1986 Outrage 18 Moving Battery to Console from Stern

Electrical and electronic topics for small boats
Don SSDD
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Location: Nova Scotia

1986 Outrage 18 Moving Battery to Console from Stern

Postby Don SSDD » Sun Feb 20, 2022 8:08 am

I plan to move two batteries to the console from the stern of a 1986 OUTRAGE 18 boat

Q1: what is the benefit to moving my GUEST OFF-1-BOTH-2 dual battery switch from near the stern to inside the console?

The switch is already in an accessible location and moving it inside the console wil require taking up useful space there as well as finding a mounting location.

Thanks for any advice.
1986 Outrage 18 with 2001 Honda 130 HP
Former Owner 1991 Guardian 19 with 1994 Evinrude V4 140HP
Former owner 1987 Montauk with 1998 Mercury 90HP
Nova Scotia

Jefecinco
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Location: Gulf Shores, AL

Re: 1986 Outrage 18 Battery moving questions

Postby Jefecinco » Sun Feb 20, 2022 10:58 am

Will moving the switch to the console reduce the battery cable lengths If moving it does not improve operation or save money I would leave it where it is most convenient to use. All the battery switches I have used were in the console and it was not easy or convenient to operate them there.
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jimh
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Re: 1986 Outrage 18 Moving Battery to Console from Stern

Postby jimh » Sun Feb 20, 2022 4:12 pm

The conductors from the battery to the switch MUST BE PROTECTED by a FUSE or CIRCUIT BREAKER if they are longer than 18-inches.

If you keep the battery switch in the stern and move the batteries to the console, you will have an enormous amount of extra battery cables.

For each battery, you will need to run a conductor from the battery positive to the stern to the switch.

Then you will need to cables for each battery to a very large negative common bus bar, and then to the stern.

All postive cable from the battery MUST be protected by a fuse or circuit breaker within 18-inches of the battery terminal, so you will have to buy two very expensive 400-Ampere fuse holders, the expensive fuses and spare fuses, and make appropriate large cables to carry these from the battery terminals to the fuses or circuit breakers and then to the stern.

Essentially, there is NO good reason to leave the battery switch at the stern.

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Phil T
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Re: 1986 Outrage 18 Battery moving questions

Postby Phil T » Sun Feb 20, 2022 4:16 pm

Don -

There are several brands of OFF-1-2-Both switch that do not take up much space.

For the Outrage console you could mount one inside the door for easy access or in a recessed pocket in the side near the fire extinguisher, using something like this with a BEP 701 switch:

Screen Shot 2022-02-20 at 4.12.40 PM.png
Screen Shot 2022-02-20 at 4.12.40 PM.png (50.52 KiB) Viewed 3444 times


This dual switch can be installed as a panel mount. Only the turn knob will be on the outside.
https://www.wholesalemarine.com/bep-701 ... or-switch/

I used this switch on both of my Outrage 17's in the glove box.
1992 Outrage 17
2019 E-TEC 90
2018 LoadRite 18280096VT
Member since 2003

Don SSDD
Posts: 313
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2015 6:58 am
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: 1986 Outrage 18 Moving Battery to Console from Stern

Postby Don SSDD » Sun Feb 20, 2022 4:17 pm

Thanks for the replies
1986 Outrage 18 with 2001 Honda 130 HP
Former Owner 1991 Guardian 19 with 1994 Evinrude V4 140HP
Former owner 1987 Montauk with 1998 Mercury 90HP
Nova Scotia