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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Battery Charging

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lwirth
1st Mate

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USA
35 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/18/2008 : 13:27:51

I have an 85 TR with an outboard engine that does not recharge my battery when it is running. The battery tends to lose power as the season progresses and I then need to take it ashore for recharging. I do have shore power available at my slip and was wondering if there are some practical inexpensive solutions to keeping the battery charged all season without having to take it ashore. Thanks, Larry

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 08/18/2008 : 14:18:33

I use the battery to power just the VHF and GPS mostly. I recharge the battery w/ a 7.5 w Sensei solar panel.

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 08/18/2008 : 15:10:07

If you have shore power at the slip, why not just take your battery charger out to the boat with you once in a while and leave it there overnight? Alternatively, you could spend a lot of money and buy a permanently mounted charger and all its components and just plug into the slip when you come in each time.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/18/2008 : 17:06:45

Few Catalina 25 sailors run their engines enough that the alternator accomplishes much of anything. Charging a Battery can be done for the price of an appropriate extension cord plus under $40 for a little maintainer, (which seem to charge batteries just fine), to well over $500 if you are buying all marine grade / permanent installation components.
If you go the extension cord route you will feel better about it if you get the right cord, 12 gauge or better.

and make sure there is a ground fault in the line. My dock uses ground fault outlets at every power pedestal so a person could get by with just a cord but I used one of these too.

... these photos are from the Home Depot site.

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Patrice C25
1st Mate

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78 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2008 : 10:34:27

Hi,

This is what I do too. Have a standard extension to the boat, then I plug a computer type extension, with power surge (breaker) protection and use this one to plug what ever is required. ex;battery charger...

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tbosch
Navigator

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163 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2008 : 11:26:08

I assume that you are talking about using clip on battery charger, maintainer (trickle charger) that you would use at home. This is what I use as well. I have never left it connected in maintainer mode when away from the boat for a week or two. Am I being over cautious? Is there anyone out there that leaves it connected while away? Is anyone violently opposed to doing this?

Thanks,
Todd
1980 C25 SR/FK

Edited by - on

broudbrun
Deckhand

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USA
7 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2008 : 11:37:20

Once we have our battery fully charged we keep it charged almost year round with a solar panel. Of course we have sunshine continually!

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2008 : 12:51:07

To use your shore power with a standard outdoor extension cord, you'll probably also need something like [url="http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/57557/377%20710/0/Shore%20Power/Primary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/10/0?N=377%20710&Ne=0&Ntt=Shore%20Power&Ntk=Primary%20Search&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&Nao=10&Ns=0&keyword=Shore%20Power&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=5002&subdeptNum=9&classNum=311"]this[/url] to plug into the dock outlet:

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2008 : 12:57:05

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Patrice C25
 Hi,

This is what I do too. Have a standard extension to the boat, then I plug a computer type extension, with power surge (breaker) protection and use this one to plug what ever is required. ex;battery charger...

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Power strips have always played a roll on my boats but the surge protection feature is not related to the ground fault function. It is a mistake not to use a ground fault at a place in the circuit that will take the entire circuit down. Once again this is presuming an extension cord set-up as opposed to a proper shorepower installation with a proper power panel.

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Renzo
Admiral

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USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2008 : 13:41:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tbosch
 I assume that you are talking about using clip on battery charger, maintainer (trickle charger) that you would use at home. This is what I use as well. I have never left it connected in maintainer mode when away from the boat for a week or two. Am I being over cautious? Is there anyone out there that leaves it connected while away? Is anyone violently opposed to doing this?

Thanks,
Todd
1980 C25 SR/FK
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I use a similar method but I don't feel comfortable leaving it unattended. So I usually recharge the battery when I know I'm going to be at my marina for the day, working on the boat, or at a guest marina, while on a club cruise. Too many things can go wrong with a temporary charging hook-up that can result in fires or exploded batteries if not checked during charges.

Edited by - on

Patrice C25
1st Mate

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78 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2008 : 14:25:45

Hi,
I would also be afraid to leave the standard charger, not a permanent installation, plug-in without being around. I usally plug it in when arriving at marina in the evening and will spend the nite at the dock...

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5431 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2008 : 23:40:48

So far, my two 1A solar panels have kept the battery topped off. In my power budget, I use the VHF (1A), an FM radio (1A), the depth finder and knot meter (0.5A) and occasionally the cabin lights (4A). I have no refrigeration or AC, don't have a TV, usually don't go out at night so I don't need the Nav lights.

I sometimes use my laptop on board (6A) and this will bring down the battery. But two or three days of bright sun will top the battery off again.

I have no shorepower, so occasionally I need to bring the battery home for a good overnight 6A charge in the garage. But so far this summer, I haven't had to do that.

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