I've been thinking about wiring a battery charger into my electrical system to ensure a full state of charge even if the boat doesn't run for a couple of weeks. Then I got to thinking: Presently, if my batteries get run down (say by the bilge pump) I'll be faced with dead batteries at the dock, before leaving. If I install a charger, the batteries may start the boat at the dock, then slowly degrade during usage on an extended sail or cruise, and possibly strand me somewhere else. Is this a risk to using a battery charger? Randy
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Most use a charger with no downside
Perhaps you have either forgotten, or don't have a pre existing charger connected to your auxilliary power (An alternator on your engine). That device will charge your battery(s) while away from shore power. Your job then is to monitor the battery charge & run the engine enough to keep the batteries charged while at sea. There are many ways to do this, which I will leave for others to address. One note on shore power chargers, make shure you get a multi stage charger that has a "trickle/float/maintenance" phase that won't overcharge or cook your batteries while away from the boat for weks at a time. I use a simple GUEST(?) 10 amp 2 stage charger.It works great & is affordable. P.S. use two batteries with an isolator switch. That way you'll always have one to start your motor if the other gets drained. Happy sailing!
Perhaps you have either forgotten, or don't have a pre existing charger connected to your auxilliary power (An alternator on your engine). That device will charge your battery(s) while away from shore power. Your job then is to monitor the battery charge & run the engine enough to keep the batteries charged while at sea. There are many ways to do this, which I will leave for others to address. One note on shore power chargers, make shure you get a multi stage charger that has a "trickle/float/maintenance" phase that won't overcharge or cook your batteries while away from the boat for weks at a time. I use a simple GUEST(?) 10 amp 2 stage charger.It works great & is affordable. P.S. use two batteries with an isolator switch. That way you'll always have one to start your motor if the other gets drained. Happy sailing!
Your right...
You're right...the alternator should charge the batteries, too. I was concerned that the charger might hide a failing alternator/weak batteries until it was too late. I do watch the battery voltage closely, however, and so I'd probably pick up on a problem quickly. Blindly believing the batteries were always fully charged would be a mistake, regardless of whether a charger was being used or not. Randy
You're right...the alternator should charge the batteries, too. I was concerned that the charger might hide a failing alternator/weak batteries until it was too late. I do watch the battery voltage closely, however, and so I'd probably pick up on a problem quickly. Blindly believing the batteries were always fully charged would be a mistake, regardless of whether a charger was being used or not. Randy
Would not think about NOT having one.
Randy: I would not even consider not having a shore power charging system. We use our boat year round even though we do not take it away from the dock much during the winter months. We have a DC operated refridgeration system on board. Stat Power has very good units that can handle any of the current battery technology available today and will actually extend the life of your batteries. They have a website at www.statpower.com. They have refurbished products available too. They only thing you need to remember is that you need a good AC electrical system with proper grounding if you are going to use one of these systems.
Randy: I would not even consider not having a shore power charging system. We use our boat year round even though we do not take it away from the dock much during the winter months. We have a DC operated refridgeration system on board. Stat Power has very good units that can handle any of the current battery technology available today and will actually extend the life of your batteries. They have a website at www.statpower.com. They have refurbished products available too. They only thing you need to remember is that you need a good AC electrical system with proper grounding if you are going to use one of these systems.
My electrical system
Randy, et.al., I think I have one of the better electrical systems--it is sure working for me at the present and I have had it on my last two boats. I start with two banks of batteries, one for the engine and one for the house. Since we have refrigeration, I normally have two Group 24's (deep discharge) for the house, Presently, I have 4 golf cart batteries for the house and a deep discharge group 27 for the engine. To this system I add a West Combiner which really isolates the two banks but allows the chargers (engine and shore) to satisfy both banks when needed. On the engine, I disable the Yanmar alternator regulator and install a smart regulator. Yanmar regulators tend to slow up after a short time in charging as they are similar to a car system. Once the starter battery is charged (or it thinks it is) it cuts back. So a smart regulator senses what the combiner is telling it and continues to send voltage to the batteries longer. On the shore side, I have replaced the Guest battery charger with a StatPower battery charger. This sucker is made in British Columbia and does about everything except make coffee. By now, they may even have that model. Not only does it charge in 3 phases, but every twenty one days, it reassess the batteries and re-charges them. This battery charger knows more about my batteries than I do. But because of that last fact, I also installed a Link 20 monitor so I can see where my batteries are at a glance. This device lets me see how much is going in and how much is going out. It is a great monitor. I can, from the Link, tell you what each device draws from the batteries and how much is being put in by the engine at different rpms. With this system, I can swing on the hook for about four days without starting the engine. Since the golf cart batteries give me 440 amps I will use about half before I need to recharge. By the way, I have not gone to a high output alternator. Had I run short of amps, that would have been my next step. But the yanmar alternator seems to be doing the job (55 amps at 3000 rpm). This system runs my Hunter 380 quite well. I had a licensed electrician do the work as I wanted to be sure all the connections were solid. But I helped! So he charged me more.
Hope this helps. I used to hate the electrical systems on my boats until we designed this present system. It really works Les
Randy, et.al., I think I have one of the better electrical systems--it is sure working for me at the present and I have had it on my last two boats. I start with two banks of batteries, one for the engine and one for the house. Since we have refrigeration, I normally have two Group 24's (deep discharge) for the house, Presently, I have 4 golf cart batteries for the house and a deep discharge group 27 for the engine. To this system I add a West Combiner which really isolates the two banks but allows the chargers (engine and shore) to satisfy both banks when needed. On the engine, I disable the Yanmar alternator regulator and install a smart regulator. Yanmar regulators tend to slow up after a short time in charging as they are similar to a car system. Once the starter battery is charged (or it thinks it is) it cuts back. So a smart regulator senses what the combiner is telling it and continues to send voltage to the batteries longer. On the shore side, I have replaced the Guest battery charger with a StatPower battery charger. This sucker is made in British Columbia and does about everything except make coffee. By now, they may even have that model. Not only does it charge in 3 phases, but every twenty one days, it reassess the batteries and re-charges them. This battery charger knows more about my batteries than I do. But because of that last fact, I also installed a Link 20 monitor so I can see where my batteries are at a glance. This device lets me see how much is going in and how much is going out. It is a great monitor. I can, from the Link, tell you what each device draws from the batteries and how much is being put in by the engine at different rpms. With this system, I can swing on the hook for about four days without starting the engine. Since the golf cart batteries give me 440 amps I will use about half before I need to recharge. By the way, I have not gone to a high output alternator. Had I run short of amps, that would have been my next step. But the yanmar alternator seems to be doing the job (55 amps at 3000 rpm). This system runs my Hunter 380 quite well. I had a licensed electrician do the work as I wanted to be sure all the connections were solid. But I helped! So he charged me more.
Hope this helps. I used to hate the electrical systems on my boats until we designed this present system. It really works LesMy two volts
Everyone, All excellent points & advice on this thread. I'll just add one little reminder. Overcharging is the most common and easiest way to shorten a battery's life and/or capacity. Having said that, remember that battery chargers must be matched to battery types, or have adjustments, since charging voltages are slightly different for flooded, gel, and AGM batteries. And because of this, battery types should never be mixed, nor should old & new batteries. Also, if the charging environment will be subject to temperature extremes, the charger should be temperature-compensated (set points higher for colder temps, lower for hotter temps). I agree with Steve... I can't imagine having a boat on shore power without a battery charger. Regardless of bilge pump activity, flooded batteries (the most popular) will self-discharge over time. There are many ways to keep batteries charged, but a multi-stage charger seems the easiest if shore power is available.
Everyone, All excellent points & advice on this thread. I'll just add one little reminder. Overcharging is the most common and easiest way to shorten a battery's life and/or capacity. Having said that, remember that battery chargers must be matched to battery types, or have adjustments, since charging voltages are slightly different for flooded, gel, and AGM batteries. And because of this, battery types should never be mixed, nor should old & new batteries. Also, if the charging environment will be subject to temperature extremes, the charger should be temperature-compensated (set points higher for colder temps, lower for hotter temps). I agree with Steve... I can't imagine having a boat on shore power without a battery charger. Regardless of bilge pump activity, flooded batteries (the most popular) will self-discharge over time. There are many ways to keep batteries charged, but a multi-stage charger seems the easiest if shore power is available.
A reliable multi(4) stage charger..
,,along with digital multi-finction monitoring system, will be the best way to keep your batteries( hopefully deep-cycle) in good order for many years. Mine ( 6V golf cart ones from West Marine) are still fine after 6 years. To do it with a simple one or two stage charger , you might -on the long run -either overcharge or underchearge them . A smart regulator for you alternator is a good investment when cruising away from your mains.
,,along with digital multi-finction monitoring system, will be the best way to keep your batteries( hopefully deep-cycle) in good order for many years. Mine ( 6V golf cart ones from West Marine) are still fine after 6 years. To do it with a simple one or two stage charger , you might -on the long run -either overcharge or underchearge them . A smart regulator for you alternator is a good investment when cruising away from your mains.
Is There A downside to Battery Chargers
I am only able to use my boat from november to april, the rest of the time I keep it in my slip. I had wet cell batteries, but each year I'd have a dead battery that would not hold a charge. I cured my problems by getting a gel cell battery and a small solar panel. I also use a battery charger/maintainer designed for gel cell batteries. Both work great.I wire the solar panel directly to the battery.With the solar I don't have to ever hook up to shore power.
I am only able to use my boat from november to april, the rest of the time I keep it in my slip. I had wet cell batteries, but each year I'd have a dead battery that would not hold a charge. I cured my problems by getting a gel cell battery and a small solar panel. I also use a battery charger/maintainer designed for gel cell batteries. Both work great.I wire the solar panel directly to the battery.With the solar I don't have to ever hook up to shore power.
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