Battery in stern, charger in console; connect through wiring from batt to fuse panel?

[ajgraz]

17' Center Console. Battery in the stern, with a 10-12' (one way) run of 10AWG wire (with 40amp inline fuse near battery) to the fuse panel (with ground bus) in the console. I'd like to add a small onboard smart charger, 4 or 5 amps, mounted in the console. Chargers typically come with 4 to 6 foot leads, and many manufacturers sell an add-on 12 to 15 foot "extension kit." But instead, can I just hook the charger's leads to the main + and - studs on the fuse panel?

 

[joeanna]

this is from a battery charger manuel;
"If the DC battery leads are not long enough, they may be lengthened by splicing and soldering 12 AWG (minimum) wire. Each splice should be covered with dual wall adhesive lined heat shrink tubing to protect the joint from corroding. The splice should be made between the fork in the output cable and the fuse holder. The fuse holder should always remain within 7? of the battery terminals. The maximum extension length is 15 feet. You may contact the Minn Kota Service Department with any questions. Do not splice the AC power cord, as this voids the three year Limited Warranty."

 

[ajgraz]

An excerpt like that is what makes me think this idea IS feasible. Apart from the actual splicing / heat shrink part, would not the 12' 10AWG run with inline fuse at battery take the place of the described wiring?

(I can't be the only person who has at least contemplated--if not executed--this idea...)

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Yer plan will work just Fine,....

I leave a charger hooked to mine, the same way all summer, each summer,....

 

[ajgraz]

Thanks, Bondo. I knew this would work!

OK, now for Part 2 of the plan...you knew there'd be a Part 2, right?

I also want to stow a "backup" battery, a duplicate of the main battery, in a box in the console, ready to be swapped in for the main battery if needed, hooked up to nothing but the leads from a second bank of the very same smart charger. Is the fact that the two sets of leads will have unequal lengths / resistances / voltage drops an issue? Is there a specific (sensing?) feature I need to see in a 2-bank smart charger to make that OK? (or does "smart" automatically mean it'll work that way?)

 

[bruceb58]

Depends on the charger. Mine has temp sensors in the leads.

 

[ajgraz]

Depends on the charger. Mine has temp sensors in the leads.

Hmmm, what does that do? Change the charge level based on temperature? Sounds like I'd maybe NOT want that since at least one sensor would NOT be in the same compartment as the battery it was charging.

 

[bruceb58]

Hmmm, what does that do? Change the charge level based on temperature? Sounds like I'd maybe NOT want that since at least one sensor would NOT be in the same compartment as the battery it was charging.

The leads themselves measure the temperature of the battery through the post. My charger on one boat has that. The other boat doesn't. The charger you have may very well not. Just read the charger manual. What charger are you using?

 

[ajgraz]

I don't have one for this boat yet. But I was looking at the NOCO Gen2 Mini.

 

[bruceb58]

I looked at the manual for it. You can connect it pretty much anyway you want.