[C320-list] Battery Charger
Warren Updike
wupdike at hotmail.com
Mon Dec 18 07:47:09 PST 2017
It has been a while since I shopped for a charger. One point not mentioned, and may be moot with the models offered today, is the way the charge current is managed for multiple banks. Take a 40A charger charging two banks: how is that 40A distributed? Does each bank get 40A, 20A, or some other method. I remember one that gave 40A to one bank until that dropped to some level, then shared the 40A with the second bank. Our #62 has two banks; but, the starting bank is on a relay that charges it from the house bank. Our charger only charges the house bank, and the alternator also only charges the house bank. The starting battery lasted 7 years. As most stock 320s have two 4D banks, I assume a 40A charger would be connected to both banks. A 20A or 30A, maybe not.
Warren and Pattie Updike
1994 C320 "Warr de Mar" #62
Middle River, Chesapeake Bay
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Cole [mailto:boatnboot at q.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2017 3:26 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Charger
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
>
>
>
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