Battery Charger Info

[LakeOntario270]

There have been a lot of threads lately dealing with charging batteries and chargers which got me thinking what kind of charger do I have in my 1996 Catalina boat, so I looked. It's a BAT SAVR15. I have no information on this charger. My question, is it worth the money to replace it with something more modern? I use Interstate deep cycle batteries and I plug into shore power.

 

[Karyon]

If it ain't broke why fix it!

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Largely a matter of opinion but given it is 20 yeas old, I think you already 'got your money's worth' out of it. Certainly trash it If/when you replace your battery bank. You will likely get longer life from new batteries with a better multi-stage charger.

 

[Benny17441]

The most important consideration is that the charger meet your needs. If the batteries are always charged when you need them and they provide you with at least 3-5 years of service you may consider keeping the charger. Your charger has 2 stages Bulk and Float. The newer chargers come with a third stage Acceptance that will gradually reduce the charging amperage to match the declining rate of battery acceptance. The 3 stage charger will be gentler on the batteries and may extend their useful life but a significant monetary benefit may only be experienced when using a set of expensive batteries. A charger with a higher Amps rating will be able to charge a larger bank but not necessary unless upgrading the bank. As far as charging speed no significant reduction in charging time is to be anticipated between the two. A battery charger is all about the batteries and meeting your needs. Do your homework on batteries and make the best decision for yourself on whether to upgrade or not.