Onboard Charger

[HighTrim]

My boat does not have a factory battery charger, so I purchased one from Canadian Tire. Question is, in the instructions, it states repeatedly that the charger should not be used while the battery is installed on the boat??? Kinda defeats the purpose no if you must remove the battery when maintaining/charging? Is this just covering their buts due to the production of hydrogen from the battery and the possible outcomes? Or what?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Onboard Charger

You probably did not buy an "on-board charger" but rather a portable charger that happens to work on all types of batteries. Those are generally not sealed units like a true on-board charger so they are not really suitable for permanent installation on-board. Hence the warnings about removing the battery. If you think about it, your battery is charged by a running engine with no problem and it can be charged with an on-board or portable charger without removing it from the boat. The key factor is to connect the charger to the battery before plugging it in. If you plug it in first and then connect it to the battery you get a spark. That spark can ignite any hydrogen or fuel vapors lingering in the area. Take it back, buy a true on-board charger and permanently install it. Plug it in at the dock and leave it until next use. On-board chargers are smart and will not overcharge your batteries.

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Onboard Charger

Ty Silvertip, I assumed it was a safety precaution due to sparks around the hydrogen fumes, if anything.

You are correct that it is a portable charger, yet this charger states that it is a smart Charger/Maintainer, so as to not overcharge the battery. I was hoping to use it to maintain the battery during the week while I was not at the boat, but I will look into a permanent one from the dealer.

Tks

 

[drewpster]

Re: Onboard Charger

I agree with Silvertip on this one for sure. I have use elcheapo automotive chargers, the newer portable "smart" chargers and now finally I invested in a quality marine grade onboard charger. In all cases previous to buying the more expensive marine onboard charger I have had to replace batteries at minimum every two years. I have had my marine batteries out of my old tug and on the bench connected to my boat's onboard charger for about three years now. On several occasions I have had to use the start battery on boats that I have worked on. Other than that that have sat on the bench connected to the charger. Just for a bit of reassurance I took it to work recently and tested it on our carbon pile tester at work. It tested good through three test cycles on our machine. Even new batteries have a hard time doing that on our machine. Let me tell you, if my Xantrex charger ever get broken or quits, I am buying another one.

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Onboard Charger

I just went down to the dealer to view his marine grade permanent chargers. I told him what I want out of it, and he stated that it is not a good idea to leave the charger plugged in all week, since I only visit the boat on weekends, since the electrolyte levels will drop? Im assuming this would take a long time to kill the battery. Every boat at my marina leaves their shore power plugged in to charge/maintain the batteries while they are away. Any input on this>? Even if the batteries are not drained, is it still a good idea to leave the charger/maintainer on during the week? I have read mixed reviews on this topic on this site.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Onboard Charger

Your dealer obviously knows squat about smart chargers. A smart charger can be plugged in indefinitely as they monitor what the battery needs and provides only a tiny charge during maintenance mode. A prime example is that my walleye boat sits in my garage from ice up in November until ice out in April. My on-board charger is plugged in all winter. My pontoon is in my driveway, plugged in as this is being written. Again, it is smart charger equipped and both the start and troller batteries are under constant charge. They never exhibit loss of electrolyte.

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Onboard Charger

Ty Sir

 

[drewpster]

Re: Onboard Charger

I think HighTrim's dealer is thinking of the non-smart charger/ maintainers we once used on our lawnmower batteries. (small plug in type) As they do not have any means of reducing the amount of current flowing to the batteries, they have been known to ruin them because they were left connected too long. This causes the electrolyte to "boil" off. As Silvertip stated, smart chargers (marine grade ones) account for this. They are designed for long term storage of batteries. Incidentally, I don?t use the "stupid" chargers for my lawnmower anymore. I finally got tired of replacing that battery as well.

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Onboard Charger

I got the new permanent charger, wired her up, and works like a charm. TY all.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Onboard Charger

Depending on whether you have the "Maint Free" type of batteries or not, it's always a good practice to check the levels of your batteries throughout the summer and top off when needed. Just part of regualr maintenance.