[C320-list] Freedom 20 charger/invertor

[Dave Hupe]

Jeff-
My original boat charger was a 50 amp Newmar.  As old as it was (almost 25 years old?), it actually seemed to be running fine (we bought our boat early last year) and did not seem to "cook" my batteries (they were never hot or even warm to the touch).  However, I didn't trust the charger and, in particular,  it ran very hot. It was located in the starboard compartment in my v-berth. When connected to shorepower (30 amp service), I would prop up the v-berth cushion, take off the wood cover, open the side door, and blow a small fan into the compartment.  Although it ran cooler, this was a ridiculous "cure".  If we wanted to sleep on the boat connected to shorepower, I couldn't still apply this cooling method. 
Since my original charger was 50 amp and we keep our refrigerator running all the time in our slip, it seemed prudent to not reduce to something like a 30 amp charger.  The bigger the charger, the easier/quicker it can recharge your batteries, especially while also taking care of other loads like the refrigerator.  A friend with a 2000 Cat 320 has a 40 amp Xantrex which he says does very well for him under similar conditions.  So, I felt comfortable getting a 40-amp unit.  Although his Xantrex has been good for him (a few years old), they had terrible recent reviews.  So, I dropped them from consideration. 
Regarding the ground wire situation, I ran a ground wire from the charger to my closest battery negative terminal (maybe only 4 feet through the charger mount wall to the next compartment).  In looking at the wiring diagrams for the charger, this seemed to achieve the same thing without having to run a separate wire across the boat. 
You asked about mounting, but the charger on your boat is located in a different location. However, the description of what I did may help you. My original charger was in the starboard v-berth compartment as I mentioned above.....mounted vertically.....and facing directly forward.  So, the meter on the charger face was very difficult to see. I created a wood mount out of plywood that primarily bolted to the existing mount bolts of the old Newnar charger, but my wood mount has a shelf to mount the new charger so it is tilted at a 45 degree angle facing toward midship and upward.  I had to add some support legs for my new system too.....but all was pretty simple. So, I can now very easily see the charger face. It really didn't take a lot of room in the compartment and is a significant improvement.  Even in your charger location, you may be able to cut a piece of plywood that you can attach the new charger to directly, then still be able to mount this using the original mount bolts of your Newmar charger.  
Just a little more about the ProMariner ProNauticP 40 amp charger...… it runs very cool and quiet ...… even under the heaviest of loads (such as when we just come back from a sail, plug into shorepower again, and batteries start recharging and the refrigerator is also running). 
Feel free to ask more questions.
Dave Hupe
1994 Cat320 "Mayan Sun" (#32)
Holland, MI