Best way of charging starter battery over winter

[Robbo]

Actually, just been looking on line and still some confusion! Should inline fuse be of the blade or glass type? Thanks again

 

I would make it whatever you have already on the boat if you do already have.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Robbo

[Richard10002]

 

The OP already has the equipment, it just needs to wired up to the starter battery!

 

 

Sorry.... I poked my nose in because I saw several people talking about buying things, and cheaper options, and it all began to sound rather complicated, and the OP seemed to be having some difficulty, and had already mentioned paying someone competent.

 

Very easy to run the engine now and then.....

 

Clearly a wire or two from the Victron looks like it would charge it from the shore power, so seems simple enough or, even in winter, a wire or two from the solar controller equally simple.

 

Come to think of it,,I think I've got a spare output on my controller.....

[tommytelford]

I have a sterling combi and I find the simplest solution every so often to connect a jump lead between the the positive terminals of the starter battery and one of the domestic batterries and leave it connected for a few hours, As the starter battery will only have lost a small amount of charge this is all that is needed to bring it back to full

[MtB]

Hi,

 

Apart from the obvious answer of cruising, what would be the best of these ways of keeping the starter battery

charged over the winter months? We have shorepower.

 

1) Running the engine - how often and how long for? And is it good to run the engine every so often anyway, so it doesn't 'seize up' (technical term!)?

 

2) Our Victron Multiplus has a starter battery charger outlet, but this would need wiring up by a competent person (ie not me).

 

3) Solar - we already have 365w of solar to the leisure batteries. Could this be connected to the starter battery as well? Or would a separate small panel be needed? Controller?

 

4) Some kind of separate battery charger running off shoreline?

 

Any thoughts most welcome. Thanks.

 

 

 

 

You missed off number 5) Do nothing.

 

Strikes me you are looking for a solution to a non-problem. A starter battery in good condition will happily keep it's charge over winter if you start the engine and run it for an hour or so once or twice over the winter period.

 

Ok that's your option 1) I suppose!

 

 

MtB

[ditchcrawler]

Why not just go boating occasionally, apart from winter maintenance stoppages, the canals are still open for use 12 months a year. You could well find you enjoy the crisp mornings and lack of queues at locks. There is no such thing as a cruising season.

[Robbo]

Sorry.... I poked my nose in because I saw several people talking about buying things, and cheaper options, and it all began to sound rather complicated, and the OP seemed to be having some difficulty, and had already mentioned paying someone competent.

 

It's a discussion forum, don't be sorry for poking da nose in as that's what makes a discussion!

[Phil Ambrose]

The bottom line is that you don't need to spend any money on a gizmo and labour to charge the starter from your mains charger.

 

The most you could possibly need is a solar trickle charger.

All the 0P needs is a single piece of wire.

Phil

[nicknorman]

All the 0P needs is a single piece of wire.

Phil

... And a fuse!

[MtB]

As opposed to a married piece of wire?

 

 

MtB

[NBDensie]

I agree with the doing nothing option. For the past 8 years since I bought the boat I have just disconnected both the engine and domestic earth side cables and left the batteries all winter, checking the voltages across each battery occasionally. They have always kept their charge fine until spring.

[nicknorman]

I agree with the doing nothing option. For the past 8 years since I bought the boat I have just disconnected both the engine and domestic earth side cables and left the batteries all winter, checking the voltages across each battery occasionally. They have always kept their charge fine until spring.

I think doing nothing is not unreasonable, however when you already have a Combi and are already plugged into shore power, it seems a pity, for the sake of the wiring, to not use the Combi to keep the starter battery topped up.

[Phil Ambrose]

As opposed to a married piece of wire?

 

 

MtB

I re-fuse to be drawn into this

:-)

Phil

[Arthur Brown]

While the Do Nothing option is the cheapest and the batteries will survive with a monthly cruise of a few hours, and the fit the proper wire option is the most technically advanced for no significant outlay, MY preferred option is to buy and fit a mains charger, typically a 6 - 12 A fully automatic charger, and remember to use it for two hours a week. This buffers that terrible feeling when the main charger dies and you need another NOW.

 

With today's dependence on electrics a spare charger and maybe a spare engine alternator is a good plan, (assuming you can fit one yourself).