[C320-list] Battery Charger Problems

[Robert Seastream]

Let's not forget to tell Bob that his bilge pump is hardwired to the  
battery.  Very important; done so that the bilge pump will function  
regardless of what position you leave the main battery switch in.   
Yes, you'd have to leave the main battery switch on either battery one  
or two, if you wanted to run anything (fridge) else.  Yes, the  
breakers (red buttons) are very hard to move.  However, even if you'd  
managed to 'disengage' or 'open' either or both, that wouldn't kill  
your batteries.  The windlass doesn't run unless you're at the bow  
stepping on the footswitch, and the purpose of the main breaker is to  
disconnect the rest of the boat or 'load' from the batteries.  The  
charger would still charge the batteries.  Chargers (like many  
electronic widgets) do simply up and die ('worked fine until it  
quit'), some more than others.  Your charger may be in the 'more'  
category, brands below.

Bob Seastream
Intuition # 906


On Oct 11, 2010, at 4:22 PM, Bryan Campbell wrote:

> The Promariner chargers are crap!!! I'm on charger #8 in two years.  
> The only
> reason I still have one is that they send me a new one each time  
> free. When
> that quits, I'm going with the Xantrex.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com]On Behalf Of Chris  
> Burti
> Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 12:15 PM
> To: C320-List at catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Charger Problems
>
>
> I replaced my OEM Promatic with the Promatic 3-30...I subsquently had
> the same result as yours...it quit without warning...I couldn't find a
> defective diode or rectifier as I assumed that a power surge had blown
> one out, so I trash canned it and bought a Xantrex...which has been
> problem free for 4 years and I only rarely have to add water to the
> batteries.
>
> On Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 12:55 PM, Barry Lambert <blambert at earthlink.net 
> >
> wrote:
>> Your problem is with the Promatic (I.e.: "Problematic") charger  
>> that comes
>> as standard equipment.  Mine went out after three years.  Replaced  
>> with
>> different a different brand I can't remember the name at the  
>> moment.  Get
> a
>> new battery charger and you'll be fine.
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: <BairdRJB at aol.com>
>> Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 10:38 AM
>> To: <C320-list at catalina320.com>
>> Subject: [C320-list] Battery Charger Problems
>>
>>> Arrived at the boat this weekend to discover both batteries dead;
>>> completely drained.  Shore power was hooked up correctly and the
>>> breaker-switch was
>>> in the on position for the battery charger.   The  only auxillary  
>>> units
>>> left on were the bilge pump and refrigeration.    The boat had been
>>> sitting
>>> unused for several weeks because of the weather.   Mold was  
>>> starting to
>>> appear
>>> in the fridge, so it must have been out for a  while.  There was  
>>> not even
>>> enough power in the batteries to get the marine  radio to function.
>>>
>>> Borrowed the marina's battery charger and trickle charged the  
>>> batteries
>>> for
>>> several hours.   Created enough battery power to turn on the   
>>> engine.
>>> Alternator seems to be working ok.
>>>
>>> Question is:   do chargers just up and die like that?    Our is a
> Promatic
>>> 30-3.   Doesn't seem to be any switch on the unit  itself.   When  
>>> the
>>> dockside power cord is connected to the boat, and  the breaker  
>>> switch to
>>> the
>>> charger is turned on, the needle on the charger unit  doesn't move  
>>> at
> all.
>>> And
>>> yes, there is power coming from the  dock-side outlet through the  
>>> power
>>> cable.
>>>
>>> Before I order a new unit, I thought I would check in with you   
>>> experts.
>>> Any suggestions would be helpful.  This is our  first full season  
>>> with
> the
>>> boat and still learning.
>>>
>>> If there is one factor that may or may not have to do with this  
>>> problem
> is
>>> that several weeks ago I was fiddling with the two knobs at the  
>>> battery
>>> panel  where you can switch from battery 1, to 2, All, or off.   
>>> Off to
> the
>>> right are two red knobs.   I was trying to learn how to turn on the
> anchor
>>> windlass (the lower of the two red pull-knobs).   The top knob   
>>> appears
> to
>>> be
>>> the main breaker.  I couldn't get either knob to move and  didn't  
>>> want to
>>> bust them by pulling/pushing too hard.  Never did figure out  how  
>>> to work
>>> the
>>> windlass.  Other than that, I haven't done anything out of  the  
>>> ordinary.
>>>
>>> With the batteries both juiced up again, all seems to be working   
>>> well.
>  I
>>> left the boat for the week, but did not reattach the shore power   
>>> cable.
>>> Left the battery switch to Battery 1.  The only  auxiliary item  
>>> left on
> is
>>> the bilge pump.   The fridge is now turned  off.
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>>
>>> Bob and Ingrid Baird
>>> Whitehall, Michigan
>>> Star Dust, 2001, Hull 784
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Chris Burti Farmville, NC
>