Battery Charger

[Terra Nova]

I have a 1988 3207 Aft Cabin. I have a separate 4D deep cycle battery as my house battery and two separate batteries for the engines. I was going to swap one of the engine batteries with an 8D deep cycle and use that as both a cranking battery for the starboard engine and to provide additional house power along with the 4D deep cycle.

Does anybody have any recommendations on a battery charger? The original charger still works but its on its last legs...

[Viper]

Pronautic makes a good charger (ProNauticP Series). Don't be tempted to change to a higher amperage charger unless you're prepared to replace the charge wires also. Having said that, I've replaced a lot of chargers on older applications with the same output and had to increase wire size anyway as the OEM wire size was totally inadequate by today's standards. Also keep in mind that the Pronautic charger will deliver FULL rated output to any one bank if it needs to so each bank's charge wiring must be able to handle full output amperage. Read the instructions carefully as the install will be a little different from the original install. I also like thier remote display/control as it allows you to monitor the charge and make adjustments without having to go into the engine compartment where the charger typically is. Look here...

http://promariner.com/products/dry-mount-marine-battery-chargers/pronauticp-series/

I would use the 8D on the house bank and just stick with a 24 to 31 group start battery for the engine. Having said that, it's not a good idea to mix battery types or sizes in the same bank so adding an 8D to a bank that already has a 4D isn't ideal.

[SplashyLady]

Agree on Promariner chargers - and two 31s for starting batteries and an 8D for a house battery would work well. Promariner chargers are quite often available with a good discount on eBay - but be careful not to oversize the charger. Check the wire size from the battery to the charger and stick with these ratings:
14 awg - 15 amp
12 awg - 20 amp
10 awg - 30 amp
8 awg - 40 amp

You can often find a good deal on chargers on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R4 ... r&_sacat=0

[waybomb]

Stranded tinned wire only!

[Viper]

I'd be carefull with sticking to a specific awg for a given amperage. The length of the circuit MUST be taken into consideration.

[g36]

i would also ask myself how fast do i want to recharge my house bank. or do you plan on just recharging when running or back at the dock. do you enjoy the peace and quiet or the genny running? i dont know your boating habits, a 40amp charger as mentioned might work fine but if you are looking at a fast recharge you need to look into something way bigger. you definitly need a ignition protected unit if placed in the engine room but going outside the engine room you have way more choices in chargers that cost way less. i stay on the hook for extended periods so i have gone this route. the size of the wire and length of the runs have to be taken into account for safety. i have my charger mounted outside the engine room and tied into the main electrical 12vdc runs from the battery bank in the electrical compartment of my 405, as a house bank i run golf cart batteries and added this iota dls90 charger to quickly add amps back to my house bank when on the hook. in addition to a victron battery monitor it works very well for me. you may not need this much again it would be up to your needs.

[Lyndon670]

+1 to previous poster. Without knowing you boating style, any suggestions are just noise.

Also, Vipers post re gauge is paramount.

[feeez]

g36,

I am also using 4 golf cart batteries for my house and I installed a Victron last season and learned volumes about the performance of my battery charge (50A C-Charger). It is original to the boat and I don't believe is working very well any more.
How quickly does your quoted charger put juice back into your battery bank? Mine is almost glacial compared to what I get when the boat is running.

Thanks
Fraser


g36 wrote:
> i would also ask myself how fast do i want to recharge my house bank. or do you plan
> on just recharging when running or back at the dock. do you enjoy the peace and
> quiet or the genny running? i dont know your boating habits, a 40amp charger as
> mentioned might work fine but if you are looking at a fast recharge you need to
> look into something way bigger. you definitly need a ignition protected unit if
> placed in the engine room but going outside the engine room you have way more choices
> in chargers that cost way less. i stay on the hook for extended periods so i have
> gone this route. the size of the wire and length of the runs have to be taken into
> account for safety. i have my charger mounted outside the engine room and tied
> into the main electrical 12vdc runs from the battery bank in the electrical compartment
> of my 405, as a house bank i run golf cart batteries and added this iota dls90 charger
> to quickly add amps back to my house bank when on the hook. in addition to a victron
> battery monitor it works very well for me. you may not need this much again it
> would be up to your needs.

[g36]

Here's the link to the manual. How many amps is the victron monitor saying your charger is putting out when the charger is on? This one will run at full output but is controlled by the iq4 controller so the batteries are not over charged. Give the manual a look the next size down is a 75amp which I have also had on another boat
here's the link to charger and controller
http://www.iotaengineering.com/dls90.htm
http://www.iotaengineering.com/iq_m.htm

[feeez]

G36

The C-charger is a 3 bank 50 amp charger. When it is running the Victron show it is flowing anywhere from 30 to 35 amps back into the 6 volt battery bank. I assume that the balance is going to the other banks. The problem is that it will do this for maybe 5 minutes or so and then stop for a while then start up again. So, if I am on the hook running my genny I am not getting very much back into my battery bank if the charger is only running for perhaps 15 or 20 minutes per hour.


g36 wrote:
> Here's the link to the manual. How many amps is the victron monitor saying your charger
> is putting out when the charger is on? This one will run at full output but is controlled
> by the iq4 controller so the batteries are not over charged. Give the manual a look
> the next size down is a 75amp which I have also had on another boat
> here's the link to charger and controller
> http://www.iotaengineering.com/dls90.htm
> http://www.iotaengineering.com/iq_m.htm