[C320-list] Battery Charger

[Mark Cole]

Cosby;

One thing to consider is charger output.  I’m guessing from the model number (12.30P) you mentioned that this is a 30 amp charger.  Depending on the size of your battery bank, in amphours, and the type of sailing you do (spend a couple of days at anchor with high DC demand), a 30 amp charger may take quite a while to recharge your battery bank.  I currently have a Xantrex 20 amp charger and it takes up to 10 hours to top off my 230 amphour house bank, after discharging it to around 40%.  This usually works fine while I’m out cruising, but I’ve run into a couple of times when I wanted to unplug early and my batteries weren’t completely recharged.  Nigel Calder’s book talks about how to match the output of your charger to your battery bank.  I think it is also important to be able to add a temperature sensor, if not included, plus be able to do an equalization or conditioning cycle if you have lead-acid batteries.

Mark Cole
Fiddler’s Green, #8
Tacoma, Washington

> On Dec 17, 2017, at 9:53 AM, Freedman Arthur <saltyvet at mindspring.com> wrote:
> 
> John,
> 
> What is your  Solar Panel set up?
> 
> Art  Freedman
> C310 #227
> 
> On Dec 17, 2017, at 12:28 PM, sail-ability sail-ability <sail-ability at sympatico.ca> wrote:
> 
>  If Ur thinking about a Xantrex I wouldn't bother. I've had two and both
>  failed, company policy is that they are not repairable, ie. they are
>  throwaways if they fail! Apparently Xantrex were not a bad company when
>  they were Canadian owned out of BC?? I need to replace my shore
>  charger; been three years since it failed and batteries are charged
>  from a 180W solar panel, so I'm not in a rush.
> 
>  Cheers
> 
>  JohnM
> 
>  1999#574
> 
>    ---------- Original Message ----------
>    From: JONVEZ at COMCAST.NET
>    Date: December 17, 2017 at 7:15 AM
>    Great advice Dave.
>    The Sterling and ProNautic are the same under the hood. I currently
>    have a
>    Charles but will be proactively replacing it this season. The
>    Charles does
>    not have battery temp sensing (only on board), no option to equalize
>    and
>    rarely gets up to proper bulk with larger banks....
>    Reading through the Compass site is very worth while when making a
>    decision
>    (full disclosure I know him personally)
>    -----Original Message-----
>    From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On
>    Behalf
>    Of DAVE Swanson
>    Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2017 8:19 PM
>    To: C320IA List Server <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
>    Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Charger
>    Crosby,
>    I replaced my Charles Charger with a Sterling Pro Charge Ultra 40A
>    just a
>    couple of years ago. I believe it is made by the same company that
>    makes
>    the ProNautic Charger. I received the best price on it from a San
>    Diego-based marine electronics retailer, Bay Marine Supply.
>    https://baymarinesupply.com/ <https://baymarinesupply.com/> I paid
>    $310 for
>    the charger and $72 for the remote control panel (April 2015). They
>    are
>    located near Rosecrans and Sports Arena Blvd. I believe that they
>    are mail
>    order only.
>    I have been super happy with the new Sterling Charger. I also
>    upgraded our
>    house bank to 4 6V Trojan T105 GC batteries and instaled a flexible
>    Solbian
>    Solar Panel on our binmi. Great setup.
>    Compass Marine has a ral nice writeup on the Sterling Pro Charger. I
>    basically follwed his advice.
>    http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/installing_a_marine_battery_charg
>    er
>    <http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/installing_a_marine_battery_char
>    ger>
>    See my Owner Photos on the C320IA website to see more of what I did
>    on my
>    2007 C320 MK II.
>    Good luck with your upgrade!
>    Dave
>    David Swanson
>    S/V Emily Ann
>    2007 C320 MK II, No. 1107
>    Mukilteo, WA and San Diego, CA
>> On Dec 16, 2017, at 11:18 AM, Crosby Roper <VMDatSEA at hotmail.com>
>    wrote:
>> 
>> Hi all,
>> 
>> My Charles 5000SP spontaneously combusted inexplicably last weak.
>    When I
>    called Charles about it, the seemed to think this was not unusual- a
>    Chinese-made part was to blame they said. Fortunately, the fire was
>    limited
>    to the unit itself and aside from some smoke residue in the port
>    settee,
>    there is no apparent damage. Charles cannot ship to California
>    anymore (CA
>    EPA rules) so I am looking for a replacement charger. So far I have
>    settled
>    on the Promariner ProNautic 12.30P. Does anyone have any experience
>    with
>    this charger? I seem to remember an article in Practical sailor
>    several
>    years ago that touted the Xantrex chargers. Any thoughts or comment
>    on those
>    would be helpful.
>> 
>> Thanks, and happy holidays
>> 
>> Crosby Roper VMD
>> s/v Tethys (#1054)
>> San Diego, CA
> 
>> 
> 
> Arthur Freedman, DVM
> Hawthorne Animal Health Care
> 978-741-2300
> saltyvet at mindspring.com
> 
> 
>