Another Perko question....

[SoundsGood]

Why does an amp continue to run if power wire is hooked directly to battery #1 and Perko switch is in #2 position?

[phebus]

Why does an amp continue to run if power wire is hooked directly to battery #1 and Perko switch is in #2 position?
Power wire should come off the common post, the position 1, or 2 is what battery is supplying the power.

[Havasu Hangin']

Why does an amp continue to run if power wire is hooked directly to battery #1 and Perko switch is in #2 position?
Like Phebus said, the Perko switch will only control (on/off) voltage to it's common post, which usually runs everything in the boat. If the amps are hooked directly to a battery, then you are bypassing the Perko.
Here's my pet peeve for the day: Shops that hook amps directly to the batteries.
In a car, that is no problem...since the battery is always getting a charge. In a boat, the Perko switch contols which batteries will get charged. I've always marveled at how installers take the easy way out (like hooking the amps to the battery 'cause it's easier than the Perko) and people don't call them on it.
Too many times I've heard guys say, why is my stereo battery always going dead?"
Turns out the shop hooked the amps to battery #2, and when the Perko is on battery #1...no charge is applied to battery #2!
...or, the batteries keep going dead while sitting.
Hook your amps to a common on the Perko, people. If you want to isolate a bank of batteries just for the stereo, buy a second Perko or an isolator...but don't hook them direct.

[phebus]

HH, have you ever wired the remote wire from the HU to either a big relay, or solenoid that the power wire to the amps would be switched with? That way, when the HU is off, not only are the amps switched off, but the power is automaticly cut to them also.

[Havasu Hangin']

HH, have you ever wired the remote wire from the HU to either a big relay, or solenoid that the power wire to the amps would be switched with? That way, when the HU is off, not only are the amps switched off, but the power is automaticly cut to them also.
I've never tried that...but I'm sure it's possible. I just don't know if they make 200+ amp (12V) solenoid or relay that doesn't have any resistance built in. :idea:
For me...I usually just keep it simple. When I turn the batteries off, I turn the amps off. A second Perko and a couple seconds are all it takes.

[phebus]

It was just a thought. I never turn my battery switch to off, because then the power to my HU is cut, and all my settings have to be reset when I power back up as they all go to a default setting. I will be installing a second Perko to switch the power to the amps off. I don't know if it even matters, as the boat is always on a automatic charger when it is in storage.
Thanks

[Havasu Hangin']

It was just a thought. I never turn my battery switch to off, because then the power to my HU is cut, and all my settings have to be reset when I power back up as they all go to a default setting. I will be installing a second Perko to switch the power to the amps off. I don't know if it even matters, as the boat is always on a automatic charger when it is in storage.
Thanks
You could hook your memory wire directly to your batteries...that will suck ALOT less current than the capacitors in your amps. I'll bet your batteries wouldn't even be affected by a memory wire, as long as you use the boat every couple months...

[phebus]

If I do that, then the second Perko for the amps wouldn't be necessary, as they would be switched with the one main Perko.

[Havasu Hangin']

If I do that, then the second Perko for the amps wouldn't be necessary, as they would be switched with the one main Perko.
If you just ran a small (16 gauge) memory wire (with a fuse) back to the batteries...but keep the amps on the second Perko. When you switch off the second Perko, the amps will be disconnected, but not the memory wire.

[phebus]

The power wire going to the amps comes off the common of the Perko I have now, so I wouldn't need a second perko for the amps. I would just need to run the memory wire (fused) directly to the batteries.

[Havasu Hangin']

The power wire going to the amps comes off the common of the Perko I have now, so I wouldn't need a second perko for the amps. I would just need to run the memory wire (fused) directly to the batteries.
Yes.
The only advantage to running a second Perko, is if you wanted to isolate a bank of batteries just for the stereo. If you run just one Perko, then the stereo batteries will also be running the lights, engine, etc.

[phebus]

If you just ran a small (16 gauge) memory wire (with a fuse) back to the batteries...but keep the amps on the second Perko. When you switch off the second Perko, the amps will be disconnected, but not the memory wire.
I'm going to run the memory wire, and looked in the stereo manual (Alpine 7893) to see what size fuse it called for. I was shocked to see that for my model stereo called for a 20 amp fuse (the largest of any model in the manual). It must draw a pretty good amount of current for a memory wire.

[Sweet Addiction]

Yes.
The only advantage to running a second Perko, is if you wanted to isolate a bank of batteries just for the stereo. If you run just one Perko, then the stereo batteries will also be running the lights, engine, etc.
I am totally confused about this second Perko thing. How do you wire that. So I am going to have two batteries. The First perko will control the batteries, and now you are saying don't connect your amps directly to the batteries, I am with you there. So where does the hot wire come from for the second perko that is controlling the amps. So this perko only needs to be an on/off also? Could you draw a digram or something so eveyone can take a look.
Thanks Jared.

[ROZ]

http://www.perko.com/images/bat2.gif http://www.perko.com/images/bat3.gif