Help Choosing On-Board Charger

[TheChad]

Hey All,

I am looking for a new 3-Bank charger to replace my current (Working Great) Guest 2-Bank 5a/5a Charger.

My situation: Basically I have been replacing my starting battery every 1 to 1-1/2 Years, I have tried to keep the starting battery connected to a battery tender but dispite my best efforts, Their seems to be something draining my battery and probably causing short life. I'm fairly sure the drain is from the Radio (Small drain for station memory retention), and the Lowrance GPS antenna which I USUALLY unplug.

I was considering purchasing a DieHard Platnium AGM battery, but they are about $189, so I thought I could just get their $89 Deep Cycle Starting Battery, and put the other $100 toward a new 3-Bank charger that would take care of keeping all my batteries charged.

By only having 1 charger to maintain/charge all 3 of my batteries, I wouln't have the problem of sometimes not hooking up the maintainer on the starting battery.

Anyway I have been looking at probably upgreading to a 10/10/10 charger. I have been looking at Bass Pro & Cabelas. The Bass pro brand got horrable reviews, the Cabelas Brand (Made by Pro Mariner) got good reviews as a whole, but many bad reviews, and the Pro Mariner brand got horrable reviews. Pro Mariner seems to have QA issues as most of their reviews are about the product quiting or blowing up/shorting out in a matter of months..

I know the Guest brand is considered one of, if not THE best, but they are almost $400 for a 10/10/10. I was considering the Minn Kota, it too is pricy.

Anyone have some input/suggestions for brand/quality/etc?

I would like to stay @ $250 or less, but If I have to spend more to get a good product that I wont go out on me, then I will.

Thanks in advance for the help..

-TheChad

 

[elmwood]

Re: Help Choosing On-Board Charger

I was also tired of replacing batteries every 1 to 1 1/2 years on my boat. I am just finishing up the up grade. I went with Lifeline Batteries. New start battery a 27 series and two 6v 220 amp for the house batteries. Both batteries are AGM and from what I have read people have used the batteries for up to 10 years. The batteries warranty is 1 year free replacement and 5 years pro rated (not many companies willing to give that sort of warranty). I have changed out the switch and added a ACR Blue Seas 7650 but everyone who sells these cheap was out so I purchased the separate components from one web site I found the cheapest and the separates only ran $1 more than the "kit". As for a charger I looked at everyone?s and read a lot on the net and decided on the Xantrex Truecharge 40 amp. It will charge up to 3 banks at the same time with a full 40 amps to each bank if needed. It doesn't divide the total amperage up for the three banks. It will also analyze the batteries and figure out what each needs instead of just running its same cycle weather the battery needs it or not. Xantrex also makes a Truecharge 20 amp or you can get into their top series of chargers which can handle different battery types, Flooded mixed with Gel or AGM. Other charges can't do this that I found anyways. Additional items added and will be adding; Truecharge battery temp sensor and when it becomes available the remote panel for the charger. This isn't a bass boat but a Four Winns cruiser so I have room for the panel.

With this charger and ACR it does pose a problem. I asked about this problem in another post but Blue Seas is aware of the problem and has the solution via a relay. The problem being the charger does charge both batteries at the same time. Having the batteries connected for the on board charger does not allow the Xantres charger to do its "thing". A relay placed in the negitive of the ACR will turn off the ACR while using your on board charger but allow the batteries to charge together from the alternator. See my other post for the relay part number and it is only around $10.

Cost:
Lifeline batteries total $902.55 (tax and shipping charges included)
Xantrex charger 40 amp $265 (you can get the 20 amp around $220 or less)
Blue Sea ACR and Switch $101
Additional wire and cables (total is not in yet)

Someone will probably slam me for the price I spent on the batteries but I figured it out. I need 5 to 6 years out of the batteries and I break even and on top of that I have twice the amperage in the house batteries I had with the old batteries so I can come out ahead.

Hope this gives you some things to research on the net.

Eric (elmwood)

 

[John_S]

Re: Help Choosing On-Board Charger

Consider buying another 5/5 Guest. The outputs can be wired in parrellel. So you would have a 10 + 5/5 charger. Those units are rather small and locating two small units might be easier than one larger one. Also consider a battery switch to remove all power when not attended.

 

[TheChad]

Re: Help Choosing On-Board Charger

Consider buying another 5/5 Guest. The outputs can be wired in parrellel. So you would have a 10 + 5/5 charger. Those units are rather small and locating two small units might be easier than one larger one. Also consider a battery switch to remove all power when not attended.

I Ended up with the Pro Mariner Pro Sport 20 Plus. It's a 3-Bank charger that has 20 amps it will distribute between the 3 batteries depending on which one(s) need more or less amps.

Does anyone know what exactly is "High Performance AGM"? The Pro Mariner has 3 selectable charging profiles: Flooded/Standard AGM, Gell, and High Performance AGM. From the specs it doesn't look like there is much difference in the Flooded/Standard AGM profile and the High Performance AGM profile, but I can not find anywhere that states any classification between standard and High Performance AGM. I always thought all AGM's were considered "High Performance". My personal thought is that maybe the High Performance AGM profile is for if ALL 3 batteries are AGM, and the Flooded/Standard AGM is for if you have 1 or 2 AGM batteries in the mix.

As for the bettery I ended up going with a Optima AGM Marine Starting battery, I was going to just try another standard flooded Marine battery, but I got the Optima for $125.

As for the Disconnect Switch, I am looking at those, I just have to figure out where/how to mount it.. Is it really needed to disconnect the power from the engine or should I just disconnec the power from the accessory power?

-TheChad

 

[John_S]

Re: Help Choosing On-Board Charger

As for the Disconnect Switch, I am looking at those, I just have to figure out where/how to mount it.. Is it really needed to disconnect the power from the engine or should I just disconnec the power from the accessory power?

-TheChad

You need to identify what is draining the battery to know if just switching off accessory power would sufice.

Is your starting battery connected to a regulated or unregulated motor? If the latter, you might want to watch the voltage level. If you see it climbing above 15V start turning on a load to reduce it.

FWIW: I don't like leaving chargers plugged in for extended times. After 24hrs mine get unplugged. Power outages, dips, spikes, brown-outs, can cause very unique problems.

 

[TheChad]

Re: Help Choosing On-Board Charger

You need to identify what is draining the battery to know if just switching off accessory power would sufice.

Is your starting battery connected to a regulated or unregulated motor? If the latter, you might want to watch the voltage level. If you see it climbing above 15V start turning on a load to reduce it.

FWIW: I don't like leaving chargers plugged in for extended times. After 24hrs mine get unplugged. Power outages, dips, spikes, brown-outs, can cause very unique problems.

I *assume* what is draining the battery is the radio & the fish finder / GPS. I don't know of anything else that would cause a drain in power!? I don't see how the motor could drain any power!?

What do you mean regulated or unregulated motor? (I've never seen the voltage go above 14.5v on the dash gauge)

The motor is a 2006 Mercury 115HP EFI 4-Stroke Outboard. The only thing connected to my starting battery is the Motor and the accessories (Bilge Pump, Livewell Pump, Radio, Depth Finder / GPS, 12v cig outlet, gauge lights & front/rear lights), ALL except for the Radio, 12v Cig outlet and the Depth Finder / GPS are connected to on/off rocker switches, so they shouln't be drawing any power with the switches off.


-TheChad

 

[John_S]

Re: Help Choosing On-Board Charger

Chad,

Older outboards, especially smaller ones, had unregulated output. Didn't know what you had.

If there are no issues with wiring or corrosion, I agree, it is probably the GPS receiver and radio. The recommended Lowrance external GPS receiver install that I had, showed it wired to a switch to 12V.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Help Choosing On-Board Charger

Disconnect a battery cable from your battery post and put a multimeter inline and measure the current draw. Start pulling fuses until the current drops to zero and you will have identified your culprit.

 

[TheChad]

Re: Help Choosing On-Board Charger

Chad,

Older outboards, especially smaller ones, had unregulated output. Didn't know what you had.

If there are no issues with wiring or corrosion, I agree, it is probably the GPS receiver and radio. The recommended Lowrance external GPS receiver install that I had, showed it wired to a switch to 12V.

Nope, No corrosion anywhere. Before I had the GPS, I never had any issues with drained battery. However even when I disconnect the power from the Lowrance Depth Finder/GPS, I still seem to get a dead battery. I am probably going to rewire the power to the Depth Finder/GPS to the AUX rocker switch on the dash so I can shut it off when not in use.

Disconnect a battery cable from your battery post and put a multimeter inline and measure the current draw. Start pulling fuses until the current drops to zero and you will have identified your culprit.

Does it matter which cable? (Positive or Negative?)

What exactly do you mean put a multimeter inline? I assume you use the DC amps setting on the multimeter?

From your post it sounds like you are suggesting to disconnect one of the battery cables and put the multimeter probe onto the wire from the battery then measure the current draw (Amps?)? But wouln't the battery cable has to be connected to the battery to measure the current draw?

Thanks,

P.S. After a 24 hour charge with the new Pro Mariner Charger, I took out the boat yesterday evening and for the first time in a long time I got to the water and had 100% fully charged batteries. It was a beautiful evening on the water!

-TheChad