To Charge or not to Charge that is the Question?

[Esme No 2]

We have 3 x 110v Marine Leisure 110Ah Lead Acid Domestic Batteries, which are left charging via the Mastervolt Mass 2000 Inverter/Charger when the boat is left attached to shoreline.

 

One of life's great mysteries.........

 

When we are on the boat and using 12V supply, but remain moored and attached to shore line, I often wonder which is best for the batteries.....Should I switch off the charger, let batteries drain down partially and then recharge....OR should I leave the charger running constantly so batteries are always 100%?

 

Hoping someone can enlighten me...

 

 

Kathy

[Dylan]

We have 3 x 110v Marine Leisure 110Ah Lead Acid Domestic Batteries, which are left charging via the Mastervolt Mass 2000 Inverter/Charger when the boat is left attached to shoreline.

 

One of life's great mysteries.........

 

When we are on the boat and using 12V supply, but remain moored and attached to shore line, I often wonder which is best for the batteries.....Should I switch off the charger, let batteries drain down partially and then recharge....OR should I leave the charger running constantly so batteries are always 100%?

 

Hoping someone can enlighten me...

Kathy

I would leave them charging on the maintenance charge personally.

[barney]

We have 3 x 110v Marine Leisure 110Ah Lead Acid Domestic Batteries, which are left charging via the Mastervolt Mass 2000 Inverter/Charger when the boat is left attached to shoreline.

 

One of life's great mysteries.........

 

When we are on the boat and using 12V supply, but remain moored and attached to shore line, I often wonder which is best for the batteries.....Should I switch off the charger, let batteries drain down partially and then recharge....OR should I leave the charger running constantly so batteries are always 100%?

 

Hoping someone can enlighten me...

Kathy

hi we have the same inverter charger and I am to believe you can leave your charger on without harm to batteries it will go into float mode when they are full.

regards

[Keeping Up]

Yes leave them charging. The less work they do, the longer they'll last.

[chris w]

DEFINITELY leave them running on the maintenance charge. Batteries do not improve through use; you are simply using up their finite lifetime. The charger will supply all the necessary current to run the boat (up to its current limit) whist also maintaining the batteries.

 

Chris

[DHutch]

I used to very deffonatly subscribe to 'leave them on float always' way of thinking.

 

However once when emilyanne was left on float for around two days, and we came back to fine the charger putting about 6amps into the batterys, with further inspection revealing one of the batterys in one of the banks had lost a a cell.

- Ofcause we will never know if the charger had a hicup and over charged them, damaging the cell. Or if the cell failed, and the charger then just stepped up its charge rate thinking it was flat (as it was reading low due the lost cell).

 

Eatherway it does make you think twice about leaving them on charge long term when theres no one at the boat.

 

However, if you are on the boat, and a shoreline is available, then yes i would use it and leave it attached all the time im drawing 12v

 

 

 

Daniel

[chris w]

Or if the cell failed, and the charger then just stepped up its charge rate thinking it was flat (as it was reading low due the lost cell).

 

Daniel

 

That'll be the cause IMHO

 

Chris

[blackrose]

We have 3 x 110v Marine Leisure 110Ah Lead Acid Domestic Batteries, which are left charging via the Mastervolt Mass 2000 Inverter/Charger when the boat is left attached to shoreline.

 

One of life's great mysteries.........

 

When we are on the boat and using 12V supply, but remain moored and attached to shore line, I often wonder which is best for the batteries.....Should I switch off the charger, let batteries drain down partially and then recharge....OR should I leave the charger running constantly so batteries are always 100%?

 

Hoping someone can enlighten me...

Kathy

 

When it's gone through it's charging cycle ending in float mode, a good marine battery charger will have a powerpack function, whereby it will instantly compensate for any charge you take out of the batteries by putting exactly the same amount back in (Chris will probably now tell us that due to Peukart efficiency or whatever it's not exactly the same amount, but you get the idea.)

 

So when you leave your charger on, in effect you're indirectly using mains power to drive your 12v system, while keeping your batteries topped up. What a great bit of kit.

 

Since yours is a very good charger it should be doing this.

 

Leave it on and forget about it, but don't forget to switch it off once every couple of months to check the fluid levels and top-up your batteries!

Edited January 24, 2008 by blackrose

[MaryP]

So is it the same with a solar panel? I was assuming I should unclip it when I reach the boat. Only just installed it last visit...

[blackrose]

So is it the same with a solar panel? I was assuming I should unclip it when I reach the boat. Only just installed it last visit...

I think solar panels requre some sort of management system - I don't really know. I'm sure that others more knowlegeable than I will be along shortly to advise you.

 

Probably a good idea to tell them the make, how many and what output panels (in watts) they are.

Edited January 24, 2008 by blackrose

[MaryP]

I think solar panels requre some sort of management system - I don't really know. I'm sure that others more knowlegeable than I will be along shortly to advise you.

 

Probably a good idea to tell them the make, how many and what output panels (in watts) they are.

 

All that info is in the pack on the boat. I'll look at the w/e.

Thanks!

[Esme No 2]

Thanks for all the responses. Seems unanimous advice is to leave the charger in float mode even when using up 12V.

 

We do check and top up batteries fairly frequently... and also have one of the MICC remote panel thingys (technical term ). When the batteries (on charge) only charge to just under 100% (e.g. 98%) this also seems to indicate that batteries starting to run low on water.. topping up usually does the trick!

 

Thanks again for the responses

 

Kathy

[chris w]

So is it the same with a solar panel? I was assuming I should unclip it when I reach the boat. Only just installed it last visit...

 

Same for solar panels

 

Chris

[MaryP]

Same for solar panels

 

Chris

 

Thanks Chris, I'll leave it be then!

Mary.

[moggyjo]

So is it the same with a solar panel? I was assuming I should unclip it when I reach the boat. Only just installed it last visit...

Hi Mary, I have 4 solar panels and would not use them without a regulator. If you only have a small one to trickle charge the batteries then I probably wouldnt bother. They are great, I survived a whole winter using nothing else for power and the fact that they are silent is a big bonus.

Wendy

[MaryP]

Hi Wendy,

Yes it is a small one to trickle charge which has an anti reverse charge thingy. What did you manage to run the whole winter? Fantastic you managed for so long!!

[chris w]

Hi Mary, I have 4 solar panels and would not use them without a regulator. If you only have a small one to trickle charge the batteries then I probably wouldnt bother. They are great, I survived a whole winter using nothing else for power and the fact that they are silent is a big bonus.

Wendy

 

 

What total wattage are your solar panels?

 

Chris

[blackrose]

Hi Mary, I have 4 solar panels and would not use them without a regulator. If you only have a small one to trickle charge the batteries then I probably wouldnt bother. They are great, I survived a whole winter using nothing else for power and the fact that they are silent is a big bonus.

Wendy

 

Mmm.. Depending on the combined wattage of the panels and your power consumption, I think the issue could be: Will your batteries survive?

Edited January 27, 2008 by blackrose

[chris w]

Yes, that's what I wondered too Mike. Hence my question about the total wattage available from the solar panels. A multistage mains battery charger can develop 600W and does a great job of charging the batteries. This just canot be done with a couple of hundred watts of solar power if one is removing charge through use at the same time.

 

Leaving the boat alone with no current draw... then fine but not with use as well. I bet the batteries are getting sulphated and will die prematurely as you intimate.

 

Chris