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Location: Green Bay, WI | Well the HDS Gen2 units require 10-17 volts DC, so the batteries could certainly be in series. However the purpose of installing the second battery, at least in my mind, was to eliminate the spikes that occur with starting--and (mainly) to avoid running the start battery down. I just thought it would be more desirable to have a "house" battery circuit to run the electronics, just like is done in an RV. That product I linked to above has a position on the switch whereby the batteries are combined, should the house battery be required to start the engine with a low/dead main starting battery. This is identical to what is done in an RV.
So I am pretty much convinced that I'll be installing a second 12v battery for the electronics. This will be wired essentially in parallel as you suggested, but isolated by the ACR device so as to prevent drawing both batteries down to a low-voltage condition. The ACR has a voltage sensor that will open the parallel circuit between the two batteries, should the voltage in either one fall below a prescribed level (less than 11.7v, as I recall).
So the device probably is worth the cost in that sense, especially since I'll probably be adding to the Lowrance network within the next year or so. That will only add to the current load in the system, so protecting from a low-voltage condition will be all the more important.
TB
EDIT: I do agree with your opinion on the 15hp kicker though Frank. I just can't see how it would be a bad thing to have 50% more power over the 9.9...especially given that it's only about $300 or so to do it. I'd never again do it that inexpensively.
Edited by tcbetka 4/14/2012 4:24 PM
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