Battery chargers

[John C]

Now I have access to 240 volts (shore power) I am going to use a battery charger. I have a suitable charger, a large machine mart unit. What I need to know is what protection should I put between the batteries and charger? I have had a look at the BSS requirements and it seems in line fuses would be OK, am I right?

 

Thanks

[Proper Job]

In line fuses is all I have and the BSS man was fine with them

[Androo]

I don't have anything in between the batteries and charger. The fitting instructions never mentioned anything like that.

 

What I do have is, an anti surge 3 pin adapter plug, a trip switch on the boat and the usual trip on the shore power itself.

 

Is this adequate?

[Paul C]

I don't have anything in between the batteries and charger. The fitting instructions never mentioned anything like that.

 

What I do have is, an anti surge 3 pin adapter plug, a trip switch on the boat and the usual trip on the shore power itself.

 

Is this adequate?

 

What is an anti surge 3 pin adapter plug?

 

The BSS would say no, I personally would say no (and fit an inline fuse), pragmatically the battery charger may well have its own fuse or other arrangement to protect from issues.

[Martin Megson]

As others have said the BSS requires a fused connection, sect 3.6.2 states:

 

All d.c. electrical circuits must pass through a battery isolator, except those which feed equipment requiring a continuous supply which must be protected by a suitable fuse or circuit- breaker.

[Phil Ambrose]

Now I have access to 240 volts (shore power) I am going to use a battery charger. I have a suitable charger, a large machine mart unit. What I need to know is what protection should I put between the batteries and charger? I have had a look at the BSS requirements and it seems in line fuses would be OK, am I right?

 

Thanks

My understanding is that in-line fuse I fine, however I would question your choice of charger as I believe Machine Mart supply automotive chargers and what you need is a 4 or 5 stage marine charger which you can fit and forget something like a Electroquest 30amp.

Phil

[bottle]

I to would question the charger (a three stage would be adequate) also you may wish to read this http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/chargesize.html, if you haven't already done so.

Edited March 11, 2014 by bottle

[nb Innisfree]

Charger cable should be fused at the input end which means one at each end.

[cereal tiller]

My understanding is that in-line fuse I fine, however I would question your choice of charger as I believe Machine Mart supply automotive chargers and what you need is a 4 or 5 stage marine charger which you can fit and forget something like a Electroquest 30amp.

Phil

The Electroquest chargers will accept voltage and frequency variations that the older Transformer chargers are not tolerant to.

 

Shoreline 230 volt can drop 5-15 volts or so when a high load is applied or many boats are drawing of the same supply circuit in Marinas'

 

Up to date multi-stage chargers are designed to cope with such conditions.

 

CT

[Phil Ambrose]

The Electroquest chargers will accept voltage and frequency variations that the older Transformer chargers are not tolerant to.

 

Shoreline 230 volt can drop 5-15 volts or so when a high load is applied or many boats are drawing of the same supply circuit in Marinas'

 

Up to date multi-stage chargers are designed to cope with such conditions.

 

CT

Voltage drop is part and parcel of power supplies in marinas, I have checked the voltage I get in both my present marina and my last and found it has been as low as 190v particulary in winter, my neighbours heat their boat with 3 X 2600watt fan heaters plus use a 3kw immersion couple that with a W/Mc and you can see why it can be a problem.

Phil

[Tony Brooks]

My understanding is that in-line fuse I fine, however I would question your choice of charger as I believe Machine Mart supply automotive chargers and what you need is a 4 or 5 stage marine charger which you can fit and forget something like a Electroquest 30amp.

Phil

 

Just to remind people what Gibbo said about there not being such a creature as a 4 or 5 stage charger except in the marketing department's mind. Any charger will act as a supply for the 12V load although if it has a low output it might blow an output fuse or more likely supply such a low voltage it would not charge. That's one "stage" .

 

Many sealed battery types can not be equalised because of the high voltage so that has to be turned off. Another gone.

 

The initial "bulk" charge phase is nothing to do with the charge except it will be limiting the charging current to its maximum output simply to protect itself.

 

Then comes "acceptance" where the charger will be actively controlling the voltage close to the maximum safe for the battery type and the batteries are controlling the current flow. It may well pulse the voltage in this stage but that is nothing to do with the charging.

 

Finally we have "float" when the charger reduces its voltage into what it considers fully charged batteries so it does not damage them and overcomes self discharge.

 

That is just TWO stages plus equalise giving three if you can use equalisation.

 

A good quality two stage charger will do the job. A three stage charger adds equalisation. Any more "stages" are just marketing.

[nb Innisfree]

Don't forget Victron's 'reduced float' where it reduces voltage to 13.2 and switches to 1hour absorption once a week, excluding bulk charge that's 3 stages. Normal float voltages for long periods does seem to be harmful.

[SamKingfisher]

I think you'll find that we're all floating our batteries.

[Rich]

my neighbours heat their boat with 3 X 2600watt fan heaters plus use a 3kw immersion couple that with a W/Mc and you can see why it can be a problem.

Phil

Blimey, I got a load of stick because I wanted more than 6 amp supply.

[John C]

Thanks all for the advice, inline fuses it is.