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What size battery charger do you have?

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/12/2007 : 19:04:52

I'm still gathering parts to install my shore power/onboard battery charger project. I've been looking at different battery chargers trying to make my mind up.

My questions are what size to the most of you guys have? and if you had to do over would you have gone bigger or could you have gotten by with a smaller?

I have 2 deep cycle 27 battery's.

1997 250 TR WK (sold)
1984 O'Day 28 (sold)
1979 SISU 22
Bath, NC.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 12/12/2007 : 21:05:01

I've got one of these and it seems to work really well keeping my two batteries charged.

http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/185/p/1/pt/7/product.asp

GaryB
'89 SR/WK #5862
Kemah,TX

Edited by - GaryB on 12/12/2007 21:05:30

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 12/12/2007 : 21:17:32

I had a Xantrex and it died on me. I now have a Charles 10 AMP smart charger for my 2 Group 24 AGMs and it works very well. The Xantrex and the Charles allow you to use the 12V stuff while charging. Other, less expensive, chargers do not. That is a BIG difference.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 12/12/2007 : 21:29:38

Charles series 5000 15 amp. Supports all three types of batteries, lead acid, gel, and paste.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 12/12/2007 : 21:48:30

Paste?? What's that?

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AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 12/13/2007 : 00:48:54

I keep it real simple. An exterior mounted 5 amp solar panel trickle charger keeps my single Group 24 gel topped off. The only draw is my 9.8 Tohatsu electric start, running lights (rarely run at night), and interiors, 50/50 incandescent and LED. I sail to get away from electronics. No drain on the battery in over 9 months. It's the K.I.S.S. principal: keep it simple...sailor ;-)

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frogger
Navigator

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USA
184 Posts

Response Posted - 12/13/2007 : 06:11:28

Like Frank, K.I.S.S., except an exterior mounted 10 amp charger keeps my two batteries, a Group 27 and Group 24, connected in parallel, topped off. I just replaced both batteries after 7 years of similar use.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 12/13/2007 : 12:50:26

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> It's the K.I.S.S. principal: keep it simple...sailor ;-)<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Remind us about that after you buy the C30.

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AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 12/13/2007 : 15:22:48

Randy, I'm cooling on moving to a C-30; too much "stuff" for a simple dude like me to wrestle with...and pay for! Standing headroom ain't worth the trade off.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 12/13/2007 : 16:24:28

Aw Frank... Expand your mind, and your horizons!

(Your wallet, on the other hand.......)

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 12/13/2007 16:25:47

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 12/13/2007 : 16:50:50

Oh Frank, lets be honest. You would miss all of us!
Steve A

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mhartong
Navigator

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USA
152 Posts

Response Posted - 12/14/2007 : 16:55:51

I installed a 10 Amp GUEST 2622A. About $260.

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 12/14/2007 : 17:58:39

Thanks everyone.
It seems the consensus is the 10 and 15 amp chargers. That will work for me, I was thinking about a 6 amp but decided that it might take to long to top off the batterys if I'm stopping in a marina only overnight.

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mhartong
Navigator

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USA
152 Posts

Response Posted - 12/14/2007 : 20:27:10

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tompotter
 Thanks everyone.
It seems the consensus is the 10 and 15 amp chargers. That will work for me, I was thinking about a 6 amp but decided that it might take to long to top off the batterys if I'm stopping in a marina only overnight.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

One thing to consider is how the system applies the charge. For example the Guest charger I installed is designed for two batteries, and is designed to apply 10 amps per battery (10/10) So it really is a 20 amps overall.

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 12/14/2007 : 21:03:51

Mark,
Is your charger hooked to one or two batterys?

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 12/14/2007 : 21:30:19

Tom, just make sure the charger allows you to run other electrics such as lights etc. while it is charging and has at least three stages with the last being a float charge. Some Guest chargers will not allow this function and will damage the charger.

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mhartong
Navigator

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USA
152 Posts

Response Posted - 12/14/2007 : 21:33:56

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tompotter
 Mark,
Is your charger hooked to one or two batterys?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Two Type 24's

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2007 : 06:59:57

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by frog0911
 Some Guest chargers will not allow this function and will damage the charger.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

And possibly damage the batteries ( both of mine!) The cost of the batteries would have made it worthwhile installing a charger that did allow use while charging, plus it would have removed that inconvenience.

Paul

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2007 : 17:09:52

I found the formula to gage the size battery charger you need on the Charles Industries web site.

Most manufactures suggest that you don't drain your battery's past 50%. They also recommend that the charging time should be 8 hours.

Based on that, the formula goes like this.

Take the number battery's you have x the amp hours = total amp hours

Divide the total amp hours by 50%, divide by 8 (hours) = size charger you need.

Heres an example using my battery's (I have two 27 deep cycle rated at 105 amp hours each)

2 x 105 = 210 (total amp hours)
210 / 8 = 13.1

I need at least a 13 amp charger.

Edited by - Tom Potter on 12/15/2007 17:39:26

At Ease
Admiral

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672 Posts

Response Posted - 12/16/2007 : 17:38:39

Looks like there are all sorts of ways to measure how much charger we need. I had an old battery guru tell me the battery charger's output should be 10% of the total battery output. If your combined batterys put out 300 amps, you need a 30 amp charger.

Edited by - on

SEAN
Admiral

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USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2007 : 07:12:02

I have 10% of the total out put,
and it takes between 3 and 5 hours to charge .
its a Xantrex charger

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