[C320-list] FW: Battery charger/inverter

[Darrell]

Thanks Jeff
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeffrey Hare" <Catalina at thehares.com>
To: "'C320-List'" <c320-list at catalina320.com>
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 12:02 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] FW: Battery charger/inverter


> Darrell,
>
>   This is probably due to differences in equalization between the cells.
> The ones with less water probably run slightly hotter than the others.  If
> you have a charger with an equalization mode, you might be able to fix 
> that
> somewhat. Just keep water above the plates at all times and you'll be ok.
> If the plates get exposed even for a short time, the exposed parts will
> probably be damaged permanently.
>
> For reference, I have a similar situation.  My forward battery, forward 
> most
> set of cells is always lower than the rest.  My shore charger doesn't have
> an equalization mode.
>
> -J
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Darrell [mailto:dgray at n-sea.org]
> Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 2:23 PM
> To: catalina at thehares.com; C320-List
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] FW: Battery charger/inverter
>
> Hi Jeff,
>
> My 4D's have been paralleled as a house bank for a couple years now and I
> have a good 3 stage charger. When I check the fluid level in the batteries
> about every 2 months, I find three cells on one battery lower than the 
> rest
> ( never dangerously low) Both batteries were replaced at the same time. 
> The
> battery that is a little lower is the one wired to the charger. Could that
> be the reason it looses more fluid?
>
> Darrell
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jeffrey Hare" <Catalina at thehares.com>
> To: <kmielen at iwon.com>; "'C320-List'" <c320-list at catalina320.com>
> Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 11:07 AM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] FW: Battery charger/inverter
>
>
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>>  I'm entering my 6th season on my 4Ds.  They're still ok, but I haven't
>> decided what I'll replace them with next year.  It helps their life
>> substantially having them in parallel however.
>>
>> Consider 6v golf batteries only if you're going to be nearly religious
>> about
>> equalizing them every year, and keeping all the extra connections clean.
>> If
>> you don't, you'll be hard pressed to match the power output of a pair of
>> conventional parallelled 4Ds given that you'll have nearly double the
>> electrical connection losses.  :)   It does help reduce the equalization
>> requirements if you keep them on shore power charger and fully charged 
>> for
>> long periods of time.
>>
>> -J
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Karl Mielenhausen _/) [mailto:kmielen at iwon.com]
>> Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 11:43 AM
>> To: C320-List at catalina320.com
>> Subject: [C320-list] FW: Battery charger/inverter
>>
>>
>> Paul,
>>
>>
>>
>> Bert was right on with his recommendation for a 40 amp charger... you 
>> want
>> 10% of your battery bank capacity in Amp-Hrs.
>>
>> Here is something else to think about...Before you replace your marine,
>> lead/acid 4Ds (which a really a hybrid starting/deep cycle battery, at
>> approx 205 AH), consider switching to golf car batteries (220 AH). Others
>> have suggested going to AGM's but I found that a tad pricy.
>>
>> Here is a link to some reference material...
>>
>> http://www.yachtsurvey.com/boat_battery_basics.htm
>>
>> A true (lead/acid) deep cycle battery can tolerate being discharged 80%
>> whereas the hybrid (lead/acid) batteries should only be discharged 50%.
>> You
>> must be doing something right, however, having gotten 6 years of life on
>> your last pair!!
>>
>> Also, four golf car batteries are also easier to handle than the 2 4D's.
>> Of
>> course, you may want to add a starting battery. This will give you the
>> added
>> confidence to run the house bank way down and still be able to start the
>> engine.
>>
>> There are several of these conversions photographed on the C320IA
>> website...
>>
>>
> http://www.catalina320.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=StartingBatt
>> Shelf
>>
>> http://www.catalina320.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album86
>>
>>
> http://www.catalina320.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=6-Volt-Batte
>> ries-and-Solar-Panel
>>
>> http://www.catalina320.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album31
>>
>> Good luck and keep us informed of your progress.
>>
>>
>>
>> Karl Mielenhausen
>>
>> 2000 C320 Hull#690 "Silver Lining"
>>
>> New Bern, NC
>>
>> http://pages.suddenlink.net/kmielen/
>>
>> From: PDCatalina320 at aol.com [mailto: PDCatalina320 at aol.com]
>>
>> To: c320-list at catalina320.com
>>
>> Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2007 01:58:55 EST
>>
>> Subject: [C320-list] Battery charger/inverter
>>
>>
>>
>> I am about to replace my 2 4D's since they are now 6 years old. I hear it
>> is also a good time to replace the 25 amp flyback charger.  A
>> inverter/charger like the xantrex Freedom 10 sounds nice but will my 4 
>> awg
>> wires  to the batteries take the  50 amps charging that the freedom puts
>> out?  I don't want to pull larger wires. Or is it better to just get the
>> xantrex truecharge 20  and do the inverter seperate.  Any info will 
>> help.
>> Thanks                                Paul,    850
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>> _______________________________________________
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