A boat’s electrical system starts with a battery that provides electricity to the boat. The system is usually 12 volt DC (direct current), but can be 6 volts, 12 volt or 24 volts depending on the number and type of batteries it designed the system for. In this article, the system being discussed is a 12-volt system.
The wiring in a boat is a two-wire system. One wire goes from the battery to the lamp or instrument to be used, and a second wire returns to the battery from the lamp or instrument to complete the circuit. In a DC system, electricity flows only in one direction. The electricity flows from the battery to the lamp and back to the battery. Each object used will have its own two wires, one to power it and one to send it back. This is a very simple explanation of the wiring of a boat.
The batteries used on a boat are of three basic types. They are a wet cell battery similar to that used in a car, a gel cell battery and an AGM (Absorbed-glass mat) battery. These types of batteries are rechargeable. The voltage and current rating give the capacity of the battery or the amount of electricity it can produce on the battery. The size of the pack is the physical size of the battery, the height, width and length. This allows you to choose the right size that will fit the space you have for the battery. The designation of the battery will be Deep Cycle or Cranking.
A deep cycle battery provides a steady current for a long period. A cranking battery can provide a high current for a short period to run an engine and start it, but it will not last long in continuous use like a deep cycle battery. Some batteries, such as AGM batteries, are often referred to as BOTH and are dual purpose batteries. Also often listed are data for sea start amps, cold start amps, and reserve capacity. These numbers tell you the response of the battery under load conditions and allow you to compare batteries of the same size to each other. The boat’s engine will determine the cranking amps needed to start the engine.
A wet cell battery usually has cells you can open and add water to. As the battery warms up during use, the water evaporates from the cells. We must always cover the cells with water and liquid acid or the battery will die. The acid doses do not evaporate, only the water, so water must be added regularly. These types of wet batteries must also be level, or the water-acid mixture will run out. Acid can destroy a lot of things if it escapes. To avoid having to add water, you can get sealed, leak-proof wet cell batteries. Gel Cell and AGM batteries are sealed and leak proof. It can store an AGM battery in any position and the discharge rate of the AGM type, when left unused, is better than that of wet cell and gel cell batteries.
The load to which the battery will be subjected will determine the type of marine battery needed. If it is to be used to start an engine and run a few electrical appliances, a starter battery will be fine. If it is to be used to power a trolling motor and other electronics, creating a constant drain for an extended period, a deep cycle battery will be needed. Dual purpose AGM batteries are becoming increasingly popular because they can handle both starting and loads. Another reason for their popularity is that they are sealed and can be stored and used in any position. AGMs are the first choice in the marine industry today.
Two or more batteries can be connected to get more power. If two batteries are used together, they must be identical. If the amperage is different between the batteries, one will be damaged. The way you connect the batteries together is important. If the two batteries are 12 volts and you connect the two + (positive) terminals together and the two - (negative) terminals together, the output between the + and - sides of the batteries will still be 12 volts, but the amperage will double. We call this parallel wiring.
If you connect the two together so that the + of one goes to the - of the other and connect the things you are powering to the free + terminal of one battery and the - terminal of the other battery, the output will be 24 volts, not 12, and the amps will remain the same. It’s like two batteries stacked in a flashlight. I said them to be wired in series.
A 6-volt battery has a higher amperage than a 12-volt battery of the same size. By wiring two 6-volt batteries in series, you can get a 12-volt power supply with higher amperage than a single 12-volt battery. The two batteries don’t have to work as hard to do the same job as a single 12-volt battery. That’s why most golf carts use 6-volt batteries. It’s nice to have these options.
There are different battery charging systems. A multi-stage automatic charging system is the best. Since marine batteries are more expensive than car batteries, this type of system will charge the battery without overcharging it. Many systems will detect the type of battery you have and choose the right charging method. This will help the battery last longer.
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We can use a car battery on a boat, but a battery designed for the marine industry can give you better service. We manufacture them to meet the charging requirements of a boat, are usually sealed and leak-proof, and are often of the dual-purpose, deep-cycle, high-charge type. AGM batteries are the boater’s choice. They provide premier power with very low internal resistance compared to conventional batteries, and they last twice as long as conventional batteries.
