44MTI

I want to install built in a battery charger and was wondering what brand everyone has used and how they liked them.Also where the best place to get them?

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Guest, sold through West Marine is pretty much standard issue.

Hot Duck

We are using one made by Guest (picture 1). You can simply plug the boat in using the shore power inlet to charge the batteries (picture 2). You can also add 110v outlets to run accessories or appliances while plugged in to the shore power (picture 3). One other option, install an inverter or get a unit with a built in inverter and you can use the 110v plugs while plugged in to shore power and while under way.

mcollinstn

42,

You need to determine how you plan to use the battery charger.
If you plan to plug her in for a couple of days every so often, then any name brand marine charger will do the trick. And I've got a 3-bank ProMariner 30 amp in excellent shape I'll be happy to sell.

If you want to leave the charge plugged into shorepower for weeks at a time, then you'll want an ELECTRONIC 3 STEP charger with temperature monitoring. That's the ONLY type that will keep your batteries fresh, won't boil out the electrolyte, and will modify the charging curve to float the voltages at the proper levels for different temperatures.

I used to add a quart of water each month (to each battery) on my Formula and Sea Ray when they had "normal" (ferroresonant) chargers on them. Batteries lasted a couple of seasons.

I put a Newmar 3 stage on the SeaRay in 2000. Along with a new rack of batteries. I swear that I have not added more than a quart of water in FIVE YEARS. And it stays plugged in ALL THE TIME (as in 100% of the time). Batteries are still as fresh as they were on day1.

Formula has a new ProMariner Flyback 3 stage that does a nice job, but it stays in a rack, and electricity is not available to it. Seems to work well when the boat is in marinas, etc.

The hotter a battery is, the LESS float voltage it should be maintained at.
In the summer months, batteries and engine compartments get hot, yet conventional transformer chargers still try to float the batteries too high. This causes additional heat which aggravates the situation. If you boil a battery enough to expose the plates, sulfation aggressively starts.

Best of luck.

open87

iTrader: (2)

check with strip poker , he had a charger that almost set his hustler in flames had a short.

Chris L

I have used the Truecharge Plus from Xantrex for years. It is for AGM,Gel, or Flooded type batteries. it also has remote panel and temp. sensors. The 20 Plus is for two banks of batteries. The 40 Plus is for three banks of batteries.Very small in size, fan cooled and real simple to install.West Marine $340. to $450. We install about 8 of these units a season most with inverters also.