2-alternators-1 starting battery

This is my first post and from what I’ve seen you have some very experienced boaters/fisherman as members. I’m installing 9.9 kicker W/12 amp alternator. Currently have 3 battries- 2 for electric troller and added electronics/not tied in to main engine- 1 for main engine and factory electronics. Will I need a switch or an isolator to tie the kicker into the main starting battery? Are ther any issues if both motors are running? Can I tie The kicker into the trolling batteries and get them to charge evenly? Open to any other suggestions you might have.

Welcome Marcus1. You’ll love this site. Unfortunately, I can’t help with your question, but somebody will soon !!!

big g

welcome marcus, this is a good site

Marcus

I can`t answer the question of running both motors charging the same battery. Must be away to do it some deisel pickups have dual alternators.

I am not sure I can explain how I set my Lund up. If I could draw it, it would be easier.

I run two trolling motor batteries and a starting battery. My trolling motors are 24 volt. I used four prong 220 volt male and female plugs. Each four prong female plug is wired with seperate + and – from each battery, total four wires from batteries two from each. That way I have 12 volts and 24 at each plug. I took one male plug and wired it inside so when I plug it in I have 12 volts from both batteries. Essentialy hooking both batteries to run twelve volts together. I then put a power panel with two female connectors and charging posts in the rear, which one side of the female connectors is connected to my starting battery, and the other side is connected to one side of my 220 volt female and to one trolling battery. I then have jumper wires with male connectors on each end. When I charge my trolling motor batteries I put the four prong internal wire plug in into one of the female plug ins and hook my charger to my terminals on my power panel. If I need to charge my starting battery then I plug in my jumper plug and charge all three. If I want to charge all three batteries off the main engine then I plug in my jumpers just like charging all three.

The reason I set it up this way ( took a little figuring out how to do it ) Is I was fishing the river one night and a barge was coming up river. The main engine battery for some reason went dead. The current was so strong the trolling motor wasn`t getting me out of the way. So there I sit trying to rip out the starting battery and trolling motor battery to switch them to get the main engine started. Got her started that barg was dam near on top of me. I really thought I was a goner.

With this setup all I would of needed to do is unplug my trolling motors and plug my jumpers in and away I go. Between the three batteries I can always get the main motor started.

Thanks Tom
I think I’ll try something like that using my 4-wire trolling motor outlet-if the wiring is heavy enough. Using my trolling batteries to jump my starting battery will be simple. Already have a 3-bank charger so I won’t need to do it like you did. Still didn’t get my original questions answered. Maybe I’ll try Walleye Central.

Most anglers with an electric start kicker will run both sets of leads, a positive and negative coming from each motor, to the main starting battery. I personally have never heard or seen anyone do differently and I’ve had 3 different electric start kicker motors with alternators charging back into the main starting battery at the same time the main motor was running without any issues.

Thanks for the help. This is a great site.