3 Battery wiring question

[Diablo243]

For those running 3 batteries, how are you wiring them (specifically house batteries). Are you hues running 2 - 6v batteries in series(like my RV is set up)? 2 - 12v parallel? Or leave them stand alone? In addition are you adding a third battery switch or running both off the 1 house switch? Thanks in advance!

 

[Dixie Highway]

If it were me, I'd have 2-12v batteries in parallel wired to the house switch, and leave the 1-12v as a start battery. Not much reason to put 2-6v in series.

 

[Diablo243]

Thanks, this is what I was thinking but like I said my RV is set up with dual 6V house batteries, wasn't sure if people did that on these boats for space-saving at all. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Dixie Highway]

Make sure your house batteries are deep cycle, starting battery can be a regular cranking battery.

 

[Bluewater272]

1 12V cranking lead acid battery for start, pair of 12V AGM Deep Cycle for house, wired in parallel.

 

[CraigAR]

When hooking up the 2 house batteries in parallel do you put the systems negative and positive on separate batteries. I know to run + to + and - to - to get parallel but I was thinking to hookup the boats neg to 1 battery and the boat pos to the other battery in parallel. Would this be correct to get both batteries to drain at the same time?

 

[CraigAR]

Bump

 

[Diablo243]

Found this on a solar site for battery wiring:
IMPORTANT: In parallel systems, always pull your main cables from opposite corners of the battery bank! (as in the above drawings)This way all the batteries are charged and discharged equally. Disappointing performance and premature battery failure await those that don't heed this simple rule.