Battery Charger advice please

[Cpt. Jon]

Hello,

I am looking for a little advice. I purchased my boat a few years ago with the understanding that the battery charger didn't work. I didn't have shore power and would run 2 daisy chained extension cords down to the boat and plug in a portable charger. I recently had shore power installed and want to be able to just "plug in" without having to use the portable charger. I took apart the seat that the existing charger was mounted to so I could get to it and discovered the fuse was out, so I replaced that and powered it on. This charger is a NewMar ABC 12-15 which is a 2 bank 15 amp charger.

When powered on, the light came on, so I put a multimeter to it and it seemed like it was putting out the right voltage but the ammeter wasn't showing any amperage, so I did some more testing and finally called the previous owner and he said that ammeter was probably all that is broken.

I wrote the company to inquire about it and they said they have a flat repair rate ($164) but to me that rate and shipping together would cost almost as much or more than as a new unit, perhaps by Guest or another company at least. So I opened up the casing and it looks like a pretty simple swap out to install a new ammeter, I inquired about just purchasing an ammeter and haven't gotten a response, which irritates me that I got a prompt response the first time and now feel as if I am being ignored.

So, my questions are these:
How should I proceeed? Is it worth the $164 + shipping costs both ways to have it serviced repaired? I don't really think so.

Do I try to repair it myself? This is my initial hunch, do I need the exact same ammeter or could I get one that is the same size and amperage (i.e. 0-15 amps). Does it matter if I put one in that is 0-25 amps if it is easier/cheaper to find and fits?

Or, do I purchase a new one? What brands are trustworthy and have good service or product life? I will need a 2 bank charger and I guess somewhere around 15 amps I guess.

Thanks in advance for your advice,
Jon

 

[Bill Roosa]

Rebuild the unit

Ammeters are ammeters. A 25 amp one will work fine. I'd try digikey.com for all your electrical component needs. They give dimensions to their products which makes ordering easier.

Actually you really don't need an ammeter so the "fix" could be just live with it. As long as you can see the system voltage you can tell it the unit is charging.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Jon
It it was mine, the first thing I'd do before spending any money is make sure it's working by hooking it to one battery and observe the voltage. If it appears to be properly charging around 14 - 14.5 V, I'd make sure it steps down to absorption charge after a while. If it doesn't, what you might have is a one=stage charger which will eventually cook the batteries. If it is a decent charger, it's worth replacing the ammeter.

If you do choose to replace it, make sure you get a proper 3 stage charger or better which will improve the longevity of your batteries. Among the better mfgs which makes chargers are Xantrex and Victron.

 

[Capn Dave]

Well that depends

If you are cheap like me and want to get as much longevity out of your batteries as possible, you will put that money towards a good 3 stage charger. The Charger you have goes from charge to float. No absorbsion mode. That is your call.
Now that being said, you will not find a cheap 3 stage charger. You didnt mention the size of batteries you have aboard. That would help. How you use your boat would help also.

More than likley the ammeter is kaput. Check the voltage at the batteries with the charger on and let us know what kind of readings yu are getting.

Fair Winds

Cap'n Dave

 

[rpwillia]

With the charger disconnected from the shore power why couldn't you cut out the current ammeter, and temporarily place in a portable ammeter (or get one of those ones that loops around the output wire and reads by induction) to see if you are passing current. Or failing that use the charger for a day or two and use your batteries to see if they are charged. I normally don't use shorepower and my charger unless I am on my boat as I have a solar panel and charger to keeps the batteries charged.

 

[sailingdog]

For not much more than the cost of the repair, you can buy an Iota battery charger that will do a much better job.

 

[Cpt. Jon]

thanks you guys for the responses. I'm still considering what to do, there isn't a big rush as I have a solar panel keeping the one good battery in my boat charged and it's unlikely that I will get out sailing for a little while.

Can someone really explain the benefits of the 3-stage charging? I mean I kinda get it I guess, but is there really that significant of a difference? It seems like I'm buying new batteries either for the sailboat, fishing boat, or cars all the time and at $100 a pop it drives me nuts. I think one problem I have had is not charging my batteries regularly in the past... the bilge pump would run and drain the batteries down and during the season I might go run the engine for a while to charge em up again, but wouldn't necessarily put a charger on them... I know this was bad form, especially during the winter after I have winterized the engine, I wouldn't run it and they would drain pretty bad. I finally bought 1 new battery and a 15 watt solar panel etc and that keeps that new battery happy, but it only takes care of one battery and that's the reason for needing the charger.

Saildog mentioned IOTA chargers, I saw a 15amp charger with 3 stage charging shipped for less than the cost of repairing my current unit. Any others have experience with that company?

I may just get another good battery and hook it up to the existing charger and monitor that it is maintaining the correct voltage as suggested above and not even worry about it, but if 3 stage is really something that is desirable and will keep my batteries alive longer, I would consider the upgrade.... on the other hand I do have other places to put that $160, such as lifeline netting (have a 3 yr old and a little one on the way).

Thanks again!

 

[Jim]

I would let them fix it. The have all the required testing equipment and know these unit inside and out. I looked up the price of a new unit and it is over $300.

The is a another option. Get a battery monitoring system. It tells you the charging current, I think?

 

[Benny]

With battery chargers it usually makes more sense to purchase a new, more improved model than to lay out money for a refurbished unit. Having said that if your charger is working there would be no reason to incur in an expenditure. You indicated a fuse was blown; was this fuse in the output leads or in the internal circuitry? The cause could have been a shorted battery or an internal short. Hook it to a battery, power it up and observe. If the fuse blows again it probably has an internal short but if it works under load for a few hours it should be fine.

 

[Cpt. Jon]

... You indicated a fuse was blown...

Sorry for the confusion, I actually indicated that the fuse was out... meaning no fuse was in there to complete the circuit. In fact a few weeks ago I was doing some "housekeeping" in the boat and came across a fuse with the cap... I looked at every piece of electronics I could think of wondering what it went to. I set it aside and when I got to the charger a few weeks later, I saw it missing :bang: I must admit I was really hoping this was the only thing wrong with the charger.

 

[sailingdog]

Jim—

A brand new Iota 30 amp charger is only about $130 with shipping, the 55-amp is about $175 with shipping... so exactly how does it make sense to pay about that much ($164) to have the current unit repaired???

I would let them fix it. The have all the required testing equipment and know these unit inside and out. I looked up the price of a new unit and it is over $300.

The is a another option. Get a battery monitoring system. It tells you the charging current, I think?

 

[Jim]

Ok, if you want to go that route SD but the

charge Cpt. Jon wants to repair cost $300. It is a case of apples to grapes...

NEWMAR ABC-12-15 12V CHARGER 15AMP 2 BANK 110/230V

List Price: US$329.00
Our Price: US$299.00
You Save US$30.00!

Availability: Usually ships the next business day
Product Code: W1215

Description

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]ABC Series[/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The ABC Series chargers utilize time tested SCR charging circuitry, individually sensing and regulating each of 2 isolated battery banks, allowing the user to leave the charger operating indefinitely, even under no-load conditions without fear of overcharging. These chargers are ideal for vessels and vehicles which have an intermittent demand for battery power.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]These chargers are housed in a rugged, black anodized aluminum, heat-sink case which extracts heat without introducing dust & moisture to the inside of the unit. The rugged and reliable ABC charger has been manufactured by NEWMAR for more than 25 years, and is employed in hostile environments throughout the world; in mining equipment, emergency service vehicles, off-shore platforms and commercial marine applications. All ABC chargers feature a total output ammeter, on-off power switch, power "on" indicator light, 115/230 VAC input voltage selector switch, factory installed AC power cord with molded plug and shock-resistant rubber mounting grommets. Circuit boards are polyurethane conformal coated for corrosion resistance and all are protected against overheating by an automatically resetting thermal switch.[/FONT]​

 

[Maine Sail]

When powered on, the light came on, so I put a multimeter to it and it seemed like it was putting out the right voltage but the ammeter wasn't showing any amperage, so I did some more testing and finally called the previous owner and he said that ammeter was probably all that is broken.

Jon,

What was the state of charge when you tested this?If the batteries were full it would be putting out voltage but very, very little amps as the batteries are essentially full and just being maintained. Draw your bank down to 60% or so and try it again before yanking it.. Sometimes analog gauges look like no amps are leaving but it could be .5 amps or so and just hard to tell??

Just a thought..

 

[Steve Dion]

If you are going to look around for a new replacement charger (which makes more sense than repairing an out of date sub-standard unit) check out the Xantrex line. Either a Statpower 20+ or one of the newer XC line would be much better options. The XC30 can be purchased for around $350. The Statpower 20 or 40 can be found for $250-350

 

[sailingdog]

Jim—

Just because it is expensive to purchase doesn't mean that it is a better charger or worth spending the extra cash.

charge Cpt. Jon wants to repair cost $300. It is a case of apples to grapes...

NEWMAR ABC-12-15 12V CHARGER 15AMP 2 BANK 110/230V

List Price: US$329.00
Our Price: US$299.00
You Save US$30.00!

Availability: Usually ships the next business day
Product Code: W1215

Description

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]ABC Series[/FONT]​

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The ABC Series chargers utilize time tested SCR charging circuitry, individually sensing and regulating each of 2 isolated battery banks, allowing the user to leave the charger operating indefinitely, even under no-load conditions without fear of overcharging. These chargers are ideal for vessels and vehicles which have an intermittent demand for battery power.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]These chargers are housed in a rugged, black anodized aluminum, heat-sink case which extracts heat without introducing dust & moisture to the inside of the unit. The rugged and reliable ABC charger has been manufactured by NEWMAR for more than 25 years, and is employed in hostile environments throughout the world; in mining equipment, emergency service vehicles, off-shore platforms and commercial marine applications. All ABC chargers feature a total output ammeter, on-off power switch, power "on" indicator light, 115/230 VAC input voltage selector switch, factory installed AC power cord with molded plug and shock-resistant rubber mounting grommets. Circuit boards are polyurethane conformal coated for corrosion resistance and all are protected against overheating by an automatically resetting thermal switch.[/FONT]​

 

[MoonSailer]

Engine alternator work??? On my boat I have noticed that my charger usually goes from charging to flosting after 5-10 minutes and it is only a 10 amp charger 5 amp/battery. This means that the battery is almost charged when I return tothe dock. If you use your shore power mostly for the final stages of charging high amperage is not required and won't even be used. I save a lot by buying a smaller amperage three stage charger rather than a big amp unit. I don't motor a lot 15 minutes or so each way but that seems to take care of my bulk charging

 

[Cpt. Jon]

mainesail, yes I used a couple of batteries, a known good with full charge and one that was drawn down and doesn't seem to hold a charge. It does seem like the unit likely is doing what it is supposed to, but I worry about overcharging if not.

Moonsail, yes the alternator works, that's how I have mainly been charging the batteries. Main problem comes when it sits for a long tme, I.e. Winter. With 2nd battery removed and primary on solar charger, I'm not too concerned for now, but considering the money I put in to run shore power from the house to pier, I'd like to be able to use it. When I come back from sailing I generally motor for 5-10 mins and the batteries have their full charge, but it's probably more of a surface charge, this really isn't my area of expertise though.