Deep Cycle Marine Battery Charging

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CaptGregg

CaptGregg

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Mar 8, 2012
446
Catalina 22 trailer sailor
I have an old charger still in the blister pack that's never been used.

It's input is 120V .3 amps and it's output is 12V, 1.5 amps.

I am wondering if I attempt to charge my deep cycle marine battery with this charger, will it mess up the battery? I do not have specifics on the battery at this minute, it's in the boat.
 
Chris Patterson

Chris Patterson

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Oct 17, 2011
2,809
Ericson 29 Southport..
Gregg, being the dummy that I am, I kinda responded to this question on your other post, (before I even read THIS one).
But the answer is no, it will not hurt it. Hook it up and charge it man.
 
CaptGregg

CaptGregg

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Mar 8, 2012
446
Catalina 22 trailer sailor
Yeah, i got so many mini-projects going on simultaneously trying to get this thing wet, I get confused on where to post what as well. All information, where ever you put it is more than welcome!
 
W

watercolors II

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Dec 23, 2008
771
Catalina 22 Central Penna.
May be to small.

1.5 amps sounds like a battery maintenance charge. You can use that amount to keep the battery up while in storage, but may take weeks to charge a full size battery to a full charge.
Most chargers for home use automotive batteries charge at 10 amps and slowly back off to 2 amp to finish the charge.

My 2-10 amp charger takes about 2-3 days to charge my deep cycle after 2 months of minimum use.
 
B

Barnacle Bill

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Jun 9, 2008
1,792
- -- -Bayfield
It is recommended for a deep cycle battery to have a charger that puts out a minumum of 10 amps. The little guy you have is a battery maintenance device designed to be hooked up to a battery that will not be used for long periods of time, yet will keep it topped off for storage purposes.
 
CaptGregg

CaptGregg

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Mar 8, 2012
446
Catalina 22 trailer sailor
Hey Barnacle Bill! Thanks for the response.

Well I went outside to attach the charger and checked the voltage on it first, I have 12.74 V in the battery so it looks like the problem is the switch panel itself. I played with the service switch until the little light came on, turned on the switch for Cabin and turned on the first cab light, it turned off the amber light beside switch, forgot to turn off the cabin light and turned cabin and service back off on the panel and when I turned them on again, no playing with the switch, the cabin light came on.... The boat is on the trailer, no moving, no flexing of cabling or anything so I don't think it's a bad connection anywhere, this panel is old and cheap, I think it is the panel.
 
Chris Patterson

Chris Patterson

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Oct 17, 2011
2,809
Ericson 29 Southport..
Hey Gregg, Sea Choice, And Valmar both make a panel that is about the right size for the 22. They both look identical in manufacture, and not VERY top quality, but it'll work in the short run. About 26 dollars, and it sure beats a bunch of half malfunctioning switches.
 
CaptGregg

CaptGregg

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Mar 8, 2012
446
Catalina 22 trailer sailor
For a quick fix, I went by Autozone and bought 3 toggle switches and installed them last night, that gives me the main service switch, cabin interior, and running lights (bow and stern). They work great and were less than 4 dollars each. I gotta get me a bilge pump and another switch for that... and I'll get them today along with solar yard light to run up the masthead if I need one. Right now I'm trying to get on the water asap and cheap. In the end I will wind up replacing the switch panel due to the age of the fuse holders. In the bigger scheme of things, I will have spent more money doing this piece meal stuff but the end justifies the expense in my opinion.
 
Chris Patterson

Chris Patterson

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Oct 17, 2011
2,809
Ericson 29 Southport..
Cool. That being the case, just MAKE a switch panel. Nothing to it, most of those switches take about a half inch hole, and you can lift the port side interior hatch cover to replace a fuse. You've already got three switches, that's most of what it is anyway.
I never buy anything I can build myself.
Oh yeah, the IDEAL building material for that would be a walmart white cutting board. 2 bucks, and easy to work with. The only problem there is, is I'd rather eat a snake than go in the horrible place...
 
CaptGregg

CaptGregg

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Mar 8, 2012
446
Catalina 22 trailer sailor
We have one of those 24 hr Walmarts here in Zebulon, far enough from Raleigh that they are not extremely busy, easy in, easy out, it's not so bad. I get my PFD's there and stuff like mosquito screening/velcro, etc there. I got those toggle switches from Autozone. The paddles on the switch are a bit thicker but still work well. They had two bilge pumps in Walmart, one was 20 dollars and the other was 30, was planning on getting a better quality one from West Marine but now I don't know. If the one at Walmart is 1000 gpm, I may just get one there soon.
 
Chris Patterson

Chris Patterson

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Oct 17, 2011
2,809
Ericson 29 Southport..
The pump in my Catalina, and my Ericson are both 500 gph, which I think, (head calculations here), is 8.2 gallons per minute. If you're taking on more water than that, that's BIG time trouble. The Rule is cheap, and reliable.
But I've probably opened a can of worms on opinions with that statement..
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Chris Patterson said:
The pump in my Catalina, and my Ericson are both 500 gph, which I think, (head calculations here), is 8.2 gallons per minute. If you're taking on more water than that, that's BIG time trouble. The Rule is cheap, and reliable.
But I've probably opened a can of worms on opinions with that statement..
Click to expand
Guys,

PLEASE remember that these pumps are rated with NO HEAD and at a higher voltage than you'll have unless charging.

At best centrifugal pumps can do about half what they are rated at once installed on a boat with head losses and voltage.....
 
CaptGregg

CaptGregg

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Mar 8, 2012
446
Catalina 22 trailer sailor
Sorry, I put gpm instead of gph, my bust! Those two pumps that Wal-mart has are a 500 and a 1200 gph. I found out that I put out a pretty good stream of water with my West Marine blue Manual Hand pump!!!! LOL
 
Chris Patterson

Chris Patterson

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Oct 17, 2011
2,809
Ericson 29 Southport..
I was reading recently in a very popular marine magazine, like Jamestown, Defender, or somebody like that, that was selling a manual pump of some kind, that actually said in the ad, that at the rate of fatigue by said pumper, you might as well use a bucket. I had to read the ad twice to make sure that was what it said, I wish I could remember who it was that said that.
And thanks Maine Sail. B.T.W. Gregg, before I forget it, if Maine Sail chimes in on it, you can take that info to the bank.
 
CaptGregg

CaptGregg

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Mar 8, 2012
446
Catalina 22 trailer sailor
Yeah. I have used that pump when I was washing down the interior so I can attest to the fatigue factor.
.
 
Bilbo

Bilbo

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Aug 29, 2005
1,265
Catalina 22 Ohio
Chris Patterson said:
I was reading recently in a very popular marine magazine, like Jamestown, Defender, or somebody like that, that was selling a manual pump of some kind, that actually said in the ad, that at the rate of fatigue by said pumper, you might as well use a bucket. I had to read the ad twice to make sure that was what it said, I wish I could remember who it was that said that.
....
Click to expand
I recently read a quote like that that said that "one shouldn't underestimate the ability of a bucket to move large quantities of water in the hands of a frightened a sailor." ~ John Vigor from "Things I wish I'd known before I Started Sailing."
 
CaptGregg

CaptGregg

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Mar 8, 2012
446
Catalina 22 trailer sailor
I know that's right!!!!! Too much water for me to drink!

Sorry for diverting the focus of the thread from deep cycle battery charging to bilge pumps and/vs bailing.

I love this board. I've rarely encountered such nice, willing to help and excited people on an internet forum. Now, before I head off on another tangent, I'll create a new thread!!! LOL
 
B

Barry B.

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Feb 28, 2005
184
Catalina 22 1909 North East, Md.
CaptGregg said:
I gotta get me a bilge pump and another switch for that... and I'll get them today along with solar yard light to run up the masthead if I need one.
Click to expand
CaptGreg, I would buy a small switch panel specifically made for bilge pumps, and get a pump that comes with a float switch or get a separate float switch. These panels have a three position switch marked Auto, Off, ON, in the AUTO position it allows the float switch to control the pump, OFF is self explanatory, and ON is spring loaded so you have to hold the switch in that position so you can't accidentally leave it in that position and burn up the pump by running it dry.
 
dparilla

dparilla

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Jan 22, 2008
597
Oday 35 and Mariner 2+2 Alexandria, VA
As I was cleaning out the parts locker I found I have a small rule bilge pump switch panel (on/off/auto). PM me if you are interested. I was going to install it, but ended up getting one of the aqualarm panels and smart switch with counter and alarm. If the pump runs for more than 2 minutes, the alarm sounds. Plus, the counter keeps track on how often it runs when I am away. 1 month now and the counter is still at 0. I did add a red guard to the switch to prevent it from being left in the off position.
 
CaptGregg

CaptGregg

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Mar 8, 2012
446
Catalina 22 trailer sailor
I have seriously considered and decided on the float switch. The three position panel I have seen and contemplated but had not decided on. As I get better aquainted with the boat and as time progresses, I think I will follow your advise but for right now, I just want to splash her!!!! Low on funds, it's going to be manual pump and milk jug with the top front cut out for a bailer, just like my dad used to do (if needed).
 
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