[C320-list] Battery Charger

Sun Dec 17 15:01:56 PST 2017

I also have the 20 a.m. then check charger I wished I had purchased a 40 amp charger. The reason is if you want to use a Honda Jenset on the boat it puts out at least 40 A but if you only have a 20 amp charger you could only use those 20 apps so at the small additional cost I would get the 40 amp charger

Cheers

Dick Walker
740 Olive Ave.
Coronado ,CA 92118
619.435.8986

> On Dec 17, 2017, at 14:51, Dave Swanson <kswanson123 at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> In my research on charger type, brand and output.  I recall sizing the charger to have about 10% of your battery bank size.  My new set of 4 trojan T105 GC batteries have 20-hr rate of 450Ah, so I sized my new charger to be 40A.  It works well.
> 
> Dave
> 
>> On Dec 17, 2017, at 12:25 PM, Mark Cole <boatnboot at q.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 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
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
> 