Adding a optima for Amps

I have a optima sitting in my garage and was wanting to set it next to the garbage can on my G23 and run the stock amp wires that are switched to the battery and run new wires directly from the optima to the amps kid of like having a capacitor. has anyone done this? I figure the wires from the main Batteries would keep the optima charged and give me extra play time when not running.

Do you not already have dual batteries?

If not just put in a perko battery switch and you can run either battery 1, battery 2, both and it also has an off switch to kill power to the boat when not in use. That way you can use one battery while parking and the other Main battery for the boat when you need to start again..

Nothing wrong with having some extra amp hours for engine off play time, but I would not suggest wiring an AGM in parallel with a wet cell. You really need 2 identical batteries, and even of the same age. Just note though, batteries do not do any charging, they are simply a storage device. Also, an extra house battery will not act like a CAP, but actually better. If you do add a 2nd battery to the house bank, You may become more dependent on shore charging an if you have the OEM 12A, it may not be enough.

I'm less concerned with the discharge and more concerned with the recharging of dissimilar batteries.
You can have different amp/hour capacity (size) batteries in parallel on the same bank, however, you really need to have the same chemistry.
So I would say everything is okay if this is a temporary arrangement as described and you are recharging independently.
Next up...Don't try to use a small non-convertor-class battery charger as a power supply. It won't last with a heavy and continuous load.

I have 2 Optima's wired parallel in my boat. They're not on a perko switch, just wired directly up so I basically have one large battery. I have 3 amps running on this setup, and can be parked for 4-5 hours at a time playing music, and I've not had any restart problems thus far. I'm usually with other boats, and carry jumper cables just in case, but this has been a perfect setup for me for 2 years now. Easier than wiring in a perko switch too.

I will be using it almost like a capacitor it will be charged by the wires that go to the amps now..

Originally Posted by chris_schweda

I will be using it almost like a capacitor it will be charged by the wires that go to the amps now..

Except that it is not a capacitor and shares few behaviors with a capacitor. It's a battery.
From your comments I'm not sure what electrical model you have conjured up.
Once in parallel with a battery, regardless of one battery being detached by distance, the Optima and battery will essentially become a single entity at the same voltage. The resistance of the cable (based on gauge, current flow, and length) may introduce some minor step down in voltage, but for the most part once these two batteries are paralleled they behave as one larger battery.
The Optima will have to be charged up exactly like the boat battery. It cannot rest for long in a discharged state without some degradation.

Well I have only run my batteries down 1 time from running stereo 2 days in a row while doing some work on the boat last week. I have never had a problem running it for a couple of hours with the in boat batteries for the last year so I think I will just pass on the Idea and when I need new in boat batteries just put the biggest 1s I can. Thank you guys for the input.