Leading Edge
Member
What size battery charger do I need for my 40' liveaboard trawler? I want to replace the old 50 amp battery boiler so that I don't fry our two new 8D batteries. Most lights are LEDs. Thanks for your input.
Battery charger
- Thread starter Leading Edge
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.1 x C for lead acid is the manufacturers charge rate. 8ds are 250@10 hrs. each, so 50 amps is perfect. If they are boiling it's not because of the charger. Sounds like an internal short in the plates.
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I just had this 80amp newmar 3 stage charger installed. I've never had my 8d's so fully charged. This can charge up to 3 banks of batteries and I have two banks each for start batteries and I will have a 3rd for a house bank. 8d's are in series two per motor.
Here is more information on the three stage.
http://www.batterystuff.com/blog/3-stages-of-smart-chargers.html
Here is more information on the three stage.
http://www.batterystuff.com/blog/3-stages-of-smart-chargers.html
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Tom.B
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I saved a LOT of cash by using a "non-marine-grade" IOTA Engineering charger. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles (but DOES do float charge) and it only does one bank (like you) at a time, but I have been very happy with it. Got my 55A for less than $200. You can gang two together later if you need more or faster charging. I use a Balmar Duo Charge for the start battery.
http://www.iotaengineering.com/12vdc.htm
http://www.iotaengineering.com/12vdc.htm
Carolena
Guru
Sterling chargers come highly recomended. We are installing a 40 AMP in the Tug. Comes with the temp sensor. We also added the remote panel. Charles are great, but pricey.
Sterling review and install how to that also covers sizing to the battery bank (50 AMP sounds right): Installing A Marine Battery Charger Photo Gallery by Compass Marine at pbase.com
EDIT: ProNautic ProMariner line is built by Sterling - exact same chargers. I checked our paperwork and we actually have hte ProMariner version. It was a little less expensive than the Sterling, although the exact same charger.
Sterling review and install how to that also covers sizing to the battery bank (50 AMP sounds right): Installing A Marine Battery Charger Photo Gallery by Compass Marine at pbase.com
EDIT: ProNautic ProMariner line is built by Sterling - exact same chargers. I checked our paperwork and we actually have hte ProMariner version. It was a little less expensive than the Sterling, although the exact same charger.
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Ron T
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I have been vey happy with my MasterVolt, Holland made. If you have the time to call the major marine battery charger companies. Ask to speak with a tech-rep. Ask his advice. See if he really knows his product and how much time he gives you. If he/she is short with you, then you may judge how helpful they will be if you need help with the correct installation or problems later. I have seen a lot of owners mad at Xantrex with not backing up their product. Keep asking questions until you are completely happy with your well informed choice.
jwnall
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I have heard a lot of bad things about Xantrex. But in all fairness to them, when I had a problem with mine I called their customer relations, explained the problem, was immediately transferred to a tech support guy, and he was very helpful to me in solving the problem. So here is at least one positive report on them.
caltexflanc
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When was that? Xantrex got their bad reputation a few years ago while under the ownership of some private equity group. Went to making stuff in China, non-serviceable throwaways and had really bad customer service which I experienced myself first hand (boat came with one of their high end XC chargers for the thruster bank) and second hand through others I trust. Schneider, a large French electrical conglomerate bought them about five years ago. It looks like they are beginning to transition to the Schneider brand and manufacturing. It will be interesting to see what experiences people have had with product bought in the last two years or so.
Charles and NewMar make top notch, highest quality products here in the US, and are US owned and great US customer service. Why buy something foreign? The suggestion above to call the supplier and talk with their service folks is a great idea. One thing to ask any of them is what happens when the unit breaks out of warranty.
jwnall
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Within the last year.
FF
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IF the charger is part of the on hook batt recharge system big is good.
If the boat is 95% dockside , and an alt charges the house underway a 15-20A charger would refill the batts as well as take care of the dockside loads.
Adjustable would allow you to lower the float voltage and use less water.
The desired TIME to recharge is the real question , and the answer is usually best with a Big Smart Alternator.
The unit is best if it can operate ALL the bilge pumps at one time , just incase.
If the boat is 95% dockside , and an alt charges the house underway a 15-20A charger would refill the batts as well as take care of the dockside loads.
Adjustable would allow you to lower the float voltage and use less water.
The desired TIME to recharge is the real question , and the answer is usually best with a Big Smart Alternator.
The unit is best if it can operate ALL the bilge pumps at one time , just incase.
caltexflanc
Guru
That bodes well! Now if they can quit making stuff in China, make it over here, and make it serviceable they could be a real contendah again. Some of their ideas are pretty cool, like the Freedom Sequence. Still, ain't 'Murricans though..
Tom.B
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Unfortunately, repairing that kind of damage is a slow process. If, in fact, they can ever get a good reputation back. Most especially in the marine biz. Word gets around and then it's a long and expensive road back.
Bay Pelican
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Hard to imagine me buying a Xantrex product again. Had three of their inverter chargers and they refused to service each of them.
Edelweiss
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Yup!! I'll second that. For the price Xantrex is hard to beat. And it maintains all three battery banks perfectly. My flooded lead acid batteries last around 10 years and in total use less than 1/2 gallon water per year.
caltexflanc
Guru
Wish I could say that about my Xantrex XC1524. My thruster/washdown pump bank, the only thing it charges, 2 8Ds, never make it past about three years, just past the mfr warranty. Get checked and watered in needed monthly. Maybe you don't use yours too much? That is very long life even for top of the line batteries. What kind of batteries do you have? What year was your charger made?
ranger58sb
Guru
Near as I can tell from a quick "market survey" -- looks like one can either get a multi-bank charger (e.g., 3-bank) or a single-bank inverter/charger, but not both in the same product.
That sound about right?
-Chris
That sound about right?
-Chris
motion30
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So the xantrex tech tells me. Your inverter is not repairable, but I can sell you a reconditioned one........??????
On The Rocks
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Installed a Xantrex Prosine 3000 inverter/charger a couple of years ago. Can't speak to the tech support as I haven't had to use it but the product has worked flawlessly so far.
caltexflanc
Guru
You can rig ACRs, for instance to inverters and use them to charge another bank. Most inverter mfrs. offer them, plus folks like Blue Seas. The inverters in and of themselves are focused on charging "their" bank.
River Cruiser
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IMHO one of the best chargers sold if not the best.
caltexflanc
Guru
Before someone educated me and set me straight on how to fix my Sentry charger (which has done a beautiful job for four years ever since maintaining both a start and more traditional house/start bank), I looked intensively into high end "smart" chargers and came to the same conclusion. Plus they are really nice people.
ksanders
Moderator Emeritus
Charles makes IMHO the best chargers on the market. Bulletproof.
As for Xantrex, I've been lucky. I've had their inverter chargers on every boat I've owned and never had a failure. I even had good luck with the prosine units on a couple of boats.
Right now I have a SW 3000 3KW /150 amp unit and it is heavy, old fashioned heavy, something like 75 pounds or so of heavy.
But, I'm different. If and when that unit goes out, I won't even try to get it fixed, at least not at first. I'll find someone with a replacement in stock and have it air freighted up. An inverter/charger is a mission critical piece of equipment and I cannot afford to have it down.
Then I'll fix the old one myself, if its possible and or buy a spare unit. When we start cruising full time, I will have a spare, either way.
As for Xantrex, I've been lucky. I've had their inverter chargers on every boat I've owned and never had a failure. I even had good luck with the prosine units on a couple of boats.
Right now I have a SW 3000 3KW /150 amp unit and it is heavy, old fashioned heavy, something like 75 pounds or so of heavy.
But, I'm different. If and when that unit goes out, I won't even try to get it fixed, at least not at first. I'll find someone with a replacement in stock and have it air freighted up. An inverter/charger is a mission critical piece of equipment and I cannot afford to have it down.
Then I'll fix the old one myself, if its possible and or buy a spare unit. When we start cruising full time, I will have a spare, either way.
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ksanders
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This probably isnt the thread for this, but places like the Bahamas for example, are very much like places in Alaska logistics wise.
Getting a replacement part is both expensive and a logistics nightmare.
My goal is to have spares for pretty much every single point of failure.
On the inverter issue, many of us depend on our inverters for daily life on the boat. I thought about this, and figured out how much of my boats electrical system would go down if my inverter failed, and it was allot.
So, I'm installing a rotary transfer switch, similar to, and actually the same part as a shore power switch between my inverter and its loads. That way if my inverter goes down, I can just rotate the switch and be back in service on what ever source of AC I have available (generator or shore power).
The part was >$100 and installation might take me all of a couple hours.
As a FYI, since you have a Nordhavn... This issue was brought to my attention when reading about a Nordhavn that was making an atlantic crossing and had a failure of his inverter, which took out his stabilizers at a time he really needed them. The report I read was that it was rather unpleasant to bypass the inverter in a rough sea.
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N4712
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Yep, we have a little breaker box for bypassing the inverter. Also that was the Uno Mas you were talking about, a 40 Nordhavn, his inverter got wet from the rough seas spraying over the transom and making there way through the lazzerette hatch and shorting it out. Now the stabilizers are 12 or 24 volt.
