battery charger

[Patrick Kevane]

I just bought a 31 Hunter and need a battery charger? Also can I use a deepcycle battery for my starting battery?

 

[Steve Dion]

Statpower!

Patrick:I have recently replaced my old charger with a Statpower 40+. It doesn't make any noise either. We leave the charger on ALL the time when we are hooked to shore power. We have refridgeration and we are set up with three battery banks.We have only used deep cycle batteries for starting. If you maintain your engine there is very little power used to start these engines.The best price I found on the Statpower 40 was Back Wood Solar.

 

[Les Blackwell]

I agree with Steve

I use a Statpower 20 with two banks, a deep discharge for the engine and four golf cart batteries. I do the same as Steve and leave it on when at the dock.I also have a smart regulator on the engine and a combiner for the batteries. I monitor all of this on a Link 20. Works for me.

 

[Bryan C.]

Don't need a deep cycle

Pat, not sure what your battery set up is. If you have a diesel, you should have 2 battery banks so you are not stranded if your battery dies. You probably already do.You can use deep cycles for starting, as Steve says. You do not need a deep cycle as your starting battery, however, and it might not even be the best choice (deep cycles takes longer to recharge and cannot deliver as many amps.). My house batteries are deepcycle, I use them for everything. My starting battery is a regular cycle battery, which I treat as an emergency battery. I don't use it at all, except to test and top off a charge every now and then.

 

[Steve O.]

agree with Bryan

Use a deep cycle for the house bank and a starting battery for the engine. Besides what Bryan said about deep cycles, they generally are more expensive than starters and will wear out sooner because they are not built for cranking.

 

[Marc Kraus]

Statpower 40 + price

Onlinemarine.com sells the statpower 40+ for $380.00