ProMariner Battery Charger - "PS" Mode vs. "bc" Mode

Jan 11, 2014
11,323
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Maine Sail. with the Ultra, how does it handle at-dock power supply for the 12v refer? Should it be in PS or BC?
When the refrigerator comes on, the battery voltage drops, the charger senses the drop and goes in a charging mode to bring the battery up to a charging voltage. When my charger is in the float mode and the refrigerator starts it shifts in to the Bulk mode because my unit draws about 30 amps when running. Once the refrigerator stops the charger goes back through the cycle from bulk to absorption to float. (BTW, my refrigerator typically runs about twice a day for 30 minutes.)

The charger (ProNautic 1250) on my boat is located in a not easily accessible area. Is there a condition under which it can change from being in the PS most to CEC mode inadvertently? For several years it worked fine in the PS mode, last season it seemed to have shifted into the CEC mode.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
. When my charger is in the float mode and the refrigerator starts it shifts in to the Bulk mode because my unit draws about 30 amps when running. Once the refrigerator stops the charger goes back through the cycle from bulk to absorption to float. (BTW, my refrigerator typically runs about twice a day for 30 minutes.)
This is quite normal and a 30A load would certainly force the charger back to bulk. The algorithm would give you the shortest absorption though because battery voltage rose quickly.

The charger (ProNautic 1250) on my boat is located in a not easily accessible area. Is there a condition under which it can change from being in the PS most to CEC mode inadvertently? For several years it worked fine in the PS mode, last season it seemed to have shifted into the CEC mode.
There is nothing that should cause that other than changing it on the screen during boot mode or inadvertently re-setting it to factory default which is actually pretty easy to do with the "press>hold" times on the "enter" button.. For your use you may want to set up a custom "dockside" profile of 13.6V absorption & 13.6V float when leaving the boat for a while.....
 
Nov 14, 2013
200
Catalina 50 Seattle
Thanks for all the help, folks. Got her re-programmed yesterday and it all looks good. I've had this unit for a few years now but am just doing a once-over on all my systems and realized that when I initially installed it, I'd "temporarily" set it up with its default AGM program and left it in "BC" mode and never went back to fix it. I like these units in almost every way except for their use of "alternate" charging phase descriptions. Why can't everyone just use the standard bulk/absorbance/float terminology?
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Thanks for all the help, folks. Got her re-programmed yesterday and it all looks good. I've had this unit for a few years now but am just doing a once-over on all my systems and realized that when I initially installed it, I'd "temporarily" set it up with its default AGM program and left it in "BC" mode and never went back to fix it. I like these units in almost every way except for their use of "alternate" charging phase descriptions. Why can't everyone just use the standard bulk/absorbance/float terminology?
Because these were essentially designed by a European company... Personally, I would much rather see all language go to
the DIN standard that defines the charging process, it looks like this; I >Uo>U

I = Constant Current, CC, Bulk or sometimes called Boost Charging

Uo = CV/Constant Voltage, Constant Over Voltage, Absorption, Acceptance or sometimes Topping Charge

U = CV/Constant Voltage, Float, Finishing Charge or sometimes Maintenance Charge
 
Apr 5, 2009
2,774
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
This is quite normal and a 30A load would certainly force the charger back to bulk. The algorithm would give you the shortest absorption though because battery voltage rose quickly.
My refrigeration is a Cold Machine and draws about 5 amps. It comes on several times each hour. I am concerned that if it goes back to absorption for some period of time each time the refer goes on that it will overcharge the batteries. Will it drop back to float between the cycles say every 20 minutes or will it just stay in absorption all the time?