Battery charger

[mrsmelly]

Hi Peeps

 

I have lived with my sterling combi for a year now and it is time for it to go. I hate combis as I like total control of what is happening so its coming out. I have bought my old favourite a mastervolt inverter so that side is taken care of now what I need is a consensus on charger. I am plugged in for the forseeable future and when I go out the engine fully charges the batterys aide by my solar panels. If my batts go down to about 90 percent my 160 watt solar panels fill em up during the day. The question is with my about 600 ah capacity can I just have a tiddly little 20 amp 3 stage charger on continuously to keep batts topped up on my shoreline. The tv is mains or twelve volt so can run straight off landline the only other stuff is 12 volt fridge the usual pumps and led lights so I beleive 20 amps is ample am I correct ?

 

Thanks peeps

 

Tim

[KenK]

Hi Peeps

 

I have lived with my sterling combi for a year now and it is time for it to go. I hate combis as I like total control of what is happening so its coming out. I have bought my old favourite a mastervolt inverter so that side is taken care of now what I need is a consensus on charger. I am plugged in for the forseeable future and when I go out the engine fully charges the batterys aide by my solar panels. If my batts go down to about 90 percent my 160 watt solar panels fill em up during the day. The question is with my about 600 ah capacity can I just have a tiddly little 20 amp 3 stage charger on continuously to keep batts topped up on my shoreline. The tv is mains or twelve volt so can run straight off landline the only other stuff is 12 volt fridge the usual pumps and led lights so I beleive 20 amps is ample am I correct ?

 

Thanks peeps

 

Tim

 

I have a Black and Decker thre stage charger which can deliver up to 30 Amps into a 660Amp battery bank. When we are not cruising it stays connected up and when we come back to the boat the batteries are always at 100% according to the Smartgauge. We are not using the batteries of course but a couple of times we used the boat as a floating cottage and didn't see a problem, the 12 V is only lights and pumps when on the shoreline.

 

Ken

[bottle]

Hi Tim

 

If you want the definitive answer go to : http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/chargesize.html

 

Victron (I know not Mastervolt) say the charger should be 10 to 20% of the bank size. (in your case 60 to 120 amp)

 

Whatever you choose it will only put in, that, that the batteries will accept depending on state of charge..

 

When on shoreline the 20amp charger will run any 12v equipment you are using, any excess will charge the batteries, if your loading is greater than 20amp then the batteries will supplement the charger (discharge).

[mrsmelly]

Hi Tim

 

If you want the definitive answer go to : http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/chargesize.html

 

Victron (I know not Mastervolt) say the charger should be 10 to 20% of the bank size. (in your case 60 to 120 amp)

 

Whatever you choose it will only put in, that, that the batteries will accept depending on state of charge..

 

When on shoreline the 20amp charger will run any 12v equipment you are using, any excess will charge the batteries, if your loading is greater than 20amp then the batteries will supplement the charger (discharge).

 

Hi Keith

 

Thanks for that. I wonder why they think such a large charger is needed though. If my batteries are fully charged when I switch my engine off and switch to a 20 amp charger continuously surely it will maintain the batts at full charge if say I never use more than 10 amps draw at any one time, which i never do ? What do you think. The difference in price of a say 80 amp charger and 20 amp is huge and if in my situation I dont need it then I dont want to spend it, how says you ?

 

Tim

[bottle]

Hi Keith

 

Thanks for that. I wonder why they think such a large charger is needed though.

 

So that the time taken to recharge 'flat' batteries is reasonable

 

If my batteries are fully charged when I switch my engine off and switch to a 20 amp charger continuously surely it will maintain the batts at full charge if say I never use more than 10 amps draw at any one time, which i never do ?

 

Yes, if you never use more than 10amps (load), you would have a safety margin if you went over 10 amps

 

What do you think.

 

I think that, in your case 20amp charger would be good enough, because even if you went over 20amp load, when the load dropped (overnight) the charger would recharge the batteries

 

The difference in price of a say 80 amp charger and 20 amp is huge and if in my situation I dont need it then I dont want to spend it, how says you ?

 

In your particular case I would go for the 20amp and have more Guinness money.

 

 

Tim

 

 

[mrsmelly]

Now ya talking keith Having put it into such an important way ( More Guinness money ) Decision made its a 20 amper

 

Tim

[Grace and Favour]

Now ya talking keith Having put it into such an important way ( More Guinness money ) Decision made its a 20 amper

 

Tim

 

Bow locks

 

 

Banana Beer!

[Richard10002]

Hi Keith

 

Thanks for that. I wonder why they think such a large charger is needed though. If my batteries are fully charged when I switch my engine off and switch to a 20 amp charger continuously surely it will maintain the batts at full charge if say I never use more than 10 amps draw at any one time, which i never do ? What do you think. The difference in price of a say 80 amp charger and 20 amp is huge and if in my situation I dont need it then I dont want to spend it, how says you ?

 

Tim

 

They suggest a larger charger because it covers most of the bases, not just your circumstances, where you are "charging" fully charged batteries

 

I think Smartguage actually suggest a charger around 30% of bank size in one of their discussions, as a compromise worth making.

[mrsmelly]

Bow locks

 

 

Banana Beer!

 

oooooooooooooooooooo yes I loves banana beer and chocolate stout

 

Tim

[boots]

Your in a similar position to us - actually I am looking for something like a 10~20A charger - but I can't find one that the manufacturer will endorse for a 5x110 AH bank. We were using a small 5A Sterling multistage charger but i) it stopped working recently and ii) when it was working you had to disconnect the 12v side when switching on the mains otherwise it kept tripping out. (don't know if this was a fault as it wasn't a new charger).

 

Speaking to suppliers, not find one who will endorse a small charger for such a large bank - they all say I need at least 40A (citing various reasons), even though in reality I only want a small top-up charger

 

(Our useage is slightly different to you - we are not liveaboards, rather the boat spends many weeks on shoreline and when we are aboard tend to be out and about).

 

I know a larger charger would work fine, just want something smaller to be as gentle as possible on the batteries - and at the moment, can't afford anything larger

[mrsmelly]

Your in a similar position to us - actually I am looking for something like a 10~20A charger - but I can't find one that the manufacturer will endorse for a 5x110 AH bank. We were using a small 5A Sterling multistage charger but i) it stopped working recently and ii) when it was working you had to disconnect the 12v side when switching on the mains otherwise it kept tripping out. (don't know if this was a fault as it wasn't a new charger).

 

Speaking to suppliers, not find one who will endorse a small charger for such a large bank - they all say I need at least 40A (citing various reasons), even though in reality I only want a small top-up charger

 

(Our useage is slightly different to you - we are not liveaboards, rather the boat spends many weeks on shoreline and when we are aboard tend to be out and about).

 

I know a larger charger would work fine, just want something smaller to be as gentle as possible on the batteries - and at the moment, can't afford anything larger

 

Hi

 

There is a company advertising on ebay called " Electroquest " the stuff is way cheaper than others, its probably chinese. I have contacted several buyers of their kit on ebay and they all so far say it is great. I am a great believer in mastervolt kit and have again bought a mastervolt inverter but the charger is not so much a need for good quality so am buying one of the electroquest chargers. I would steer away from sterling it just isnt good in any way.

 

Tim

[Ex- Member]

We've run a Sterling 20 amp charger for 8 years with battery banks from 660 amp to what we have now 696 amps.

 

we've been on dry land mostly fitting out and living aboard 2 to 3 days a week and some long periods up to 2 weeks. I don't think I've ever seen the batteries below 3/4 on the gauge.

 

We run a 12v TV all LED lighting 2 lap tops Dab radio 12v cooling fans. The last set of batteries 6 x 110v wet lead acid lasted 7 years although one failed after 5 years and the remaining 5 were well knackered at the end, that's when we realised incorrect wiring of charge leads as both were going to the same battery, which happened to be the battery that went first. All new bank now all correctly wired, gauge is rarely off the full mark. I don't think the 20 amp charger has ever not been running in all that time except for the odd power cut possibly.

Edited September 12, 2012 by Julynian

[Gibbo]

I have contacted several buyers of their kit on ebay...

 

How do you do that?

[Arthur Brown]

Ebay, -find their feedback list and the buyer's names will be there -maybe ebay will relay amessage and maybe the buyer will respond to you.

 

Charger. If a 20A charger keeps up with your electricity use it's fine, BUT Should you ever need to bring the battery back from flat it will take a week or so.

[Keeping Up]

Charger. If a 20A charger keeps up with your electricity use it's fine, BUT Should you ever need to bring the battery back from flat it will take a week or so.

 

Some 20A chargers won't even do that, because they are too intelligent. If they haven't brought the voltage up to a predetermined level within a certain amount of time, they will regard the bank as faulty and switch themselves off.

 

Personally in the OP's position I'd go for the 20A charger too (and spend the extra money on beer tokens).

[Bill]

Hi

 

There is a company advertising on ebay called " Electroquest " the stuff is way cheaper than others, its probably chinese. I have contacted several buyers of their kit on ebay and they all so far say it is great. I am a great believer in mastervolt kit and have again bought a mastervolt inverter but the charger is not so much a need for good quality so am buying one of the electroquest chargers. I would steer away from sterling it just isnt good in any way.

 

Tim

 

I bought the 30A Electroquest one and am really pleased with it. Fan is a bit noisy when working hard but seems a very solid bit of kit.

[mrsmelly]

How do you do that?

 

Hi

 

Go to the sellers feedback score and click on it, then find a person who has bought an item similar to your interest and click on the buyers name thingy and then click on Send a message. I have done it on many ocasions and always get at least 50 per cent replies.

 

Tim