Practical Sailor's gear and boat reviews take the guesswork out of your buying decisions.

Volume 31
Number 11
June 2005

Battery Selector Switches

We pushed 11 of the most popular battery selector switches on the market to their rated limits. Blue Seas edged BEP by a hair as the top standard-duty switch, while Perko has the best heavy-duty switch.

Our test field included 11 models. Beginning with the top row (l. to r.): Cole Hersee M750, Guest 2300A, Charles 93BS002. Middle row: Perko 8501, Guest 2111A, Perko 8603, Guest 2101. Bottom row: West Marine 382215, Blue Sea 9001e, BEP Marine 721, and BEP Marine 701S.

Your vessel's battery selector switch is probably one of the first things that you reach for each time you step aboard your boat. And after you've left, it’s the switch that plagues your mind: Did I turn that @$*^ thing off?

A battery selector switch's primary purpose is to help manage the flow of electrical power onboard your vessel. This is accomplished by providing a selectable circuit path between your vessel's batteries and the primary branch circuit, such as the main DC distribution panel or engines.…

Subscriber Login
Purchase selection, or begin your FREE 14-day trial subscription to practical-sailor.com.
Click Here to download Adobe Acrobat

Say Yes to 14 Days FREE of Practical Sailor

Subscribe NOW and get instant access and all the benefits of Practical Sailor online FREE for 14 days!

Email:

First Name:

Last Name:

Address 1:

Address 2:

City:

State Zip: