red light on marine battery switch

Spyderweb

Went into engine room Saturday to check things out and noticed this lighted red light on the battery switch.  Don't recall seeing that before.  The switch on the right states LED on when in auto or manual mode, flashing when in emergency parallel.  But that light is off.  All electrical stuff is working normal, no issues.  Should this light be on?

aero3113

Here is when I asked about them.

https://rinkerboats.vanillacommunities.com/discussion/comment/154859#Comment_154859

aero3113

I can’t remember if I set them to auto or just left them how I had them. I’ll have to take a look.

YYZRC

Mine are always on except on the emerg parallel switch. I leave my switches on auto. 

Spyderweb

So it appears red light is normal.

From a functional standpoint what's the difference between "AUTO" and "ON"?
What happens "automatically" when set on "auto"?

YYZRC

Auto mode allows you to use the rocker switch in the DC panel (by the transom door) to turn the batteries on/off.

aero3113

You would think that would be manual mode if it allows you to use the switch.

Spyderweb

So confusing.  I never turn any of them off.  How about the parallel switch by the transom door.  Should that be on or off?  And if that red light is on, does that mean batteries are in parallel (same as BOTH on a perko switch?

YYZRC

@Spyderweb I just zoomed in on the pic you posted and your emerg parallel switch is set to on. I think this is wrong and you are paralleling your start batteries all the time. 

Spyderweb

@YYZRC correct, that switch ( the one on the right) is on.  So thats the same as BOTH on a regular perko switch?  Explains why engines turn over real fast when turning the key on.  Is there a downside to that?

YYZRC

Aside from not being run as intended, a downside would be that if one start battery goes bad you wouldn’t know until the other start battery also starts to fail. Could leave you stranded. 

Spyderweb

So I should move that parallel switch to AUTO?  And should parallel switch near transom door have red light on or off?

YYZRC

I would set all switches to auto. The DC panel should have 2 green lights on (port and stbd start batteries) and red light off (emerg parallel).