What is the best battery charger mine bit the dust today

[Red Hatt]

My battery charger bit the dust due to a small pin hole in my fresh water line that sprayed water on the charger. It fried the charger. I need a 12 volt 60 amp. charger and I don't no what would be the best one to buy. Any sugestions would be great. Thanks

 

[Boatsb]

How many banks of batteries and what type. It depends on the needs of the vessel.

 

[Red Hatt]

It's going on a 46 hatt. It has 2 Banks of batteries.
The batteries are just the plain intersate batteries.I was thinking about the Charles chargers but I don't know what's the best one out there. The one that was fried was a Sentry but they don't make the same charger any more.

 

[Boatsb]

Charles makes some good stuff. I have a 41C with a 30 amp Charles and find it more than ample. If I was using an inverter I may need more.

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

My charger died in 2004 and I installed a Xantrex 40+ 3 bank charger. Been very happy with it.

 

[spartonboat1]

Charles makes some good stuff. I have a 41C with a 30 amp Charles and find it more than ample. If I was using an inverter I may need more.

I have a used Charles 12v/30amp unit that I pulled off, after it was only in use for about 3 years. I replaced it with a Heart (Xantrax now) Inverter/Charger. The Charles has a SS case and was a replacement for, you got it, a Sentry unit that died.

So if you don't plan on going the inverter route, drop me a note and I will pm some pix of it to you, provided you are interested in it.

 

[Vincentc]

It is my impression you can buy an inverter with charging capability for a little more than a good charger, and would not need a separate charger. Even if you do not have immediate plans for an inverter, it is worth considering.

I cannot speak from experience since other projects were moved ahead of the inverter project. Not much need for an inverter when you have to run the AC.
Regards,
Vincent
Lilly Marie 43 DC

 

[MikeP]

One thing to consider with an inveter/charger is that the ones I have seen, including my OUTSTANDING Outback 3232(!!!), do not have multiple battery bank charging capability. So if you want to retain the dual, electrically separate battery banks, you would have to buy an additional charger. If you wish to combine the batt banks, which is actually more efficient for power and battery life, then it's not an issue. However, doing so would eliminate the safety factor of having a separate house and start bank. So it should be carefully considered before doing so.

There MAY be some inverter/chargers that can support charging of separate/isolated banks, I just haven't seen them. ALSO, if you have a 12v or 24v system, you could use the inverter/charger and a battery isolater to maintain the separate banks. If you have a 32v system, there are no 32v isolaters made - again, at least that I could find after much searching.

 

[Red Hatt]

I say that I have 2 banks of batteries. Here is what it looks like to me, there are 2 sets of batteries on the outside of the engine room. Each box has 2 batteries that are connected together. With a total of 1 boxes on each side.

 

[Genesis]

I like the Charles 5000-series.

Put one in and then put in a combiner for the charging instead of using the multiple bank feed. Had one in my 45C - the old Ferro charger bit the dust.

 

[Red Hatt]

Should I buy the 50 or 60 amp model of the charles 5000?