Which old charger?

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Dantodd

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Mar 14, 2012
131
Beneteau Oceanis 40CC Brisbane, CA
Which old charger? Heart vs. Sentry

I have 2 chargers onboard.

One is a Sentry G140 (40 amp Ferro resonant) and the other is a Heart Freedom 10 which is a 50 amp inverter/charger.


I have flooded wet cell batteries.

I don't really need the inverter or the extra 10 amps on the Freedom charger but it is a 3 stage charger and the Sentry is a single stage. I don't have the Heart/Xantrex remote either so I will need to buy/find one if I want to equalize the batteries (hopefully the default battery type is flooded cell.) I have a Victron battery monitor on order so I don't think I'll need the other portions of the remote, certainly not regularly.

Any advice on which of these chargers is better, and why, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,695
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Definitely use the Freedom 10. Ferro resonant chargers will prematurely kill your batteries.
 
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Dantodd

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Mar 14, 2012
131
Beneteau Oceanis 40CC Brisbane, CA
It sounds like I should be happy there are still a few remote panels floating around for this thing :)

Don: This Sentry shuts off the charger completely once it reaches max voltage so it is supposed to not boil off electrolyte like some of the FR chargers but if the Freedom is really that much better....
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,695
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
It may shut off the charger at a preset level if it works properly but if not... Regardless, without it "knowing" the state of charge, shutting off the charger at a predetermined voltage may either over-charge or under-charge. If for only for those reasons, use the old one as a paper weight.
 
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Dantodd

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Mar 14, 2012
131
Beneteau Oceanis 40CC Brisbane, CA
Hmmmm... lots to think about. I'm pretty sure I have a project for next week now. Thanks for the input and links all. I might even hook up the inverter, though I don't have anything that actually uses 110 on the boat (other than the A/C which the inverter won't drive and I wouldn't do that to the poor batteries anyway!)
 
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Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,215
CC 30 South Florida
Install it and they will come. You hook up that inverter and pretty soon you will find something to use it with. Just think, power tools.
 
dparilla

dparilla

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Jan 22, 2008
597
Oday 35 and Mariner 2+2 Alexandria, VA
Whence came our inverter, soon so did the Keurig Coffee maker! Mornings will never be the same.
 
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