Minn Kota MK 2 DC

Would it be ok to get this charger and hook up one to trolling/accessory battery and the other to starting battery? Sometimes after alot of trolling with the main motor and short runs it doesn’t charge enough.

Absolutely! I run a simliar setup with a Dualpro charger in my boat. It’s a good idea, IMHO.

I got talked out of a three bank charger years ago when I bought my boat…. bad advice for sure. I like many here now have a charger for the starter battery as well. Those short runs never make up for a day of live well and other electronics running.

What size outboard do you have and what is the amp output on the alternator? The MK 2-DC outputs 10amps per bank in on optimal output, this is what determins how well the DC charger will work. Which should be no different then the charging speed of a MK220 onboard charger for a comparison.

Not sure about if it is good to run that charger to your starter because it will now have 2 charging sources and the one will be 10amps…But not positive.

A yamaha F75 alternator puts out 25amps. You may not get the performance you are thinking from a DC charger. I opted to not do the DC charger and added a second battery in parallel with my starter and moved the accessories to that battery and put in a VSR on the positive side of the parallel connection. When big motor is running it supplies 25amps to both battteries and when motor is off the batteries disconnect. I run 2 graphs, SonicHub, livewells, lights, and NMEA2000 network with out ever needing to charge my battery when I get home. Been working great for me and at about 70-80 bucks to rig up it was even better!

The DC charger will have a lead that conects to the cranker already it moniters the cranker and once its topped off it diverts the charge to the other 2 desired batterys.

For all those looking at a dc charge make sure you check the specs on your motor, some alternators don’t output enuff power, and some have stater system that won’t work.

It is a 97 merc 60, not sure what the alt is putting out. Wouldnt the charger just be using the alt wire to power itself and kick out 10 to each bank?