[C320-list] Xantrex Truecharge 20+ Replacement of ProMarinerFlyback 20-3

[Jon Vez]

Bruce,

You probably have the Charles Charger, but if it is a Flyback it will say it
on the front cover...

Regards,

Jon Vez
Solstice #582

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Bruce Stanley
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 7:12 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Xantrex Truecharge 20+ Replacement of
ProMarinerFlyback 20-3

Hi Bob
the hull #1084 was built in Florida in March 2006.
I am not sure if it is the Flyback ... will it say on the casing?

thanks
Bruce Stanley
Sydney Australia

On Thu, May 15, 2008 at 8:44 AM, Robert E. Sloat <resloat at comcast.net>
wrote:

> Bruce-Good morning.  I will take some pictures and post them on the C320
> site along with some technical talk.  When this is done I will post a note
> here.
>
> I assume from your hull number you also have the Flyback.
>
> Bob Sloat
> Savannah Hull 894
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce Stanley" <
> brucestanley36 at gmail.com>
> To: <C320-List at catalina320.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 5:21 PM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Xantrex Truecharge 20+ Replacement of
> ProMarinerFlyback 20-3
>
>
>
>  Hi Bob
>> Thanks for this most interesting Xantrex Truecharge installation report.
>> Any chance of posting it on the C320 site ..........with as many photos
as
>> possible? ....... the modifications to the cable connectors, the final
>> installation, the 10 AWG / 16 AWG connections, and any other pointer to
>> help
>> illuminate this successful upgrade.
>>
>> thanks
>> Bruce Stanley #1084
>> Sydney Australia
>>
>>
>> On Thu, May 15, 2008 at 6:00 AM, Robert E. Sloat <resloat at comcast.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>  A few comments on installing the Xantrex Truecharge 20+ which replaced
>>> the
>>> second Flyback 20-3 on my 2002 Hull 894. Many of the previous Xantrex
>>> post
>>> were helpful and a few additional comments on the installation are in
>>> this
>>> note. ProMariner has an upgraded battery charger that must compete with
>>> the
>>> Xantrex.  On the basis that two of the ProMariner Flyback 20-3's have
>>> failed
>>> since commissioning and that Catalina no longer uses this brand, I
>>> decided
>>> to make a change to Xantrex.
>>>
>>> The Xantrex appears to be a more modern design than the Flyback 20-3 and
>>> offers the following features that the Flyback does not have:  (1) a
>>> battery
>>> temperature monitor which shuts down the charger if the battery it is
>>> attached to gets too high in temperature; (2) a remote panel display
>>> which
>>> can be mounted near the electrical panel to keep an eye on battery
charge
>>> and voltage when the charger is turned on, but not underway; (3) the
>>> ability
>>> to equalize flooded batteries with a simple push of a button; (4) the
>>> ability to optimize battery charging depending on a preselected battery
>>> temperature (hot, medium or cold); and (5) choice of three operation
>>> modes -
>>> bulk/absorption/float, bulk/absorption and fixed 13.5 volts.
>>>
>>> Like the Flyback it can work on up to three of the same type of
batteries
>>> (flooded, gel or AGM).
>>>
>>> I needed a longer mounting board (16" high X 10" wide) for the Xantrex
>>> since its mounting height is longer than the Flyback.  I mounted the
>>> board
>>> directly over the original one for the Flyback unit.
>>>
>>>  The ground and battery connections on the Xantrex are much smaller than
>>> the Flyback which has been noted by previous post.  My solution was to
>>> not
>>> remove the original crimped eye fittings from the battery cable
>>> connectors
>>> used for the Flyback installation.  I was able with the help of a good
>>> sheet
>>> metal cutters and a file to cut and shape the eyes down to a spade shape
>>> which fit into the Xantrex battery and ground connections.  It took a
>>> reasonable amount of patience to get this done.  To do this, cut the end
>>> of
>>> eye off leaving a stub and then cut and file the stub to the required
>>> spade
>>> shape.  Keep cutting and filing until the spade fits into the Xantrex
>>> connectors and can be tightened down with the connector screws without
>>> shaking loose.  This eliminated the clutter of a buss bar which needs to
>>> be
>>> protected from contact with any metal in the port cockpit locker.
>>>
>>> The cable connectors were covered with shrink tubing near the original
>>> crimped connectors so no metal was exposed other than the spades which
>>> fit
>>> into the Xantrex connectors.  The formed spades were slightly bent so
the
>>> ground and battery cables when inserted into the Xantrex connections
>>> would
>>> clear a 3/4" thick strip of wood placed horizontally across the bottom
of
>>> the mounting board used to hold the cables in place.
>>>
>>> As in a previous post, 3/8" nylon cable clamps were used to mount the
>>> ground and battery cables near to the strip of wood at the bottom of the
>>> mounting board so they would not shake loose if hit by any flying
objects
>>> in
>>> the port locker.  A few 1" nylon cable clamps were used to hold the
three
>>> battery cables along the inside of the hull in place.
>>>
>>> The AC lines on the C320 are 10 AWG which is much larger than the AC
>>> wires
>>> on the Xantrex which are 16 AWG.  The crimp connections supplied by
>>> Xantrex
>>> did not work so I used a set of insulated spade and female connectors
>>> -one
>>> side was crimp size for 10 AWG wire and the other side was for 16 AWG
>>> wire
>>> size.
>>>
>>> Overall, this installation looks like the clean factory install for the
>>> Flyback without any additional connections or equipment or wires needed.
>>>
>>> Bob Sloat
>>> Savannah Hull 894
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>