What are you using for a jump switch?

[Highcentered]

OK here's the deal. I run a group 31 agm for cranking/acc and a pair of wet deep cycles for the trolling motor. The big HEAVY agm is crammed up under the back deck and only have access to the pair of wet batteries that I'd prefer to keep easily accessible for when I top off the water in them. What I'm needing is a jump switch just in case the agm crammed up deep into no man's land goes dead out of nowhere. Due to how hard the cranking battery is to get to I DO NOT want to go the jump pack route. It's just too tight up in there in the bilge of a Tracker 175txw. Who makes a good jump switch that can also be using as a master shutoff switch?

Also, what would be a good switch to wire in place of my plug for my trolling motor? The factory trolling motor plug up front is a POS and I'd rather have a heavy duty waterproof switch up there instead. Or would it be better to just switch to a breaker with a manual shutoff for the trolling motor and direct wire the trolling motor up front? Again, I hate plugs for trolling motors.

[Bill Reynolds]

I like Blue Seas brand as they have a complete line of switches and breakers.

https://www.bluesea.com/search/results/Battery%20switch

My preference for the trolling motor wiring is to wire direct and put a Breaker/cutoff switch in the bilge. Blue sea Has a good selection of these breakers, but if you do not have room and have to use a connector on the bow I prefer the Battery Tender. It is extremely well built, but dang it is expensive.

Battery Tender DC Power Connector: Trolling Motor Plug Onboard Connector Set for DC to DC Connections - Corrosion Resistant Stainless Steel L Shaped and Linear 12V DC Power Connectors - 027-0004-KIT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0755YWFLV..._KCqyFbF8KAFCT

[wmitch2]

Add this and it will charge your TM batteries and "Borrow" power AUTOMATICALLY from them if the start Battery is weak. I'd hard wire the TM if you don't like a plug with the above, You can also get a switchable 60 amp breaker to shut the TM off when charging.

http://www.yandina.com/troll24info.htm

[Highcentered]

Went and took a peek into no man's land and decided to go ahead and get the NOCO gb40 to carry in the boat. I'll keep it in the truck when not in the boat. It's tight between the back deck and the battery terminals but I "should" be able to clamp to the battery if needed. Hopefully that only happens every 5-6 years if that since I run a group 31 agm and never more than tickle it unless I run livewell pumps. Even then I doubt it gets pulled down much over 20%. Also got a Blue Sea 60a switchable breaker and some heat shrink butt connectors to bypass the plug up front. Never unplugged it anyway but need to start to.

[Transom]

I know that the NOCCO jump can use an accessory cable for this purpose. Install the accessory cable to the battery and leave it attached. You then have a quick attach/detach connection to plug into.

https://no.co/gbc007

[wmitch2]

I know that the NOCCO jump can use an accessory cable for this purpose. Install the accessory cable to the battery and leave it attached. You then have a quick attach/detach connection to plug into.

https://no.co/gbc007

Now THAT'S a great idea !!!

[Thamelau]

My dad and I came up with a "jump starter plug." It is a set of the plugs that electric fork lifts use hooked to trolling motor wire on each side. One side to one of my trolling batteries, the other to my starting battery. If and when I need a jump I open the back compartment, plug the 2 batteries together, and start my motor. After the motor is started, just unplug and away you go.

[Highcentered]

My dad and I came up with a "jump starter plug." It is a set of the plugs that electric fork lifts use hooked to trolling motor wire on each side. One side to one of my trolling batteries, the other to my starting battery. If and when I need a jump I open the back compartment, plug the 2 batteries together, and start my motor. After the motor is started, just unplug and away you go.

I've been thinking about doing this also for the past year with some Anderson connectors. We beat the crap out of them at work with the power jacks so should be fine in the bilge of the boat. I'll probably do that this winter.

[ChampionDon]

I know that the NOCCO jump can use an accessory cable for this purpose. Install the accessory cable to the battery and leave it attached. You then have a quick attach/detach connection to plug into.

https://no.co/gbc007

Awesome thanks for sharing

[bgibson]

I installed a Tournament saver pro. It is a jumper box that installs in the boat with a wired push button. Install the push button on the console within easy reach of the driver. If you need a jump all you do is push and hold down the button and turn the key as usual. Once the engine starts release the button. Easy as that, no down time!

[TobyG.Mo]

I installed a Tournament saver pro. It is a jumper box that installs in the boat with a wired push button. Install the push button on the console within easy reach of the driver. If you need a jump all you do is push and hold down the button and turn the key as usual. Once the engine starts release the button. Easy as that, no down time!

That’s what I have, 120$ well spent. I don’t understand why you would want to mess with hooking up cables when you can just push a button.

[Transom]

That’s what I have, 120$ well spent. I don’t understand why you would want to mess with hooking up cables when you can just push a button.

M


The other way to look at that is why spend over a hundred dollars for something that may never be needed or needed only once or twice every 5 years when you can accomplish the same thing with just a few minutes of time. I am not saying you are stupid or wrong but just pointing out that folks look at things differently.

[KandKKustomz]

Power Pole Charge

[pavi69]

Six years from now when you finally need that jump, will the jump start you bought today still be charged and ready to go?
Mine will be, a 3 foot batter cable, a 2 foot battery cable, a 1 foot batter cable and a on/off switch. On/off switch between the one and two foot, if that is not obvious.

[Highcentered]

Six years from now when you finally need that jump, will the jump start you bought today still be charged and ready to go?
Mine will be, a 3 foot batter cable, a 2 foot battery cable, a 1 foot batter cable and a on/off switch. On/off switch between the one and two foot, if that is not obvious.

I'll be keeping the gb40 in my truck and only having in the boat when I'm in it. And of course making sure it's charged every few months. Still might go ahead and do a jump plug to one of the trolling motor batteries.

Anyone know how long those lithium jump packs last before they won't hold a charge? I know I'm still using the same lithium batteries with my Ryobi tools that I did 5+ years ago when they were new and they still hold a charge fine.

[fastfiat]

I'll be keeping the gb40 in my truck and only having in the boat when I'm in it. And of course making sure it's charged every few months. Still might go ahead and do a jump plug to one of the trolling motor batteries.

Anyone know how long those lithium jump packs last before they won't hold a charge? I know I'm still using the same lithium batteries with my Ryobi tools that I did 5+ years ago when they were new and they still hold a charge fine.

Don't know how long they will last but my noco40 was good to start my Merc150 after not being charged for almost 2 years. Showed 75% when i used it.

[Highcentered]

Don't know how long they will last but my noco40 was good to start my Merc150 after not being charged for almost 2 years. Showed 75% when i used it.

That's promising. Truck has a HEMI but the boat just has a 2.1 litre 4-stroke Merc EFI on it.

[n2ratfishin]

I now just carry a GB40. I've started a Tahoe and a V6 Lincoln with it. My in-laws are forever more letting their stuff sit and the batteries go down. Im only starting a 115 4 S in the boat, no doubt the little box will start it. For years I carried a home made set of jumper cables. They were only a few feet long and made of real heavy cable, think it was welding cable? I've jumped several rigs with those little cables over the decades.

I keep an eye on my boat batteries, to be honest I haven't had to jump one of mine in a VERY long time. As soon as my boat batteries start going bad I swap them out.

[Highcentered]

I now just carry a GB40. I've started a Tahoe and a V6 Lincoln with it. My in-laws are forever more letting their stuff sit and the batteries go down. Im only starting a 115 4 S in the boat, no doubt the little box will start it. For years I carried a home made set of jumper cables. They were only a few feet long and made of real heavy cable, think it was welding cable? I've jumped several rigs with those little cables over the decades.

I keep an eye on my boat batteries, to be honest I haven't had to jump one of mine in a VERY long time. As soon as my boat batteries start going bad I swap them out.

I need to give my dad a gb40 for Christmas. He's notorious for getting every start he can out of a battery and usually ends up begging for a jump. And I've heard that agm batteries don't give much if any warning before going dead? As in they work perfect one second then when they go it's like an on/off switch? I run an agm in both the truck and boat for cranking. I also replace a battery at the first sign of weakness. No good reason to try to squeeze one more week out of an auto/marine battery and risk getting stranded. Will never understand what someone is trying to prove by doing that. Luckily mom will tell me when her car battery is going bad so I can usually change it before it leaves her hanging somewhere in Little Rock.

[kry29]

$20 for a set of jumper cables that never fail. Theres also a master cut off that has 2 separate sides in one switch. You could hook your ground on one side and power on the other from a trolling battery to your starter battery. Then just turn the switch on if you ever need a jump and turn it back off after your motor starts. Plus you wouldnt have a constant ground between your batteries that can cause interference. Probably cost $60