Jezlyn
Well-Known Member
Just bought a new Mariner Sailmate 4 with battery charging. Question is, can I just connect it to my 85Ah battery or do I need a regulator? Won't be running the engine for hours and hours anyway.
Battery Charging
- Thread starter Jezlyn
- Start date
bdsweeting
Well-Known Member
RTFM
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
Thats not a very helpful reply as I seem to remember the manual isn't very explicit on this point!
My gut feeling is that you can probably get away with connecting it to the battery, but watch the electrolyte level.
Better still, monitor the battery voltage and state of charge - also its a bit of a hint that if the battery is being overcharged as it will gas a lot and boil the electroltye off...
My gut feeling is that you can probably get away with connecting it to the battery, but watch the electrolyte level.
Better still, monitor the battery voltage and state of charge - also its a bit of a hint that if the battery is being overcharged as it will gas a lot and boil the electroltye off...
FullCircle
Well-Known Member
Actually the chances of you overcharging are really minimal unless you run it for 10 hours straight, while drawing no current off it. I had outboard charging for years and never cooked a battery. If you do, whip down the breakers yard and buy another one for a fiver.
Its only a 6 amp supply.......and the spec says 4 amp lighting, 2 amp charging. Its about what I would expect, so keep a spare battery at home (thats a fivers worth) charged.
Its only a 6 amp supply.......and the spec says 4 amp lighting, 2 amp charging. Its about what I would expect, so keep a spare battery at home (thats a fivers worth) charged.
chrisgee
Well-Known Member
RTFM ---- does that mean " reply to/from moron" ?
People use this forum to get information from different perspectives -- surely that`s the whole purpose of it.
They don`t need or expect one word insults from some who should know better. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
People use this forum to get information from different perspectives -- surely that`s the whole purpose of it.
They don`t need or expect one word insults from some who should know better. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
andy_wilson
Well-Known Member
Read
The
Flippin (or something)
Manual
Not a bad reply to someone who has just bought a 'new' something. You would expect the manual to be taped to the lid, with a spanner and a cut-off cord in the same bag.
Whilst one should not assume anything, and I would be the last to discourage questions on this forum, the owner of the new thing ought to be in a better position than anyone to find out the answer, or I 'spose out of courtesy, explain in the question that the obvious is not covered in the manual.
Who knows the size of the generator on the o/b, regulated or not etc. etc.
The
Flippin (or something)
Manual
Not a bad reply to someone who has just bought a 'new' something. You would expect the manual to be taped to the lid, with a spanner and a cut-off cord in the same bag.
Whilst one should not assume anything, and I would be the last to discourage questions on this forum, the owner of the new thing ought to be in a better position than anyone to find out the answer, or I 'spose out of courtesy, explain in the question that the obvious is not covered in the manual.
Who knows the size of the generator on the o/b, regulated or not etc. etc.
andy_wilson
Well-Known Member
Also...
it's a bit like when people who find there way to this forum, register and lurk away, then they post a question when an easy Google gives the exact answer, or a hundred good answers.
So someone patiently does a Google and posts the search URL for them.
it's a bit like when people who find there way to this forum, register and lurk away, then they post a question when an easy Google gives the exact answer, or a hundred good answers.
So someone patiently does a Google and posts the search URL for them.
FullCircle
Well-Known Member
Re: Also...
well even now, not everyone has a degree in WWW surfing, or is comfortably familiar with the device they have purchased even if they did read the manual.
F'rinstance, this chaps battery or its assumed condition is probably not mentioned in the blurb. If he knows diddly squat about the subject, why not ask, even to the point of looking silly mebbe?
I am an engineer and have confidence in tackling stuff. The questioner may well be a philospher of the manifold, but it dont mean he is uneducated or comfortable with his subject.
If we restricted the forum to questions that had never been answered before, we might just as well archive the lot and go sailing.
No, I think these fora are for people of all skills , levels and walks of life.
Welcome, come in, ask 'daft' questions. After all, you dont have to answer them do you?
well even now, not everyone has a degree in WWW surfing, or is comfortably familiar with the device they have purchased even if they did read the manual.
F'rinstance, this chaps battery or its assumed condition is probably not mentioned in the blurb. If he knows diddly squat about the subject, why not ask, even to the point of looking silly mebbe?
I am an engineer and have confidence in tackling stuff. The questioner may well be a philospher of the manifold, but it dont mean he is uneducated or comfortable with his subject.
If we restricted the forum to questions that had never been answered before, we might just as well archive the lot and go sailing.
No, I think these fora are for people of all skills , levels and walks of life.
Welcome, come in, ask 'daft' questions. After all, you dont have to answer them do you?
Jezlyn
Well-Known Member
I ALWAYS READ THE MANUAL AND IN THIS CASE IT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT IT. PLEASE OBTAIN A MARINER MANUAL YOURSELF AND CHECK DETAILS BEFORE YOU JUMP IN WITH BOTH FEET.
Many thanks to everyone else for their useful replies.
Many thanks to everyone else for their useful replies.
Jezlyn
Well-Known Member
"Practical Boat Owner's Reader to Reader - a forum for sharing hands on advice" (or some such description) is what this forum is purportedly supposed to encourage. I have both submitted and answered questions on this forum - not just "lurked". If people don't want to be bothered with questions, or answering them, then perhaps they should just stick to "Scuttlebut". What I don't understand is why anyone who has no intention of offering any useful advice should waste their time posting pointless messages saying "RTFM".
Tisme
Well-Known Member
I've RTFM and you are right; it says SFA about the charging circuit.
FWIW my engine (8HP Mariner) came with just a rectifier. It charged the battery but on a long run it took the voltage up to 16volts and was beginning to cook the battery. I ended up getting the Mariner regulator.
I would suggest just connecting it all up and keeping an eye on it until you've established how it all works on your boat. If necessary you can add a regulator later but it's unlikely to cause any real harm so long as you monitor it for a while.
FWIW my engine (8HP Mariner) came with just a rectifier. It charged the battery but on a long run it took the voltage up to 16volts and was beginning to cook the battery. I ended up getting the Mariner regulator.
I would suggest just connecting it all up and keeping an eye on it until you've established how it all works on your boat. If necessary you can add a regulator later but it's unlikely to cause any real harm so long as you monitor it for a while.
claudio
Well-Known Member
According to the sales brochure it is supplied with a 25watt charger (2A) and rectifier. There is an option for a 50watt version. It should be OK to connect it direct to your battery without a regulator seeing as you won't be motoring that much. I would treat the arrangement as if it was a basic 2A battery charger (automotive type).
VicS
Well-Known Member
I agree with the others who have suggested that you are unlikely to need a regulator, especially with a battery as large as 85Ah
I have a 6hp Evinrude and far from overcharging I have found that I need to supplement the output (4A) with a solar panel to avoid having to take the battery home periodically for charging. (the trouble with batteries is that, like outboard engines, they get a bit heavier each year and mine is a lot smaller than 85Ah)
The only time you get anything like the rated output from a charging coil in an ouboard is when it is running at full revs and that is something you will probably hardly ever do. Mine is normally not run at much more than a fast tick over.
I have a 6hp Evinrude and far from overcharging I have found that I need to supplement the output (4A) with a solar panel to avoid having to take the battery home periodically for charging. (the trouble with batteries is that, like outboard engines, they get a bit heavier each year and mine is a lot smaller than 85Ah)
The only time you get anything like the rated output from a charging coil in an ouboard is when it is running at full revs and that is something you will probably hardly ever do. Mine is normally not run at much more than a fast tick over.
