got another question

[js361]

yeah it's me again pestering you all to pick your brains, but i want an opinion. I am unable to charge my batteries on a regular basis, but i'm a big fan of using my trolling motor. I have an on-board charger & some extra deep cycle batteries....would it be a bad idea to get a device (believe i have seen these @ gander mtn) that you can put on you battery to use as a normal outlet (like a wall socket), connect that to the free battery & plug the charger to that...or am i better off to just put a 3rd battery on the boat? (which, incidentally is only a 16ft, so i'm leary of adding more weight/losing space.<br /><br />Thanks a lot!

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: got another question

Let me see if I got this right - you want to fit an inverter to a battery so that you can charge another battery. <br /><br />There are so many problems with that senario I not sure where to start.<br /><br />To run a 110v (or 220 or 240) charger off a 12v battery you would need to fit an inverter - a big one. That will cost big dollars. Inverters are not efficient, the lose 10 to 15% in the circuitry, the charger is also inefficent, you could be looking at 20% lose overall. You would kill the battery in no time. Bad idea.<br /><br />If you are using a lot of amps you must replace those amps or you will flatten batteries, your only choice is charging via the outboard, shore power charger or solar.<br /><br />If you decide to fit a third battery take into account the extra charging required. A constantly less than fully charged deepcycle dies an early death.<br /><br />Edit: jsscheh, After re-reading my post I've realised that it may come across as condecending. That's not my intention - I'm just not very good with words <br /><br />Aldo

 

[Boatist]

Re: got another question

I agree with Aldo 100 percent. Solar is not really an option either unless you are going to cover the entire boat with solar cells and only fish every 3 day.

 

[cuzner]

Re: got another question

You talking about a charger- inverter? Unless you have tv, fridge or toaster oven you should,nt need one.A 2 bank charger is a better investment. Cabbella's has good 4 stage 2 bank chargers, 8 amp about 70$. A large solar panel will help a bit, should be thought of as more of a maintainer though(will give you about 1/2 amp in sunshine).Yes an inverter is a bad idea, will take your batteries down in no time. Some of the new electronic ones are more effecient than than the old ones, but still waste 10-20% energy in the conversion.<br /><br /><br /> Jim

 

[cbcrawford]

Re: got another question

Seems that the real question here is, why can't you put the battery(ies) on the charger after every trip? You post that you have an on-board charger, so all you need is an outlet - unless the boat is both stored somewhere remote and the batteries are not removeable?<br /><br />I say this because you will have very few charge/discharge cycles out of your deep cycle battery unless you re-charge it within a reasonable amount of time after every use. It is well worth the effort and strain to remove those batteries after every use if that's what you have to do to get them re-charged.

 

[js361]

Re: got another question

Heyy all appreciate the advice. I will not use the 3rd battery to charge. My problem is that my boat is stored where there is no electricity (i.e. i live in an apartment building) so I can't even pull the batteries out to charge them unless i want the caustic gases looming in my apartment! LOL I produce enough of those on my own!<br /><br />P.S. Don't worry Dunaruna, i'm not THAT sensitive! LOL & I relly appreciate your help.

 

[Perfidiajoe]

Re: got another question

Do I understand this correctly, you want to charge your batteries while running? Your engine should have a charging system, from your last post I don't believe you have a battery switch, which you could use to switch from battery 1 to battery 2 or to both. They have a switch with circut protection (Perko makes it) you can do this running to have the engines charging system charge your batteries. Good luck , Joe

 

[18rabbit]

Re: got another question

Jsscheh - Boatist, the guy that posted above, has worked out a scheme where he charges his boat's battery(s) while trailering his boat home. If that is something that will work for you, maybe he will post something about his configuration.<br /><br />Boatist - it's something that should be written up and tossed into a faq above...if you are up for it.

 

[Boatist]

Re: got another question

Rabbit is correct I can charge my batteries from my truck. My set up is really very simple. I have a starting battery and a deep cycle battery. I charge both batteries from the 45 amp alternator on my I/O thru a battery isolator. In winter when the boat is covered I got tired of removing the cover to hook up my battery charger so I ran a 10 gauge wires up to the front of the boat to a plug I could plug my battery charger into to charge the batteries. I also ran this charge line thru my battery isolator. This made it real easy to hook the battery charger to both batteries. Then one first trip of spring I started the boat at home on Muffs like I always do before the first trip just to make sure the fuel pumps get fuel to the carb and water pump picks up water. Every thing was fine so we headed to our launch site. When I got there found out left the key on and starting battery was dead. I do not like to start any trip with a known problem so pulled the boat and charged starting battery with truck jumpers cables then relaunched. When I got home I wired a 10 guage wire thru a 30 amp circuit breaker back to a spare contact on my trailer connector. I added a 10 guage wire to the plug on the trailer side then up thru the winch stand to a plug on the trailer. Now anytime I want to charge batteries going down the road I plug in a 2 foot cable form trailer plug to boat plug and will charge both batteries while going down the road. I should add I already had a heavy ground wire from engine block to truck plug. Also in my trailer plug had a heavy ground going to junction block on trailer. From the junction block it is wired to the trailer frame and every light has it own ground wire. Also wired a 10 ga ground to the trailer battery charge plug. I do not use the truck power very often but it does give me another option to charge the boat batteries. I use it most when have been Sturgeon fishing until late at night with all the gear and lights on and only have a short run to the boat ramp. Another time is when we have been camping for a week and for several days have not put the boat in the water due to offshore seas but did use a lot of the boat gear to check weather, call friends who did go out, or set new waypointe in navigation gear.<br /><br />For someone with a trolling motor and a small outboard charger this may be an option to help put some juice back in your trolling motor battery while traveling from your launch site to your camp site and then back to the launch site. However to fully charge deep cycle even with about 30 amps will take some time.

 

[DangerDan]

Re: got another question

heres a gizmo that charges Batteries while your boat is trailered.<br /> http://www.raystackle.com/1ochargers.html <br />Also a link to some pretty handy switches/ management sytems.<br /> http://www.bepmarine.com/showcategory.cfm?categoryid=4 <br />I have one of these switches (distribution clusters) in my I/O and charge three batts no problem. I also have my onboard charger/maintainer which I hook up in the winter and leave runn til spring.

 

[js361]

Re: got another question

You guys are all super helps! Your idea is pure genious, boatist! Thanks