Battery switch position change

OldFart123

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Lake Sinclair, Ga
My Bennington has two batteries with the selection switch. All are located under the hinged top where a folding changing station used to be. To keep my batteries from running down I open the cover and reach in to turn the selector to zero. This cover is pretty heavy for the ladies and I’d love to find a way to move the selector switch to somewhere more assessable outside of the battery compartment. Any ideas on the easiest way to do this. I suspect this would involve buying longer cable but not sure which type.
Thanks
 
Longer cables for each battery as well. I’d like to move my batteries since both are on the helm side and make the boat lean to that side even when no one is on the boat. It can be done but my choices for relocation are not ideal since fuel system components run thru the other side compartments.

Good luck
 
Okay, I know I'm in the minority, but in forty years of boating, I've never touched my battery switch during the season. I guess I'm either very lucky or it's just my clean living... ;)
 
You are indeed lucky. My kids leave the radio switch on periodically and after a week it leaves me with two dead batteries. After this happens a few times the batteries are never the same.
 
I guess it helps that I'm the last person to exit the boat!
 
You are lucky or just living right or both. Someone once said it’s better to be good than lucky but being both is priceless!
I’ve had batteries go dead from parasitic drain and couldn’t be recharged.
I switch my batteries sometimes twice while I’m out just keep them up but again I’m running multiple amps and subs so my drain could be more than what you have. Considering adding solar charger somewhere on my trailer to trickle charge them right now for a winter project.
 
It was chagrinning when they kept running down the battery. I had a choice of being strict regarding the boats use or try to find a way to prevent it from happening. My solution was to force everyone to cut off the battery switch and utilize a charger fed by spring loaded extension cord. I simultaneously bought two new batteries and things work well. Only possible improvement would be to move the on/off switch out of the battery compartment.
 
I think you might be the first on this forum to move the switch. If you think about it, take some pictures because there are likely others that would want to do the same thing. Good luck and keep us posted!
 
My boat has the Fast Back so I’m interested in this thread and the parts you need to do this. Should just be longer cables to the batteries and you can find them already made up at all the auto parts stores and online.
 
My boat has the Fast Back so I’m interested in this thread and the parts you need to do this. Should just be longer cables to the batteries and you can find them already made up at all the auto parts stores and online.
All the cables I found it auto stores were a smaller diameter than what was Factory on my boat
 
You are indeed lucky. My kids leave the radio switch on periodically and after a week it leaves me with two dead batteries. After this happens a few times the batteries are never the same.
This is where a Blue Sea ACR is worth its weight in gold. Combines batteries when charging. Isolates when discharging to protect the starting battery. Everything is automatic. Switch is either on or off so no more 1 or 2 or 1+2.

I would highly recommend Bennington owners with two batteries to consider one - a few of us here have them and can confirm flawless operation.
 
This may be a silly question but will this work with a battery manager hooked up? Know it should work when charger is unhooked but I keep my manager plugged in when not using the boat for extended periods.
 
I don't see why not - the ACR simply controls the alternator voltage and where it goes (one or both) and isolates the starting when the house starts draining it down below a certain voltage. I'm not an electrician but I would think your tender is hooked up direct to your batts so this would not be impacted by the ACR in any way. But for sure it's a great question to ask an installer to make sure no issues.
 
I called Blue Sea and explained my situation and they said I still need to turn it off at the switch. Your explanation makes sense but the tech was certain this solution wouldn’t prevent a drained battery. Based on my layman’s knowledge your solution seems correct. Oh well!
 
Turning the switch off will prevent parasitic drain from depleting your batteries, an ACR will prevent your running accessories from pulling your batteries down to a point you can’t start your engine. Best way I can explain it.
If you plan to charge when not in use then to me it seems the only thing you need to add is the ACR, I don’t run one and don’t know their specifics so I could be wrong but it seems to me you wouldn’t need to bother with the switch hardly at all?
 
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