Battery charger on or off...?

[MedMilo]

Fairline Essex (who sold me the boat) have said that my charger doesn't need to be turned off when I'm underway but my dealer in Cala D'or, Mallorca, says it should definitely be turned off before I set off or I might end up with charger/alternator/battery damage! I have a 2007 Squadron 58 with a Mastervolt charger which Fairline Essex say will work everything out without me needing to turn off the charger??!!. Any info would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[hlb]

Mines been switched on for at least the last 12 years, no problems.

 

[AndieMac]

I've been advised to turn off the charger/s at the distribution panel near the helm, just prior to engine ignition. Apparently it's only start up that could be the problem.

Once the main engines are started, turn the charger/s back on again so you don't forget them later.

Our system is ten years older than yours though.

 

[jfm]

I leave mine on all the time (on two boats identical to yours, and on current boat) and never had a problem, whether genset running or not.

I can't think of any reason why there could be a problem in feeding charge current to batteries from both mastervolt charger and engine alternators at the same time. On my current boat, when underway, I sometimes feed 6 lots of charge current to the main service batteries: 2 mastervolt chargers paralleled - a 100a and a 75A; two engine alternators, and two genset alternators. It all works fine

 

[Lozzer]

As I understand dealers have suggested this to avoid a double charge spike when starting the engines. I think that this is a leftover ritual from days gone by.

Todays boats have significantly more intelligence than yester years.

For what it is worth I always turn off just out of habit. I dont think you will have a problem.

 

[DougH]

Hi Miles,

Greetings from your boating neighbour. (Acuarela)

Just to muddy the waters we have to turn the battery chargers off whenever the engines are running and the alternators are charging.

If we forget to turn off the chargers they trip out after about 10 minutes. This is normal and Sunseeker state in the boat manual that the chargers should be switched off.

We do not have Mastervolt chargers (cannot recall what we have) so this may give some guidance as to the conflicting advice you are being given by the distributors.

I am not on the boat until 1st week Sept but if you want to have a word with my son Phillip he is on the boat now and will be back on the berth later today.

jfm is the forums Squadron expert and speaks good sense (normally and only when sober)

 

[fireball]

Surely the chargers don't work unless shorepower is plugged in (assuming you're not running a genset!) - so unplug shorepower and start the engine ...

simple!

 

[Lozzer]

Dough

that is why I turn chargers off. as a delivery skipper you are not 100% up to speed with set up so easy just to shut things down when they are not needed.

I know people that turn air con off from the breaker. I like to turn each unit off individually.

Different folks different strokes... I guess

 

[jfm]

assuming you're not running a genset

Down where he is (Cala D'Or marina in Mallorca) he likely is running a genset all/most of the day for airco and cooking. I was there last week and ran genset most of the day. To add a bit of further genset need, the electricity supply in Cala D'Or isn't that beefy either!

 

[DougH]

Surely the chargers don't work unless shorepower is plugged in (assuming you're not running a genset!) - so unplug shorepower and start the engine ...

simple! [/QUOTE

Better stick to the boats with flappy things fireball, MoBos are more complex and require greater technical skills.

Maybe thats why raggies have such problems in crossing to power.

 

[fireball]

Better stick to the boats with flappy things fireball, MoBos are more complex and require greater technical skills.

Maybe thats why raggies have such problems in crossing to power.

Mobos do seem to have much more electrickery bits than the average raggie - but most of it isn't complicated ... just a case of knowing what's where and what it does ... oh and why!

Not sure about the "problems in crossing to power" ... I jumped into one with SWMBO a couple of weeks ago - twin engine & bow thruster = easy to drive ... took a look in the engine bay - nah - I still prefer engines to be a bit smaller!