Dual batteries, something doest seem right

[thegotoguyr]

I have two batteries and a perko 1 or2 or all or off switch. It is my understanding that one battery is a starting (cranking) battery and the other is a house( deep cycle) battery, which is what Ive got. When I installed my new batteries, the same way I got it when I bought the boat, the cables were all labeled I discovered that if I turn my switch to 1 only I have no powet to anything, house or starter and if I switch it to #2 I have power to everthing, stereo, water, lights, pump and starter.
I think one position should isolate the starter cicuit from the house circut or am I wrong. All last year I would leave the switch on all and didnt ever have any problems but that be because I was just having 2 batteris to draw from.
Now im wondering if the fix would be in the cables from the batteries or if it is wired incorrectly at the switch?
Thanks for reading

 

[bbwhitejr]

Here is the way I understand it...Makes no difference whether the switch is on 1 or 2-everything should work. In the "All" or "Both" position, everything still works. When in #1 position, you are only pulling from #1 battery-normally your cranking battery. When in position #2, you are only pulling from #2 battery-normally the house battery. In the "All" position, you are pulling from both. We stay on the hook quite a bit and I run on my #1 battery until we stop and then switch to #2 while we are anchored for the TV, stereo, fridge, lights, etc. Hope this helps.

Bennett

 

[Wylie_Tunes]

I have two batteries and a perko 1 or2 or all or off switch. It is my understanding that one battery is a starting (cranking) battery and the other is a house( deep cycle) battery, which is what Ive got. When I installed my new batteries, the same way I got it when I bought the boat, the cables were all labeled I discovered that if I turn my switch to 1 only I have no powet to anything, house or starter and if I switch it to #2 I have power to everthing, stereo, water, lights, pump and starter.
I think one position should isolate the starter cicuit from the house circut or am I wrong. All last year I would leave the switch on all and didnt ever have any problems but that be because I was just having 2 batteris to draw from.
Now im wondering if the fix would be in the cables from the batteries or if it is wired incorrectly at the switch?
Thanks for reading

Youve got 3 potential issues: 1) the switch isnt wired correctly. All loads, except the auto bilge, should be terminated to the common output post of the switch. In this manor, everything has power whether you have the switch in 1, 2 or BOTH. The only cables connected to the battery input posts, are the actual battery cables to the POS terminals of the batta. 2) the battery 1 is dead. 3) the ground cable is not connected to that suspect battery, so no power to the boat until you switch to #2 or BOTH.

 

[thegotoguyr]

Thanks for the input, think I have a bad switch.
I disconnected the batteries( which are both brand new interstates, checked with my vm) everything looked wired correctly, reconnected everything and it worked like it should so I was listening to the radio and when I pushed the switxh up the wall to mount it, bloop, everything cut out, after some messing about I can tell you it only happens when.switched to #1. Funny thing, when I hold the switch in the position where it cuts out I still have good continuity through the suspected wire. It does put some pressure on the terminals when mounted. I guess I could just leave my switch hanging, I guess not.

 

[thegotoguyr]

My second beer told me all I need to do is bend the end of the wire so that it does not put any pressure on the terminal on the switch.
I also realize this should have been in the electrical stuff thread, Third beer told me that.

 

[Wylie_Tunes]

My second beer told me all I need to do is bend the end of the wire so that it does not put any pressure on the terminal on the switch.
I also realize this should have been in the electrical stuff thread, Third beer told me that.

If you can manipulate the cable/terminal, such as bolting the switch back up, and the problem is induced, sounds like you have a bad switch. Seems as though the terminal has broke free from the switch housing. Rare but i guess not out of the question.

 

[thegotoguyr]

Although I am shocked and dissapointed that my beer lied to me, I got er fixed. There was no room/way to configure the cables any differently so I ended up opening the hole in the wall behind the switch a couple inches lower so the cables were able to come off with no added torque
Thanks again.