Battery Charger Recommendations

[Tonka]

Just now, Tracy D'arth said:

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.

Thank you Tracy

[Momac]

I have never noticed the fan on the bluesmart charger  kick in . 

The cooling fan sound on my previous charger was audible.

But as said it would seem logical to mount the charger vertically. It's about the size of a house brick  .So quite compact.

 

[Puffling]

40 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.

Whether mounted in vertical or horizontal orientation you'll end up having to fiddle the final tightening of the screw in the slot which is positioned where the mains cable emerges. A right angled screwdriver comes in handy.

 

A clear example of the case designers not speaking to the internal layout designers 🙄

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

4 hours 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.

 

Yea, I got the same one, on dmr’s advice.

I ordered and paid for the single output charger but they found they had none in stock so sent me the 3 output version at no extra cost. 👍
I like that the Bluetooth offers the ability to easily change between normal and high charging. 
After the boat had been standing still for a year, one of the outputs was great for charging my starter. 

[George and Dragon]

9 hours 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.

I have.

 

9 hours ago, Puffling said:

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.

Not really, the connections back to the charger are about 10mm^2, the starter cables are more like 95mm^2.

Is it Kirchoff's Law that says the current through a node is proportional to the resistances?

9 hours 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?

That's what I expected. Not what I observed though. And, logically, you'd have three chargers in one box which might be slightly more expensive to manufacture.

[robtheplod]

 

[George and Dragon]

Three batteries at different voltages. Does that mean there are 3 chargers or just three terminals?

[Puffling]

42 minutes ago, George and Dragon said:

Three batteries at different voltages. Does that mean there are 3 chargers or just three terminals?

I'd think the former. Three independently regulated outputs sharing a common power supply. I've built a (AA, C and D cell) charger with independent outputs myself.

 

Power transistors, zeners and a few capacitors are cheap if you have a chip with the ability to sense three voltages and currents. And I assume Victron are able to commission their own chips.

[blackrose]

That Blue smart charger does look good and the cost of these items seems to have reduced a bit too over the years. It would be nice to have a charger with all the bells and whistles but my 17 year old Sterling charger and inverter are still working fine so I'll have to do without the modern bluetooth features. 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

1 hour ago, blackrose said:

That Blue smart charger does look good and the cost of these items seems to have reduced a bit too over the years. It would be nice to have a charger with all the bells and whistles but my 17 year old Sterling charger and inverter are still working fine so I'll have to do without the modern bluetooth features. 

“If ain’t broke…” 👍

[robtheplod]

2 hours ago, Goliath said:

“If ain’t broke…” 👍

then it soon will be... is my motto!

[Hudds Lad]

28 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

then it soon will be... is my motto!

Don't be so hard on yourself, surely you've not broken everything you've fiddled with?  

[Puffling]

"If it ain't broke... the next round of updates will brick it"

[Sea Dog]

5 hours ago, blackrose said:

That Blue smart charger does look good and the cost of these items seems to have reduced a bit too over the years. It would be nice to have a charger with all the bells and whistles but my 17 year old Sterling charger and inverter are still working fine so I'll have to do without the modern bluetooth features. 

I have a Bluesmart Solar Controller and a  Bluesmart IP22 30a charger. The Bluetooth functionality and the info it provides via the app is great on the Solar Controller, but for the Charger it brings nothing to the table that the lights on the front don't do  If you can find the earlier model IP22 charger (Blue Power, was it?) without Bluetooth, you'll save yourself a few quid for no loss in performance or functionality. IMHO, of course.

The IP22 charger is a very good bit of kit in my experience (and I was an early adopter, so I've had it a good while), covering all my12v shore power and charging needs in a pretty well appointed 57' NB.

Edited June 30, 2022 by Sea Dog
Changed "gooky" into "good". Unlike autocorrect, I wasn't sure it made sense!

[Puffling]

6 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I have a Bluesmart Solar Controller and a  Bluesmart IP22 30a charger. The Bluetooth functionality and the info it provides via the app is great on the Solar Controller, but for the Charger it brings nothing to the table that the lights on the front don't do  If you can find the earlier model IP22 charger (Blue Power, was it?) without Bluetooth, you'll save yourself a few quid for no loss in performance or functionality. IMHO, of course.

The IP22 charger is a very good bit of kit in my experience (and I was an early adopter, so I've had it a gooky while), covering all my12v shore power and charging needs in a pretty well appointed 57' NB.

I'm sure the non-Bluetooth Blue charger is all most people need. However, the app does allow you access to advanced settings and to create individual battery profiles with charging voltages and times. You need to tap through a couple of "Are you sure you want to modify the recommended settings?" warning screens, but it does allow more than the front panel presets.

 

I wonder if all this discussion of the intricacies of the Blue Smart charger has driven away the OP? They've not returned since their first post 🤔

[robtheplod]

1 hour ago, Hudds Lad said:

Don't be so hard on yourself, surely you've not broken everything you've fiddled with?  

nothing I'd admit to...

[Momac]

The bluetooth function is a bit of a gimmick but nice to have.

The cost of the charger  seems to me quite reasonable  

 

I see there is a victron battery monitor that uses a phone app instead of a fitted display. Does anyone have experience with that?

[blackrose]

3 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

I have a Bluesmart Solar Controller and a  Bluesmart IP22 30a charger. The Bluetooth functionality and the info it provides via the app is great on the Solar Controller, but for the Charger it brings nothing to the table that the lights on the front don't do  If you can find the earlier model IP22 charger (Blue Power, was it?) without Bluetooth, you'll save yourself a few quid for no loss in performance or functionality. IMHO, of course.

The IP22 charger is a very good bit of kit in my experience (and I was an early adopter, so I've had it a good while), covering all my12v shore power and charging needs in a pretty well appointed 57' NB.

 

I'm sure it's a very good bit of kit, but I can't justify ripping out a couple of perfectly good chargers (I have a 30amp + 40amp so can combine the two if away from shore power running from the generator).

 

They still work well but they don't look as nice as the new fangled chargers, don't have the modern bluetooth features and also have a much bigger footprint. However, they keep the batteries properly charged and I that's the main thing. The bluetooth features are there to keep the user happy rather than the batteries. 

[Rebotco]

7 hours ago, Puffling said:

I'm sure the non-Bluetooth Blue charger is all most people need. However, the app does allow you access to advanced settings and to create individual battery profiles with charging voltages and times. You need to tap through a couple of "Are you sure you want to modify the recommended settings?" warning screens, but it does allow more than the front panel presets.

 

I wonder if all this discussion of the intricacies of the Blue Smart charger has driven away the OP? They've not returned since their first post 🤔

 

On the contrary, the discussion has been most helpful.  As a result I have ordered the BlueSmart 30 Amp charger for £169 and it is due tomorrow>

I just hope it was the old charger that caused all the shennanigins in the first place!!

[Sea Dog]

12 hours ago, Rebotco said:

 

On the contrary, the discussion has been most helpful.  As a result I have ordered the BlueSmart 30 Amp charger for £169 and it is due tomorrow>

I just hope it was the old charger that caused all the shennanigins in the first place!!

I doubt you'll be anything less than very happy with that charger. If ever you find yourself wishing you had more than 30a charging current, which is very unlikely, you have an alternator.