[C320-list] Charging batteries with a Honda Generator

[Warren Updike]

Tim, if you are a cruiser and want a quick recharge with a generator the
more amps the better.  The size of your charger and the battery state
determines how long you have to run your generator. I assume less is better.
Therefore, the largest charger you can afford is better.  

If mostly a week-ender and you can leave your charger on at the dock, then
even a 20A charger will do.  The batteries determine the charge acceptance
rate not the charger.  If your charger is undersized it will just take
longer to recharge.

I replaced my 15 yr old ferrite charger this year with the Xantrex TC2-A
40amp.  I've left it on for the past 6 weeks through all of the 90+ deg days
and when I checked the batteries they needed no water.  Should have done
that replacement long ago.  

Xantrex this year came out with the TrueCharge 2A model.  If you can find
any of the previous TC 2 (no A) they should be at a good price.  Try ebay
and Amazon, and the online marine dist.

Warren & Pattie Updike
1994 C320 #62 "Warr De Mar"

-----Original Message-----
From: Tim [mailto:chillinonahd at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 4:32 PM
To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Charging batteries with a Honda Generator

Ok, thanks for all the input. So it sounds like the Honda 2000 puts out
plenty of AC but the little 10amp charger (p.o. replaced, I think he was in
a slip) is where the limit is to recharging this way. Am I correct in
assuming that replacing the charger with either a 20amp or 30amp charger
will decrease my charge time when using the generator? If so, then I'd
consider the upgrade to a charger/inverter that would allow use of a
microwave for short bursts. Btw, the alternator does do a much better job
(stock alternator) as we did motor out for a bit to do some sailing and it
charged the batteries much better than the battery charger did.
 
Lastly, has anyone replaced their battery charger with a higher output unit
and care to make a reccomendation?
 
Thx
 
Tim
Calypso
#603