I should know this but am old and forgetfull. I have a windlass battery in the bow by the windlass(was there when I bought the boat so will stay there). I'm thinking of paralleling my start battery to the windlass battery for added endurance. My engine will always be running during windlass operation. I'm trying to figure out what size wires need to be run between these two batterys. If my windlass pulls say 100 amps does this 100 amps get spread between both batteries? If so then the wires from the start battery only have to handle half the windlass load. Is this correct? I also plan on having a ACR/Start Isolator installed to remove these two batteries from the charging circuit during starting and windlass operation. Thanks for any help. JC
The Panbo Forum
Return to Panbo Forum main page »
Don't parallel them.
Unless the batteries are identical model and close in age, one of the batteries will damage the other. Ideally, when doing something like this, the batteries are not only identical, but when they are connected together at the time of purchase not at some future point of time after they have been used differently.
There are many articles available, here is the first one I came across to support the warning above.
http://www.batteryequaliser.com/products/product_battery_maintenance.htm
Yes both batteries are identical and bought at the same time. My Ideal windlass motor is basically a starter motor so both batteries have seen similar use. Why is it OK and common to parallel batteries for the house bank but would not be OK for the windlass/starter bank?
What is the source/context of this question / statement around "not be ok for windlass/starter bank" ?
I was just wondering why you think it’s not OK to parallel like batteries when its done all the time. Actually my only original question was do batteries split amperage draw when paralleled. I was asking this question to determine the size wire to use. I have found the answer. Thanks. JC
I got my answer, thanks.