Battery Charger
- Thread starter dhmurphy
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...in our boat
We have (4) group 31 deep cycle batteries divided into 2 banks. I've used a Xantrex True Charge 20 for 6 years on these batteries without a problem. I did opt for the battery temp accessory. I have them on the charger 24/7.
We have (4) group 31 deep cycle batteries divided into 2 banks. I've used a Xantrex True Charge 20 for 6 years on these batteries without a problem. I did opt for the battery temp accessory. I have them on the charger 24/7.
Jeff has a good combo, but probably would take up more space than you have available on the D. Tell us a little more. Is the boat going to be slipped or on the trailer at home?
Are you adding 2 12 volt batteries or 2 6 volt batteries. I have the former and will switch to the latter when the 12 volts batteries are bad. For our boats there is no real need to have separate battery banks and one large bank is much more efficient in the way it charges and discharges. You will get more life out of one bank and you will have better luck charging it.
Have you considered adding solar as a means of charging when you are not using the boat and also on the water in use. Solar has got to the place where it is about as cheap as a quality battery charger. Solar now keeps our batteries up all of the time.
Before that while at home I just kept some cheap under $10 trickle chargers on the two batteries that HF sells. They worked fine.
So maybe give us a little more info on what you have and how the boat is used, and we run our two 12 volt batteries now all the time as one bank,
Sum
Our Endeavour 37
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Our MacGregor S Pages
Mac-Venture Links
Are you adding 2 12 volt batteries or 2 6 volt batteries. I have the former and will switch to the latter when the 12 volts batteries are bad. For our boats there is no real need to have separate battery banks and one large bank is much more efficient in the way it charges and discharges. You will get more life out of one bank and you will have better luck charging it.
Have you considered adding solar as a means of charging when you are not using the boat and also on the water in use. Solar has got to the place where it is about as cheap as a quality battery charger. Solar now keeps our batteries up all of the time.
Before that while at home I just kept some cheap under $10 trickle chargers on the two batteries that HF sells. They worked fine.
So maybe give us a little more info on what you have and how the boat is used, and we run our two 12 volt batteries now all the time as one bank,
Sum
Our Endeavour 37
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Our MacGregor S Pages
Mac-Venture Links
Check out the MinnKota line of chargers. Bass fisherman use batterys for all of their activities, the equipment sold to them is rugged and works well. If you are buying a charger, you might consider a charger that has at least 3 charge stages, and look for a battery conditioner stage as well. Chargers are matched to the number of batterys or battery banks.
Installing a dedicated charger means AC electrical power on the boat. The least elegant means to get AC aboard is an extension chord. On my D model, I installed an external AC plug located in the cockpit. I also installed an AC breaker panel in the galley. I simply plug my boat in to charge. condition, and maintain my 2 batterys. I figure that the extended life of my batterys will pay for the rest of the AC system install........
Installing a dedicated charger means AC electrical power on the boat. The least elegant means to get AC aboard is an extension chord. On my D model, I installed an external AC plug located in the cockpit. I also installed an AC breaker panel in the galley. I simply plug my boat in to charge. condition, and maintain my 2 batterys. I figure that the extended life of my batterys will pay for the rest of the AC system install........
what do you think of the guest brand? seems popular
http://www.batterystuff.com/battery-chargers/24-volt/gel-cell/GU2607A.html
http://www.batterystuff.com/battery-chargers/24-volt/gel-cell/GU2607A.html
Looks like a nice charger, but I guess it is how a person is going to use it. If I was day sailing and going to a slip for the night and back out the next day I'd want something that was more amps. That one puts in a max of 3 amps per battery.
If you sailed say on the weekend or for a few more days and then came in and it was a week before you went back out again then I feel it would work fine.
There are so many variables on how a person uses their boat and what their power consumption is that we probably all have different charging needs. If the boat is sitting in the water all of the time I'd go with a marine type charger for the safety and maybe more durability. If I was charging at home on the trailer I don't feel you need that expense. The other variable is planning for that one or two longer trips a year and what might help in that situation.
One thing that I do have at home is that the cord that was going to the boat before the solar panels took over charging was on a GFI protected circuit. I would do that at home if you are taking power out to the boat for charging or working on it. You should also have the same protection at a slip.
As I said in my other post solar has gotten so cheap, why not use it. I paid $135 a couple years ago for a 40 watt panel. Now Solar Blvd...
http://www.solarblvd.com/Solar-Pane...40-Watt-12-Volt-Solar-Panel/product_info.html
...has them for $55.00. Throw in a charge controller...
http://www.solarblvd.com/Charge-Con...,-12V-Pwm-Charge-Controller/product_info.html
...for $25.00 and for less than that charger you have charging capabilities at home or out on the water. Wire the controller to the battery and then connect to it with an extension cord with a plug going to the solar panel and just set it out in the cockpit if you don't want to make a permanent mount,
Sum
Our Endeavour 37
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Our MacGregor S Pages
Mac-Venture Links
I think one of the best chargers for the money today are the Sterling Pro-Charge Ultra's.. Lots of bang for the buck and the only reasonably priced charger that allows yo to program your own custom charge profile. On top of the "user custom profile" the chargers come standard with ELEVEN pre-set charge profiles and a battery temp sensor. They will work on any input voltage from as low as 90V to a high of 270 volts..
Also they will cycle to absorption voltage every two weeks to prevent electrolyte stratification, something many chargers just don't do..
http://sterling-power-usa.com/sterl...volt10ampbatterycharger-pcu1210-two-bank.aspx
I can put any charger in my boat that I want and chose the Pro-Charge Ultra. Mastervolt and Victron are also excellent products but at this price point just don't offer what the Sterling charger does.. Feature for feature there is not a charger on the market that can touch the Sterling right now in terms of cost/benefit... While certainly more expensive than some of the cheapies they are inexpensive when compared to other chargers in their class.
On a budget, http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SE-5212A-Automatic-Handheld-Battery/dp/B0009IBJCQ
works on all kinds of automotive as well as deep cycle
automatic, so it will not burn up your batteries
I own two of them, works well for a fifty dollar charger. It may also start a car with a dead battery if you get stranded. So you can get a dual use from this.
works on all kinds of automotive as well as deep cycle
automatic, so it will not burn up your batteries
I own two of them, works well for a fifty dollar charger. It may also start a car with a dead battery if you get stranded. So you can get a dual use from this.
Please be careful when buying Schumacher chargers and make certain they are charging your batteries at proper charging voltages!!
This one ruined a customers $1400.00 bank of GEL batteries..
NO GEL BATTERY SHOULD EVER CHARGE AT 16+ VOLTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In the spirit of give-and-take, please, don't buy a Schumaker. There have been reports on this board and others about their propensity to damage your batteries. Listen to Maine Sail and Sum.
Also, don't put 110 V on your boat with an inlet without installing a panel with a breaker on it. Your boat, your life, but why not do it right.
We hear all the time: "I can't afford to do it right the first time."
The "business" answer always given is: "If you can't afford to do it right the first time, where ya gonna find the $$ and time to fix it?"
Works with boats, too. Do it right. If you have to, wait a while.
In order to figure out what you need, do an energy budget. A search on this phrase will give you lots to read and think about.
Good luck.
Also, don't put 110 V on your boat with an inlet without installing a panel with a breaker on it. Your boat, your life, but why not do it right.
We hear all the time: "I can't afford to do it right the first time."
The "business" answer always given is: "If you can't afford to do it right the first time, where ya gonna find the $$ and time to fix it?"
Works with boats, too. Do it right. If you have to, wait a while.
In order to figure out what you need, do an energy budget. A search on this phrase will give you lots to read and think about.
Good luck.
Kestle, you might get some ideas here http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d64/doug91mac26s/Electronics/
This is from Doug91mac26s, he used some sort of flexible conduit, looks like a nice job. There is usually some text with each picture.
This is from Doug91mac26s, he used some sort of flexible conduit, looks like a nice job. There is usually some text with each picture.
Schumaker Chargers are poor quality? I have several at home and several at my businesses. I own several different models some up to 200 amps for jump starting large trucks. They always work for me as they should. Now, does any product fail someone, somewhere? Most assuredly. Saying that because some item fails, everyone should not purchase this product is harsh and inaccurate. To my knowledge, these chargers are manufactured in the united states. I am sure the people that work in those factories do their best to make a quality product. They are UL listed and have served tens of thousands of users over decades. I own one charger that is over twenty years old, and still serves we well.
Any product, must be used wisely. In all cases, the buyer needs to be sure he is following the intended use correctly, and follow the owners manual regarding use. If you are having a problem with any product, the maker of that product will most always bend over backwards to make it right and see you happy with their product.
Any product, must be used wisely. In all cases, the buyer needs to be sure he is following the intended use correctly, and follow the owners manual regarding use. If you are having a problem with any product, the maker of that product will most always bend over backwards to make it right and see you happy with their product.
Gary,
That is the third Schumacher Ship-N Shore I have seen do that and I have seen a few more ruin banks or over charge them. The management at Schmacher have figured out how to out source to China just as well as any other company, American or not. The one in my shop was made in China as were the two others I tested this one against.
Calls to Schumacher tech support, after that charger ruined $1400.00 worth of new GEL batteries, not only defended the product but INSISTED it was working correctly, which it absolutely is not. American owned company or not my customer was treated like horse doo doo and Schumacher refused to do anything for him.
I will mention it again.. NO CHARGER SHOULD EVER HIT GEL BATTERIES WITH ANYWHERE NEAR 16 VOLTS. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!
All three of the Schumacher Ship-N-Shore chargers I tested/tried hit GEL batteries with approx 16 volts, ON THE GEL SETTING, so this was not just a one off defective unit.
If Schumacher says that is how it is supposed to work then I feel it is fair to warn people to BE CAREFUL and to keep their eyes open when using them to charge $$$$$$$$ expensive banks. Was working on a boat last week with a $2800.00 bank of batteries. A poor performing charger can certainly be an expensive mistake..
My point still is, and was, PLEASE BE CAREFUL with Schumacher and be sure it is operating correctly as some models clearly do not.
Gary, we've had the same issue with ProMariner FlyBack chargers.
I can't professionally suggest that anyone buy one, even if a few of them have ones that haven't broken, fried their expensive batteries or burned up their boats. Or all three.
Covering up fire hazards just isn't the right thing to do for fellow boaters.
Our skippers all have asked us to point it out to them, in large type, neon, and flashing lights.
FIRE HAZARD
I can't professionally suggest that anyone buy one, even if a few of them have ones that haven't broken, fried their expensive batteries or burned up their boats. Or all three.
Covering up fire hazards just isn't the right thing to do for fellow boaters.
Our skippers all have asked us to point it out to them, in large type, neon, and flashing lights.
FIRE HAZARD
I still have a new one in the box, and I notice several things. In business 47 years, corporate offices, Illinois, their web site is batterychargers.com and this unit is made in Mexico. NAFTA sure took the jobs south. Has that caused the quality to go down? Quite possibly, it usually does when a high paid labor force is mothballed and another cheaper labor force is substituted.
Seems to me, I remember gel batteries do need a little extra voltage, what 14.2 or something like that. I have a gel battery in a motorcycle, and the battery system in the bike will not give it a full charge. I use a manufactures battery charger made by the battery company,
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