Anybody using a Sterling ProCharge D charger

[halcyon]

Got involved with a chap having problems with a Sealine 365 which he has fitted a ProCharge D 50 amp charger, 3 outputs charge port & star'd engine batteries, and service bank.

He switches on the charger and it goes through it's programme, and drops to float charge 13.5 volt for all three battery banks. During the evening with cabin lights on plus heating battery voltage slowly falls to 12.2 volt, while the engine battery voltages goes up to 14.1/14.2 volt.

I learnt that he found the batteries dry, may be since fitting the new charger, but a bit vague, so I told him to try a engine battery in place of the two service, in case he had dead batteries. This made no difference, I also got him to check voltage on charger terminal in case of bad connection.

Now to me the funny bit, he spoke to Sterling again, and was told it was the charger design, the engine battery voltage was getting to high, this was thus reducing the service battery voltage. To get round this he should connect a bulb across each engine battery to drain the battery, he would reduce engine battery voltage, he would then get a higher service battery voltage. They claim that the sum of the voltages for the three batteries will be 3 times the float voltage, thus his 14.1 + 14.1 + 12.2 = 40.4, 3 x 13.5 ( float ) = 40.5 volt.

It's not April 1st, and I can not believe the above either.

Has anyone a Sterling ProchargeD running multiple banks, preferably 3 bank. to confirm correct operation.

Thanks

Brian

 

[sailorman]

Got involved with a chap having problems with a Sealine 365 which he has fitted a ProCharge D 50 amp charger, 3 outputs charge port & star'd engine batteries, and service bank.

He switches on the charger and it goes through it's programme, and drops to float charge 13.5 volt for all three battery banks. During the evening with cabin lights on plus heating battery voltage slowly falls to 12.2 volt, while the engine battery voltages goes up to 14.1/14.2 volt.

I learnt that he found the batteries dry, may be since fitting the new charger, but a bit vague, so I told him to try a engine battery in place of the two service, in case he had dead batteries. This made no difference, I also got him to check voltage on charger terminal in case of bad connection.

Now to me the funny bit, he spoke to Sterling again, and was told it was the charger design, the engine battery voltage was getting to high, this was thus reducing the service battery voltage. To get round this he should connect a bulb across each engine battery to drain the battery, he would reduce engine battery voltage, he would then get a higher service battery voltage. They claim that the sum of the voltages for the three batteries will be 3 times the float voltage, thus his 14.1 + 14.1 + 12.2 = 40.4, 3 x 13.5 ( float ) = 40.5 volt.

It's not April 1st, and I can not believe the above either.

Has anyone a Sterling ProchargeD running multiple banks, preferably 3 bank. to confirm correct operation.

Thanks

Brian

A quick phone call to Sterling will quickly solve the issue.

PS dont talk to the Irish chap, he can be rather abrupt if you a come over as a bit of a numpty

 

[catmandoo]

I have a Pro Charge D charging 3 Banks 400 Ah total . Never come across the problem you mention . Connected to a Sterling Battery management system monitoring amps and volts at 4 shunts ( 2 on 2 alternator outlets ) ```when on float not noticed any problem .Understood when on float power drawn from Shore power not batteries as they are fully charged

 

[halcyon]

I have a Pro Charge D charging 3 Banks 400 Ah total . Never come across the problem you mention . Connected to a Sterling Battery management system monitoring amps and volts at 4 shunts ( 2 on 2 alternator outlets ) ```when on float not noticed any problem .Understood when on float power drawn from Shore power not batteries as they are fully charged

Thanks that's what I would have expected, but wanted to confirm it.

The owner has been on the phone twice to Sterling and got told it was because his engine batteries were at a to high voltage and fit a bulb across them to reduce voltage and cure the problem.

I will confirm to him tomorrow that it should work okay, and advise he return the charger to the supplier.

Brian

 

[VicMallows]

Are you sure this OWNER isn't having you on?? .... I can't believe even Sterling would come up with that

 

[ianj99]

Led 2 will be lit if there is an overvoltage from the battery bank. Also, nowhere does it state that the charger treats and charges each bank separately. In fact, if it operated as if it was 3 chargers in one housing, it would not state that you have to choose the lowest charging voltage where the batteries were not of the same type.
Even the Procharge Ds replacement, the Ultra's brochure makes no mention that each bank is monitored and charged individually. If each battery bank was controlled by its own charging and monitoring circuitry you would be able to tell it which type of battery was connected to which output and there would be row of leds for each bank....

I'd guess that the charger responds to the lowest voltage on any output and charges in the appropriate mode for that bank. The assumption being that the other banks will only take current if they need it.

Certainly, until my Procharge D failed, both battery banks always showed the same voltage just as they did when being charged by the alternator.

 

[halcyon]

Are you sure this OWNER isn't having you on?? .... I can't believe even Sterling would come up with that

He is quiet reasonable chap, if a bit long winded on the phone, must have spent a hour to-day on this, and non of the bits concerned are mine

The problem with customer care on equipment fitted 25 years ago, and parts of the system have been changed.


Brian

 

[charles_reed]

Reading between the lines I suspect the Sterling Pro-Charger range has three outlets but only one control system.

So if charging 3 sets of batteries, one of which achieves float voltage all are put onto float.

C-Tek, recognise the problem and advise a separate battery charger for the engine start battery and sell just such a "kit".

It'll be interesting to find the outcome of this story.

 

[Pete7]

Wouldn't it be better to just disconnect the engine start batteries and put all three outputs into the house bank.

 

[halcyon]

Reading between the lines I suspect the Sterling Pro-Charger range has three outlets but only one control system.

So if charging 3 sets of batteries, one of which achieves float voltage all are put onto float.

C-Tek, recognise the problem and advise a separate battery charger for the engine start battery and sell just such a "kit".

It'll be interesting to find the outcome of this story.

When we sold the original charger in 89, we charged the service bank first, when that was charged, the charger sent a signal to the VSR controller, that connected engine batteries which were charged, then all three banks went onto float charge, simple really

I'll post the outcome, as the Sterling is only 6 weeks old, it may go back for refund or replacement from what the owner said. Or he still has the 25 amp single output Victron, so we may supply a duel VSR to charge the two engine batteries with the Victron. The boat now has three alternators, one for each bank, so the VSR will allow the other two to also charge the service bank if low, and provide back-up if an alternator fails.


Brian

 

[halcyon]

Wouldn't it be better to just disconnect the engine start batteries and put all three outputs into the house bank.

That's were the owner started, single output Victron, he bought the Sterling to charge the two engine start start batteries.

Brian

 

[ianj99]

put all three outputs into the house bank.

There's no point - any of the 3 output can supply the full current, but using a smaller charger for the engine battery is the way to go. My ProCharge D required me to keep topping up the electrolyte on my engine battery due to excessive gassing. Both house and engine batteries are identical but the engine battery just didn't appreciate being on the receiving end of the charger's high output voltage as it went through the pre float charging stages. for the house battery.

 

[Pete7]

There's no point - any of the 3 output can supply the full current, but using a smaller charger for the engine battery is the way to go. My ProCharge D required me to keep topping up the electrolyte on my engine battery due to excessive gassing. Both house and engine batteries are identical but the engine battery just didn't appreciate being on the receiving end of the charger's high output voltage as it went through the pre float charging stages. for the house battery.

Okay, I just remember there is something in the instructions for the Pro Digital that you should use all three outputs even if they are going to the same bank, rather than leave one empty. I think this is because they are isolated from each other.

Pete

 

[halcyon]

Thanks that's what I would have expected, but wanted to confirm it.

The owner has been on the phone twice to Sterling and got told it was because his engine batteries were at a to high voltage and fit a bulb across them to reduce voltage and cure the problem.

I will confirm to him tomorrow that it should work okay, and advise he return the charger to the supplier.

Brian

Little up-date, after being told to fit bulbs across engine batteries, he was sitting at helm and thought " if I turn on the engine keys, it will be the same as a bulb ". He sat there and watched the engine voltmeters go down, went below and the service battery voltage had gone up .

They told him Friday it was because of the measurement system they now used, so we may have two options,

a ) the chap on the phone was right, in which case the charger is not suitable for three battery banks when one is a service battery.

b ) the battery charger is faulty, and the information given was wrong.

He is returning the charger to dealer that sold it for replacement, let you know the outcome if the owner comes back to me.

Brian