I need some advice. I've already checked the archives about battery charging and chargers and found some informative info. In fact I found a 2004 posting about a C34 with the same problem, that the batteries overcharged & battery fluid boiled away. The boat age and A/C charger are even the same, 2000 and Professional Mariner Flyback 20-3. Unfortunately the 2 replys that Stu Jackson posted do not seem to link any longer. I've replaced the batteries. They each read about 12.7 volts new. I turned on the charger and after just a few minutes I saw the voltmeter increase to 14.5 volts. I watched anxiously for a while but when the charger remaind on after awhile, I turned the charger off to be cautious. Today I went to the boat at lunch and turned the selector to just 1 battery (risk only 1 battery) and left. I returned after work at about 5PM and the voltermeter read about 14.5 volts and the charger meter was registering about 2 amps. I inspected the batteries and saw just the occassional bubble and they were cool to the touch. I turned the charger off over-night. So my questions. Is what I'm seeing normal and I'm just being too anxious? Am I likely to need a new charger? Is there another way to check that the charger is working correctly or incorrectly other than exposing 1 battery to being over charged? If I am likely to need a charger what are the recommendations as I'm inclined to think 5 years (with the boat laid-up in the winter)for a charger is not great. Thanks for the help. Bill
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timer
Bill, I am no expert but what seems to work for me is plugging the shorepower into a 20 dollar indoor/outdoor timer. I have it set for 1 hour daily, The cheap batteries are four years old and load test fine.The charger on my boat has a label that reads,"fully automatic" but I also have little faith in that statement. I didn't answer any of your questions but wanted to share an inexpensive idea with you, Anyway, please read the first line again and, good luck. Jack
Bill, I am no expert but what seems to work for me is plugging the shorepower into a 20 dollar indoor/outdoor timer. I have it set for 1 hour daily, The cheap batteries are four years old and load test fine.The charger on my boat has a label that reads,"fully automatic" but I also have little faith in that statement. I didn't answer any of your questions but wanted to share an inexpensive idea with you, Anyway, please read the first line again and, good luck. Jack
charging process
Bill, 14,5 V during charging is fine, as long as the charger kicks in to float once the current declines below 2% od the amp-hour capacity of the batteries. You need a proper marine charger if you want to keep your batteries in a reliable state. Have a look at this web page.
Bill, 14,5 V during charging is fine, as long as the charger kicks in to float once the current declines below 2% od the amp-hour capacity of the batteries. You need a proper marine charger if you want to keep your batteries in a reliable state. Have a look at this web page.
Charging
Bill The links don't work because we switched servers and the links didn't transfer. Sorry. Go to Ample Power (amplepower.com) and download their Power Primer. It explains what you need to know about battery charging. Also WMP has a good charging Advisor. The charger you have is one of the worst. Try searches on the C34 Message Board section of the Forum on "Charles", "Flyback" "Xantrex" and "Statpower." Go to Forum, Message Board from the link below. The Xantrex / Statpower 20 or 40 appears to be the best 3/4 stage charger being built. The 4th stage is equalization for wet cell batteries. Stu
Bill The links don't work because we switched servers and the links didn't transfer. Sorry. Go to Ample Power (amplepower.com) and download their Power Primer. It explains what you need to know about battery charging. Also WMP has a good charging Advisor. The charger you have is one of the worst. Try searches on the C34 Message Board section of the Forum on "Charles", "Flyback" "Xantrex" and "Statpower." Go to Forum, Message Board from the link below. The Xantrex / Statpower 20 or 40 appears to be the best 3/4 stage charger being built. The 4th stage is equalization for wet cell batteries. Stu
New Charger?
Based on your narrative, there are several reasons to suspect that your charger has gone south on you. 14.5v is way too high for charging wet cell batteries. After 4 hours on the charger the charge voltage should be more like 13.1 to 13.3. I would consider a new charger. There are many good ones on the market from Guest and Xantrex as well as others. Make sure that it will charge two banks, 10amps for each bank, and have at least 3 charging stages.
Based on your narrative, there are several reasons to suspect that your charger has gone south on you. 14.5v is way too high for charging wet cell batteries. After 4 hours on the charger the charge voltage should be more like 13.1 to 13.3. I would consider a new charger. There are many good ones on the market from Guest and Xantrex as well as others. Make sure that it will charge two banks, 10amps for each bank, and have at least 3 charging stages.
Bill, what you are seeing is perfectly fine
I'm not saying your Pro Mariner charging is 100%, but 14.5V is what this charger is set to for wet cel batteries and it shouldn't hurt your batteries unless they are already more at 100% charged already. Actually everything you are seeing is probably absolutely fine. 4-5 hours @ 2amps for two 4-D batteries is very minimal and most likely can't really hurt your batteries as its less than 1% of the total A/H anyway. Thats why you don't feel the batteries getting hot. (Good sign BTW) Here is the user manual for the pro Mariner Flyback charger. As you will see 14.5 V is what it expects to put out in the "absorption mode". http://www.pmariner.com/download.php?file=Flyback-PromaticManual.pdf When the batteries are really "low" the voltage will show it slowly creeping up from 12.5 volts all the way up to above 14 volts but normally the current the charger puts out will be close to maximum (in your case 20 amps). When the batteries get to about 80-90% a 3 stage charger goes into "absorption phase" which is critiacal to get your batteries @ 100%. Many chargers and alternators never get a battery charged in the "absorption phase" (unless its a good 3/4 stage charger). You very well might not see 13.1 V until the charger is on many more hours. I wouldn't be worrying. Take a look here. It explains what is the best charging regimine and you look like you are there. http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm#Battery%20Charging
I'm not saying your Pro Mariner charging is 100%, but 14.5V is what this charger is set to for wet cel batteries and it shouldn't hurt your batteries unless they are already more at 100% charged already. Actually everything you are seeing is probably absolutely fine. 4-5 hours @ 2amps for two 4-D batteries is very minimal and most likely can't really hurt your batteries as its less than 1% of the total A/H anyway. Thats why you don't feel the batteries getting hot. (Good sign BTW) Here is the user manual for the pro Mariner Flyback charger. As you will see 14.5 V is what it expects to put out in the "absorption mode". http://www.pmariner.com/download.php?file=Flyback-PromaticManual.pdf When the batteries are really "low" the voltage will show it slowly creeping up from 12.5 volts all the way up to above 14 volts but normally the current the charger puts out will be close to maximum (in your case 20 amps). When the batteries get to about 80-90% a 3 stage charger goes into "absorption phase" which is critiacal to get your batteries @ 100%. Many chargers and alternators never get a battery charged in the "absorption phase" (unless its a good 3/4 stage charger). You very well might not see 13.1 V until the charger is on many more hours. I wouldn't be worrying. Take a look here. It explains what is the best charging regimine and you look like you are there. http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm#Battery%20Charging
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