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I am likely to have to replace my battery charger for 3 x 110 ah open cell lead acid batteries.

I shall need something on shore power that can be safely left unattended for several weeks at a time.

Does anyone have any experience or advice for THIS CHARGER

Or any other similar recommendations.

Thanks

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10 minutes ago, Rebotco said:

I am likely to have to replace my battery charger for 3 x 110 ah open cell lead acid batteries.

I shall need something on shore power that can be safely left unattended for several weeks at a time.

Does anyone have any experience or advice for THIS CHARGER

Or any other similar recommendations.

Thanks

I use this charger on my 3 x 110 Ah bank. It has the advantage over the one you are looking at of having a 'storage' charge mode which will be suitable for being connected to shore power for extended periods. Never had any issue with it over a year of use, although nearly all of that time it's been as a generator charger using 230 v from a petrol genset.

This is the single output version, a three output one will charge your starter battery and one other independently. At a higher cost of course.

Edited by Puffling
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11 minutes ago, Rebotco said:

I am likely to have to replace my battery charger for 3 x 110 ah open cell lead acid batteries.

I shall need something on shore power that can be safely left unattended for several weeks at a time.

Does anyone have any experience or advice for THIS CHARGER

Or any other similar recommendations.

Thanks

it seems to come with crocodile clips which aren't really suitable.... one thing about this supplier is they ALWAYS have a sale that ends in a day or twos time - the DFS of the electrical world!

 

Good recommendation above. The three output one is only a little more expensive and gives you future options - handy if you have a starter battery to charge as well?

Victron Energy Blue Smart IP22 Charger 12V 30A 3 Outputs UK - BPC123048022 – Battery Megastore

if you use code 5%Code_BMS you get another 5% off also.....

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7 minutes ago, Rebotco said:

I am likely to have to replace my battery charger for 3 x 110 ah open cell lead acid batteries.

I shall need something on shore power that can be safely left unattended for several weeks at a time.

Does anyone have any experience or advice for THIS CHARGER

Or any other similar recommendations.

Thanks

I could recommend   Victron 30A   as here  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373733990114?epid=15046993424&hash=item5704481ee2:g:fEMAAOSwuiJhUasS   but at a better price.

 

I recently bought some of these for £120 off ebay, the seller has no more unfortunately.

  • Greenie 2
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19 minutes ago, Puffling said:

I use this charger on my 3 x 110 Ah bank. It has the advantage over the one you are looking at of having a 'storage' charge mode which will be suitable for being connected to shore power for extended periods. Never had any issue with it over a year of use, although nearly all of that time it's been as a generator charger using 230 v from a petrol genset.

This is the single output version, a three output one will charge your starter battery and one other independently. At a higher cost of course.

What do you think 'fĺoat' is..?

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Since it claims it (the sunshine thing linked to by op) can charge lithium and lead acid then I'm inclined to be a bit suspicious as that seems unlikely in a single box. 

 

Think I would stick with something designed for permanent installation such as victron sterling etc ...

 

Edited by jonathanA
Edited to be clear
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52 minutes ago, jonathanA said:

Since it claims it can charge lithium and lead acid then I'm inclined to be a bit suspicious as that seems unlikely in a single box. 

 

Think I would stick with something designed for permanent installation such as victron sterling etc ...

 

Which 'it' are you referring to here?

 

ETA, thanks for clarifying with your edit, @jonathanA

 

The Victron Blue Smart charger can be adjusted to charge either lead acid, AGM, or lithium through a Bluetooth interface. Individual charging voltages can be tweaked the same way.

 

56 minutes ago, Slim said:

What do you think 'fĺoat' is..?

Ooh, I love quizzes! Float is what your boat should do better than your motorhome, although I've seen the Victron charger installed in each. Technically, storage mode reduces the voltage for a long-term charge to minmise the risk of gassing or plate damage.

Edited by Puffling
see above
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1 hour ago, Puffling said:

I use this charger on my 3 x 110 Ah bank. It has the advantage over the one you are looking at of having a 'storage' charge mode which will be suitable for being connected to shore power for extended periods. Never had any issue with it over a year of use, although nearly all of that time it's been as a generator charger using 230 v from a petrol genset.

This is the single output version, a three output one will charge your starter battery and one other independently. At a higher cost of course.

I have the three output 15A version. 15A is ample for my usage pattern: I'm on a shoreline in a marina - so far I've had no problems of the kind the OP describes upthread.

As far as I can tell the three output version has the same circuitry but three terminal connections all from the same point. Saves you having to install your own charging busbar.

 

 

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12 hours ago, George and Dragon said:

[...] As far as I can tell the three output version has the same circuitry but three terminal connections all from the same point. Saves you having to install your own charging busbar.

 

 

I wonder whether it's that simple, bit since I have only one output on my Blue Smart I can't check. Perhaps someone with the 3 output version could test theirs.

 

If you were connecting starter and domestic batteries in parallel (which you would be simply taking their outputs from a busbar), then the starter would be permanently wired to the domestic bank. Both alternators connected together, starter motor current taken from all batteries... I can't see that being a design feature.

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10 minutes ago, Puffling said:

I wonder whether it's that simple, bit since I have only one output on my Blue Smart I can't check. Perhaps someone with the 3 output version could test theirs.

 

If you were connecting starter and domestic batteries in parallel (which you would be simply taking their outputs from a busbar), then the starter would be permanently wired to the domestic bank. Both alternators connected together, starter motor current taken from all batteries... I can't see that being a design feature.

I always thought the three outputs were isolated from each other so they can charge three circuits independently with the output load being shared between them?  not much point in having three outputs if not?

Edited by robtheplod
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13 hours ago, George and Dragon said:

 

As far as I can tell the three output version has the same circuitry but three terminal connections all from the same point. Saves you having to install your own charging busbar.

Also bridges any charge relay, meaning that you no longer have a separate engine battery, and that leaving the lights/fridge/computer/etc. on for too long will leave you with no ability to start the engine. I would expect a multi output charger to at least have a diode on each charging connection to prevent this.

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1 hour ago, robtheplod said:

I always thought the three outputs were isolated from each other so they can charge three circuits independently with the output load being shared between them?  not much point in having three outputs if not?

 

The three outputs ARE separated and do split the output of the charger across the 3 outputs based on the battery demand, so, one could be charging at 20 amps, one at 15 amps and one at 10 amps (if it was (say) a 50 amp charger.

 

The clever bit (with the Victron) is that if you only connect up one battery that one gets the full capability of 50 amps. If you connect up two batteries the 50 amps is split across the two batteries.

 

I'll try and find my manual - it explains it better then I can.

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I'd be suspicious that it claims its "7-stage". Its like an arms race of stages where more = better. I don't even know what the 7 stages would be. I've heard of 3 stage battery chargers, and 4 stage. But 7, no. Sounds like marketing BS.

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4 minutes ago, Paul C said:

I'd be suspicious that it claims its "7-stage". Its like an arms race of stages where more = better. I don't even know what the 7 stages would be. I've heard of 3 stage battery chargers, and 4 stage. But 7, no. Sounds like marketing BS.

 

They often have a stage that they claim de-sulphates the battery by micro-pulses (I think) so there is another, but whether it works or not is open to question. Then they claim a power supply mode where the charger covers the electrical demand, but any charger will do that up to its maximum output. So there are two more. As you say, marketing BS.

 

I did notice that the not very smart charger in another thread could be set to 13.6 volts to cover the electrical loads long term - I would describe that as the float voltage.

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Another vote for the Victron Bluesmart 30A.

I fitted the 3 output version last year  and no issues.

If left on after the batteries are fully charged the charger  goes into maintenance mode which uses a penny or two a day  in electricity. After a week with no activity it gives the batteries a  top up charge.

 

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The basic features I would be looking for in a new battery charger are battery type selector so that you can set the charger for your particular batteries, in this case charging your flooded lead acid batteries at 14.8v max rather than 14.4v max (which some of the cheaper chargers without battery type selection are set at). Some more sophisticated chargers offer higher desulphation voltages, but 14.8v should be adequate for FLAs if the charger is cycled every so often. 

 

The other thing I would be looking for are at least 2 x 12v outputs so that you can charge your domestic and your start battery at the same time. Make sure your domestics and start battery are the same type otherwise you will be overcharging or possibly undercharging one or the other, as the cheaper multiple output chargers tend only to have one battery type selector for all outputs.

 

Hope that makes sense. 

 

 

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55 minutes ago, MartynG said:

Another vote for the Victron Bluesmart 30A.

I fitted the 3 output version last year  and no issues.

If left on after the batteries are fully charged the charger  goes into maintenance mode which uses a penny or two a day  in electricity. After a week with no activity it gives the batteries a  top up charge.

 

 

Yes mine does the same thing, although I never really understood why activity when the charger was sitting on float voltage (like pumps and lights being used), was the criterion for not going through a charge cycle?

 

By the way, on my 3x output charger, for charging 2 banks it's recommended that two of the outputs are linked together and connected to the larger domestic bank while the other output goes to the start battery. I'm not sure if that's the case for all 3x output chargers? Mine is over 15 years old now so things have probably improved but it's worth checking. 

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Don't know is my answer, but I would add that two things would make me try to mount it vertically if possible:

 

1. If the connections are at the bottom they are likely to be afforded a degree of protection from condensation running down the case.

 

2. Unless I know exactly what was in the case there may be heat sinks and such like that have to be close to the bottom of the case where the coolest air is likely to be.

 

I am sure neither would cause an immediate failure, but you may well suffer an earlier failure if mounted horizontally.

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21 minutes ago, Tonka said:

Does it have to mounted vertically as per the photo or can you mount it horizontally.  I have a sterling battery charger that will need replacing.

There are no specific mounting instructions in the paperwork or online. It has its own fan (very quiet) so I would say it matters not on its orientation.  The mountings are open slots not holes but still enable it to be mounted horizontally.

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