Keeping batteries charged over winter

[Bright Angel]

I have 4x110Ah, 12V lead acid batteries, connected together in my leisure battery bank. I am leaving the boat in a marina over winter, plugged in to shore power but do not want to leave my 2.5 Kv Victron invertor charger on all this time. Does anyone know of a reliable trickle charger that I can leave plugged in which will do the job. Have looked at 2 or 3 on Amazon (Streetwize SWIBC5 12v 3.8 Amp Intelligent Battery Charger & Streetwize Car & Motorcycle Automatic Trickle Battery Charger for Gel / Lead Acid Batteries 12 V) and read reviews that are OK apart from what happens if the shore power cuts out (they have to be re-set?)

Would appreciate anyone recommending a suitable unit that they have used to do this job in similar conditions.

 

[luctor et emergo]

Keep running the engine....

[Bright Angel]

Yes...thanks !!!

[Eeyore]

I have 4x110Ah, 12V lead acid batteries, connected together in my leisure battery bank. I am leaving the boat in a marina over winter, plugged in to shore power but do not want to leave my 2.5 Kv Victron invertor charger on all this time. Does anyone know of a reliable trickle charger that I can leave plugged in which will do the job. Have looked at 2 or 3 on Amazon (Streetwize SWIBC5 12v 3.8 Amp Intelligent Battery Charger & Streetwize Car & Motorcycle Automatic Trickle Battery Charger for Gel / Lead Acid Batteries 12 V) and read reviews that are OK apart from what happens if the shore power cuts out (they have to be re-set?)

Would appreciate anyone recommending a suitable unit that they have used to do this job in similar conditions.

 

Something like http://www.ctekchargers.co.uk/mxs-3.8.php would be fine, I've used the previous model for several years.

[Ally]

Solar?

[Robbo]

I have 4x110Ah, 12V lead acid batteries, connected together in my leisure battery bank. I am leaving the boat in a marina over winter, plugged in to shore power but do not want to leave my 2.5 Kv Victron invertor charger on all this time. Does anyone know of a reliable trickle charger that I can leave plugged in which will do the job. Have looked at 2 or 3 on Amazon (Streetwize SWIBC5 12v 3.8 Amp Intelligent Battery Charger & Streetwize Car & Motorcycle Automatic Trickle Battery Charger for Gel / Lead Acid Batteries 12 V) and read reviews that are OK apart from what happens if the shore power cuts out (they have to be re-set?)

Would appreciate anyone recommending a suitable unit that they have used to do this job in similar conditions.

 

You already have the equipment, switch the victron to charge only if you don't want to use the inverter part if the shore power trips.

[Geordie.narrowboat]

If your kit does not allow a charge only facility - my inverter and charger are separate, I use a waeco charger, allowing me to leave all electrics, bar pumps which are direct to the battery(fused), switched off, including the inverter.

[Naughty Cal]

If you already have a decent charger why turn it off and put a cheap one on?

 

Doesnt make any sense. Use the one you have.

[trackman]

Ally suggested solar, that's what we use when CN is left on our mooring, since we have no shore power there.

We have the solar panels anyway of course, but if you don't there are often cheap small panels on offer, often called briefcase or suitcase panels.

These can be folded and stored inside when not required and connected to the batteries simply by crocodile clips when needed. Low wattage panels like these won't need a controller but will still put in enough power to compensate for the self discharge of the batteries.

Keeping both starter and domestic banks charged this way needs thinking about, exactly how you achieve it depending upon how your system is wired up. In the simplest case you could just get a cheap panel for each bank.

[Proper Job]

I can't help thinking that the OP is over doing it a bit.

 

If all you are doing is topping up the internal discharge of the batteries over the Winter period, why leave a battery charger on all of the time?

 

Surely just switching on the charger for an hour or so when you go to check the boat (once a month?) will be plenty?

 

Un-used batteries won't discharge that much?

[Naughty Cal]

If you have shore power you may as well use it. The charger will only supply what charge the batteries need anyway.

[smileypete]

Can the Victron be 'dialled down' to a low charge current?

 

The modest risk of boiled batts goes down further in winter as the temperatures are colder, also the rate of self discharge too. If the batts can be fully isolated, sealed ones should hold their charge very well and non sealed ones in reasonable condition do OK too.

 

Depends if there's automatic bilge pumps and stuff that may need power I s'pose.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smtp~

Edited September 24, 2014 by smileypete

[Robbo]

Question is would I rather trust a fully automatic high quality charger that's designed for the marine enviroment, has remote voltage sensor as well as a temperature sensor thats correctly installed with nice connections that are bolted to the batteries. Or a £30 trickle charger with clips.

[Bright Angel]

Thank you everybody, you all make very good points (apart from the first one suggesting I leave the engine running !).

I do have a bilge pump which I have to leave on due to past bad experience with a leak developing between stern tube and brass bearing, but now you've made me really think about it, I will leave the victron on charge only, connected to the leisure bank, and clip the solars onto the starter battery. As for checking monthly this won't be an option as we will probably not come back for over 6 months. Thanks again.

[Robbo]

The Victron also has a outlet for charging the starter battery as well. It's often not wired up when installed tho!

[Bod]

I've put a 7 day timer into our shore line supply.

The idea is that as the batteries are unused, and only need natural discharge, topping up. The timer only allows the charger to run for 24 hrs a week, during which time the Sterling Battery charger does its thing.

 

Bod

[Bright Angel]

I've put a 7 day timer into our shore line supply.

The idea is that as the batteries are unused, and only need natural discharge, topping up. The timer only allows the charger to run for 24 hrs a week, during which time the Sterling Battery charger does its thing.

 

Bod

Thanks Bod, any details on the 7 day timer would be appreciated eg type, supplier, cost etc. Is it installed before the mains distribution board or after ?

The Victron also has a outlet for charging the starter battery as well. It's often not wired up when installed tho!

Thanks Robbo, I will start looking for it once I can track down the manual. Presumably 2 leads with croc' clips would do the job ?

[Robbo]

Thanks Robbo, I will start looking for it once I can track down the manual. Presumably 2 leads with croc' clips would do the job ?

 

Manuals: http://www.victronenergy.com/manuals-per-product/?productid=147

 

No, 2 leads and clips wont do. Has to be fused, and instead of clips use a ring terminal so you can bolt it to the battery terminals.

Thanks Bod, any details on the 7 day timer would be appreciated eg type, supplier, cost etc. Is it installed before the mains distribution board or after ?

 

Warning, the Victron has a 16amp input.

Edited September 25, 2014 by Robbo

[Chalky]

Un-used batteries won't discharge that much?

 

Don't believe it! Some battery chemistries can loose 10% in a week, others are a lot better. I've seen a Varta AGM stop start battery that was left fully charged still read 12.5V after being left for 2 years and be able to crank a cold diesel. A lot depends on the battery...

[Hawkmoth]

The Victron also has an absorption timer on it. This will kick the output up to the absorption voltage periodically (once a week is, I think, the default). This stops the electrolyte from stratifying, which can happen if batteries are just left on trickle for long periods.

Bob

[Bod]

Owing to the 240v set up on our boat, the "mains ring" plugs into the inverter, via a standard 3 pin 13 amp plug.

This means the shore line is terminated with a 3 pin wander-lead socket.

Hence the simple use of a domestic 7 day timer. (Argos 982/2911)

As its only the charger, mostly in Float mode, 13 amp seems to be ok.

 

Bod

[Bright Angel]

I missed the point of the Victron being 16 Amp. Do you mean that a timer would need to be a "special" rather than a 13 Amp domestic unit

Owing to the 240v set up on our boat, the "mains ring" plugs into the inverter, via a standard 3 pin 13 amp plug.

This means the shore line is terminated with a 3 pin wander-lead socket.

Hence the simple use of a domestic 7 day timer. (Argos 982/2911)

As its only the charger, mostly in Float mode, 13 amp seems to be ok.

 

Bod

Sorry, I think our lines crossed, you answered my question before I asked it !

[Robbo]

I missed the point of the Victron being 16 Amp. Do you mean that a timer would need to be a "special" rather than a 13 Amp domestic unit

 

Yep, as your victron and electrics can pull 16amp via the inlet of the victron you'll need a timer to handle that. To be honest I don't think it's worth it, but immersion timers may be a good search term.

[Nickhlx]

Yes, the Victron CAN pull 16 amps if it is delivering its maximum output, ( unlikely if you are merely trickle charging) and assuming you haven't got a current limiter fitted on the input side to stop tripping the frequently-found 6 Amp shore supplies... ( like ours)

 

I have left ours connected to the shore supply for approx 5 years now, when we are not out and about ( weekend cruising, mainly) and it has maintained the bank in good condition - 4 off Trojan T-125s configured as a 12V 480 Ah bank..

 

Nick

[peterboat]

Solar?

ditto