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Battery Tender/Auto Bilge Question
Posted on 5/17/26 at 9:05 am
Posted on 5/17/26 at 9:05 am
I now have my boat in a covered wet slip at a marina. Unfortunately it doesn't have a lift, so the boat will stay in the water for now. I have a battery tender, but should or can I leave the main switch on so that the auto bilge will function in the event of a heavy storm that blows water into the boat?
4
Posted on 5/17/26 at 9:07 am to LSUSUPERSTAR
Yes, I see no problem
Posted on 5/17/26 at 11:56 am to LSUSUPERSTAR
Nm
This post was edited on 5/17/26 at 11:57 am
Posted on 5/17/26 at 1:03 pm to LSUSUPERSTAR
A lot of times you'll see people that wire their auto-bilge pump directly to an auxiliary battery thats also connected to a charger maintainer.
Advantage of this is being able to keep the main battery switch off which isolates your starting battery. If you leave the main battery switch on you run the risk of drawing power from auxiliary systems some of which can draw power even if off (typically stereo) or in a parasitic draw situation where there is some fault in the equipment or wiring which draws power for whatever reason.
The charger maintainer will compensate for this under normal conditions but if there is a power outage, the breaker trips, gets unplugged at the dock or whatever potential frickup you can conceive of you run the risk of drawing down your main starting battery.
Some people do this with a switch for battery 1 / battery 2 or both batteries. Disadvantage this setup is your relying on somebody not forgetting to leave the battery connected to the auto bilge on which is another point of failure. Wiring bilge direct to battery terminals solves this issue.
So isolating the auto-bilge on a dedicated battery connected to a maintainer and keeping main battery switch off might be something to think about.
Advantage of this is being able to keep the main battery switch off which isolates your starting battery. If you leave the main battery switch on you run the risk of drawing power from auxiliary systems some of which can draw power even if off (typically stereo) or in a parasitic draw situation where there is some fault in the equipment or wiring which draws power for whatever reason.
The charger maintainer will compensate for this under normal conditions but if there is a power outage, the breaker trips, gets unplugged at the dock or whatever potential frickup you can conceive of you run the risk of drawing down your main starting battery.
Some people do this with a switch for battery 1 / battery 2 or both batteries. Disadvantage this setup is your relying on somebody not forgetting to leave the battery connected to the auto bilge on which is another point of failure. Wiring bilge direct to battery terminals solves this issue.
So isolating the auto-bilge on a dedicated battery connected to a maintainer and keeping main battery switch off might be something to think about.
Posted on 5/18/26 at 8:21 am to LSUSUPERSTAR
Test it- auto bilge switch is normally hooked directly to 12V so you cant inadvertently sink it by turning the master off.
I am terrified of a thru hull failure sinking me.
2 1100 GPH pumps- one is hooked to an auto switch direct to batteries. If I start to see bilge water going overboard. that’s my cue to go see what’s up and if a catastrophe- turn on the second pump.
ETA- when you moor it, make sure to close all your thru hull valves- many a sinking could have been avoided by just that.
Also- if you didn’t paint the bottom, get it done now- you would be shocked how fast little marine critters like to grow on your hull.
I am terrified of a thru hull failure sinking me.
2 1100 GPH pumps- one is hooked to an auto switch direct to batteries. If I start to see bilge water going overboard. that’s my cue to go see what’s up and if a catastrophe- turn on the second pump.
ETA- when you moor it, make sure to close all your thru hull valves- many a sinking could have been avoided by just that.
Also- if you didn’t paint the bottom, get it done now- you would be shocked how fast little marine critters like to grow on your hull.
This post was edited on 5/18/26 at 8:24 am
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