the boat. I'm a little leery of the fact I've got a 55A alternator (and the 65A Add-a-Batt Kit), but I don't think it will matter too much if I add a 40A amplifier since - as you said - I don't have much draw from the house accessories on this little boat otherwise.

BTW, what boat are you running right now? I'd love to hear the story of your Sea Ray journey. Seems like you appreciate this age/era of their sport boats. I certainly do! Just wish I would have found a 210/220/230 instead of the 185. This 18' just seems a littlllllle small for my taste. Especially with the lower gunwales.
 
I guess you could add a sandbag or two in the anchor locker to counterweight the extra battery. My impression is this would be effective as the boat seems to rock on to the plane from a fulcrum point towards the stern giving the sandbag extra leverage.
 
techmitch said:
Doesn't the plywood interfere with the "anchor project"?
Click to expand...
I got a 2nd boat with a "C" rating for Canadian coastal waters winds to Force 6, up to 27 knots, and significant seas 7 feet high so the plywood can be repurposed.
 
Tommo said:
…

Planning on adding some passive trim tabs to help a bit with that, and maybe a 4 blade prop for a better hole shot if needed. Frankly, I've been a little scared of the super-high top end of this little boat (52MPH), as it feels more like a jet ski at that speed - meaning, one false move and you're shooting people off the sides of the boat. Especially with the low gunwales on this 185. So I'm okay with some extra weight and possibly losing some top end (if... no, let's say "when..." I change out the prop).
Click to expand...

I purchased a set of smart tabs for my 200OV that I didn’t install because of transom shape required a fiberglass project. Shoot me a PM if you’d be interested in them.
 
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