Battery charger

[paulburton44]

I am going to be installing mains/240v to a friends boat soon.
We are going to install a battery charger but which one.?????

The boat has 2 x 110Ah batteries and the standard 1 2 both switch. There is also a sterling alternator charging thingy...

We want to plug the boat in and forget. We want to be able to unplug the boat knowing that both batteries will be fully charged. We want to be able to use the 12v stuff while plugged in with out worrying about the batteries.
There is also a Eberspacher.

I have been searching the net and came up with one of these.

http://www.sterling-power.com/products-chargers-international.htm

the 20amp one

Anyone any advise on these or other chargers.

 

[KenMcCulloch]

I installed a Sterling ProSport 8A charger in Border Maid when I took her over this year. I chose that because being designed for open boats I could install it in the cockpit, space being at a bit of a premium. It keeps my 85Ah service battery and 300CCA starter battery in good order so far as I can detect and was not expensive.

 

[Jonny_H]

Look at the DOLPHIN units. They are a 240v distribution and battery charger in one - reportedly very good and ideal for what you want as you only need to install one box of tricks!

Jonny

 

[CSFenwick]

Go for a 40A charger of whatever make you finally decide. It makes a big difference in charge rate when you only have shorepower occasionally or just overnight (i.e. during your summer cruise). If you have lights, instruments, fridge, PC, (TV?) turned on you might be pulling 10-15A (more in winter) leaving only 5-10A to charge the battery. The Eberspacher itself pulls 20-30A when it's lighting although that comes down to 5A-8A once it's lit. Bite the bullet and get the larger unit so that you'll always have a 25A-30A buffer both for power supply and fast battery charging.

 

[nedmin]

As Orenda says go for 40amp. Fitted a 20amp Sterling works well and does the job but wish I had the 40amp.for the odd occasion when needed.

 

[Plan_B]

Apart from the others mentioned above - have a look at Mastervolt. We have a mass 12/80 fitted and its brilliant - drives everything we've got when on the berth + decent charge into the battery. This is a big one but they do smaller ones.

DD