Need Advice On Replacing Faulty 24 Volt Battery Charger

[johngalt]

I posted this yesterday in the technical forum and while it garnered 40 some views overnight no one ventured an opinion on charger recommendations . I am in a bit of a rush as my battery/charger replacement cannot be delayed for long . Please feel free to offer your suggestions below . Surely some reader has purchased a new battery charger in recent times ...



Greetings ,

I own a 1988 52C and my battery charger decided to cook 4 three month old 8D batteries. Both my house bank and starter bank have been cooked to ruin with one of the house batteries exploding down in the engine room . Since I am now going to have to shell out over $800 for new batteries plus a new charger I am seeking advice on the best charger for the money and the best place to by said charger . I would appreciate any input my fellow readers might have to offer .

Thanks , jg


PS: We spend the better part of our boating life as live-aboards invariably tied up to shore power
and seldom spend time offshore . Perhaps that fact would allow me to purchase a charger of lesser
amperage and thus save some money ?

 

[GJH]

When I was shopping for a potential charger for my Xantrex 24 volt I decided after a bit of researchon either Charles or NewMar, both American made owned and supported. Various places sell them on line.

 

[Finalee]

Here is what I did.http://www.geniuschargers.com/GEN2
Same problem , cooking batteries and fan noise. This is quiet and works great!.

 

[johngalt]

Thank you for your input captains . The NewMars seem to be out of my price range and the Genius seems to be short on the necessary amperage . I really an not sure where to go with this . My mechanic says I should be getting a 50-60 amp charger but they are all way over a thousand bucks each . Not affordable at this point since I need to shell out a grand for batteries . What is the minimum amperage charger I could get away with ? I have two battery banks of paired 8D batteries in series ... one for cranking over my Detroit 8V92's and one pair for house lighting , toilets etc ...

 

[johngalt]

I'm leaning towards this Pro Nautic charger ... (Pro Mariner 24v 30 Amp Pro Nautic 2430P 3 Bank Battery Charger 63180
Product Description

The Pro Nautic P 2430 series is considered one of the finest charger lines ever built. Industry recognized with the 2010 IBEX Innovation Award, ProNauticP employs the ProMar Digital Performance Charging Platform which combines all digital control and software-based power conversion technology with global energy management features. The Pro Nautic P is desined with incorporating all the different 12 volt electronics that are powering today's power, sail, sport, and cruising boats.

The Pro Nautic P charger is capable of over 12 different selectable profiles. It is also capable of powering dockside loads such as lights and 12 volt appliances. The summary of the Pro Nautic is that it can do it all. There is also an optional remote that gives a remote location control over the charger and the ability to monitor the status of the charger.

The 1260P is capable of demand sensing all of its three banks, and diverting up to 100% power to any one bank at any time.

Features
12 Selectable Profiles and is safe for AGM, GEL, Flooded, LiFePo4, and Calcium batteries
Capable of Universal AC Input from 95-260 VAC
Able to Distribute up to 100% of the available power to any one individual bank
Fully Microprocessor Controlled for Optimum Absorption
Conservation Energy Saver Mode - after 72 hours of low activity the Pro Nautic will lower the Float Voltage
Service and Fault mode LED indicators
Quiet Operation
Automatic Fan Speed Control
Automatic Temperature Compensation )


Does anyone know the company ? I like the fact that it can direct all amperage to whatever bank requires it unlike most chargers that divide 30 amps 3 ways thus only providing 10 amps per bank.


Another question: I only have two battery banks , what do I do with a three bank charger ? Just not hook up the third bank or twin one bank ? Admittedly I am and electrical system idiot .

 

[Pascal]

Pro mariner is pretty good

To connect 2 bank to a 3 bank charter you ll need To read the instructions. Some chargers require a jumper from one of the active bank terminal to unused terminal. This is the case on the pro mariner we have on the boat I run which charges the generator banks

 

[drburke]

Ditto what Pascal said: my ProMariner just works.

The installer had made a mistake about using a 3 bank charger on 2 banks without consulting the manual, so I did make the adjustment Pascal mentioned (forgot what is was, tho). Otherwise, works pretty well.

DAN

 

[johngalt]

Thanks Pascal . Would a 30 amp charger be sufficient on a 52C with battery banks as described in my previous posts ?

 

[davidwigler]

30 amps at 24 volts is only 720 watts and that is the maximum output. It should be enough to keep them charged if your house loads are light. But if you are running a lot of DC lights and heavy electronics such as radar it may not. Six 60 watt bulbs would use half the capacity.

With separate banks you can always add another charger later.

 

[Pascal]

Yeah, it depends on what you use.

If your house loads are limited, it will be fine but if you have a lot of lights, especially halogens, and underwater lights or cockpit floods, it may be a little small.

A larger charger will probably run cooler as well than a maxed out 30amp and woudl probably lat longer too

 

[bobk]

My 1981 48MY has 6V'92s. We have two banks of two 8D batteries each in parallel for a 12 volt system. These handle engine start, generator start and the 12V house system.

The charger is a old simple 30 amp ferro magnetic machine and over 8 years of cruising 3000 miles per year and of course loads of time living all summer on board at the Club, I have never found the need for more. When underway the engine alternators at 1000 RPM keep up with the household refrig/freezer (via inverter/combiner), radar and everything else. Overnight the 3KW inverter (6 GC 6 volt) handles the house on the hook. A one hour charge in the morning via generator has everything set for another day cruising.

So IMHO a small charger would work for you. Our needs seem similar except for the voltage difference. But my inverter charger is > 100 amp so that recovers the refrigerator consumption pretty quickly.

Bobk

 

[johngalt]

Thanks Bob . My DC needs are really basic . The Electronics , radar , gps , depth , stereo when underway . The heads and a few lights when at the dock . Nothing more really . Water heater , fridge , freezer, lights are all AC power and if we are not underway we are at a marina . No fishing to speak of , no on the hook . My kids much prefer the dock .

 

[davidwigler]

I can't resist. Who is John Galt?

 

[PeterK]

Never read Ayn Rand?

 

[Avenger]

Actually I think he has.

 

[PeterK]

Meant davidwiggler not johngalt...

 

[Avenger]

So did I.