Bettery Charger/Solar Set Up

[Dino]

Hi, I bought a late 70's/ early 80's Freeman 33 last year. I'm trying to work out the best set up for battery charging. At the moment I have a 110AHR Lead Acid Engine Battery and an Elecsol AGM 115AHR Domestic battery. Previously they were only ever charged by the alternator. I now have shore power at my berth and I have an old fashioned 8A manual battery charger and I recently bought an Elecsol 20A smart battery charger. Currently, these chargers are connected using crocodile clips. I have the smart battery charger connected to the AGM domestic. This is left connected to float/trickle charge.
The manual charger is connected to the Lead Acid engine battery whenever it needs a top up.

Is there a better way to permanently connect the Elecsol 20A Smart Charger through a charge splitter to ensure that it tops up both batteries. I would also like to add a second domestic battery and solar panel at a later date so a suitable charger splitter or controller is needed.

If I add an extra domestic battery does it need to be the same type and rating as my existing domestic?

Also, I'm tempted to remove my alternator and get it rebuilt/refurbished. Is there any value in getting this done or should I wait until it stops working?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Aurai]

Hi

We use a BEP VSR linked on a panel with three battery switches, START, HOUSE, BOTH, that works a treat with solar, and shore power/battery charger.

Happy to send photos or discuss.

Aurai

 

[ghostlymoron]

This thread will run and run. Its a favourite topic on here. I know nothing about chargers but you'll find plenty if you use the search button.

 

[VicS]

Hi, I bought a late 70's/ early 80's Freeman 33 last year. I'm trying to work out the best set up for battery charging. At the moment I have a 110AHR Lead Acid Engine Battery and an Elecsol AGM 115AHR Domestic battery. Previously they were only ever charged by the alternator. I now have shore power at my berth and I have an old fashioned 8A manual battery charger and I recently bought an Elecsol 20A smart battery charger. Currently, these chargers are connected using crocodile clips. I have the smart battery charger connected to the AGM domestic. This is left connected to float/trickle charge.
The manual charger is connected to the Lead Acid engine battery whenever it needs a top up.

Is there a better way to permanently connect the Elecsol 20A Smart Charger through a charge splitter to ensure that it tops up both batteries. I would also like to add a second domestic battery and solar panel at a later date so a suitable charger splitter or controller is needed.

If I add an extra domestic battery does it need to be the same type and rating as my existing domestic?

Also, I'm tempted to remove my alternator and get it rebuilt/refurbished. Is there any value in getting this done or should I wait until it stops working?

Any advice appreciated.

You dont say how you control the charging of the two banks from the alternator. Manual switching?

If not totally sepaarted now might the the time to re think the whole scheme of things making the battery banks dedicated to their respective tasks, if not already,.with a linking switch that can be used to cross feed if necessary/

A VSR could be used to split the alternator output and the input from the Elecsol charger and a future solar panel, perhaps as Aurai suggests using a BEP VSR and switch cluster.

An alternative could be to use a Sterling "Alternator to Battery" charger for the alternator output to give enhanced charging of the house battery and bog standard charging of the starter battery.


If you have any doubts about the alternator get it tested, and overhauled if necessary, by an automotive electrician. New brushes and a clean up of the slip rings may be within your own capabilities even if you cannot check out the regulator and rectifier yourself.

An additional battery should be the same type but need not be the same capacity as the existing

 

[Dino]

Thanks for the info folks. My system is very basic. I don't even have a battery isolator switch. I did some googling and came across this article http://leisureowners.memberlodge.org/Resources/Documents/vsr_charging_note.pdf
It looks like a good system for what I need and I can integrate a solar panel at a later date if I need to.
Can anyone recommend a good place to buy the BEP VSR and some battery switches?

 

[lampshuk]

This is the first site that popped on Google: http://www.caravantechnology.com/Accessories-C33.aspx

Like dherraghty I have a simple system and I am interested in understanding this a bit better.
I have a Moody31 (recent purchase). 2 leisure batteries to handle starting and the rather light domestic load.
One isolator switch but no vsr afaik. I assume it just charges the batteries in parallel depending on the setting of the main isolator switch (1, 2, both). I bought a ctek smart charger which I would like to connect from time to time. Any reason I can't just connect it in parallel, same as the alternator, and rely on the batteries to self-balance?

 

[William_H]

Well I would not advocate removal of the alternator for maintenance. Just fix when necessary. An amp meter showing charge will be useful and imediately show an alternator problem.
I would not advocate solar if you intend to continue with mains charger on float. Just no point. Solar is really good if you are away from mains charger supply but really expensive and awkward to mount for useful solar power.
I do agree with Vic about use of VSR. good luck olewill

 

[charles_reed]

Well I would not advocate removal of the alternator for maintenance. Just fix when necessary. An amp meter showing charge will be useful and imediately show an alternator problem.
I would not advocate solar if you intend to continue with mains charger on float. Just no point. Solar is really good if you are away from mains charger supply but really expensive and awkward to mount for useful solar power.
I do agree with Vic about use of VSR. good luck olewill

It depends on what your needs might be. Not everyone is a weekend sailor on a marina berth as olewill is inferring.
Some thought about the OP's needs and research into what the various charging sources are producing would be a sensible kick-off point before suggesting solutions to under-evaluated problems.

Some points at random:-
1. Certainly check the alternator output, but before wasting cash on a possibly unnecessary overhaul.
2. Do a power-budget, based upon actual usage and mean re-charge values.
3. Be aware that many so-called smart chargers, have a habit of re starting the equalising charge if there is any cessation in shore-power supply. Over the course of a winter this can successfully overcharge batteries and boil off most of the electrolyte.
4. Solar supply, with a charge controller, is IMHO, more cost-efficient and superior to most other charging methods for anyone spending much time at anchor, though it becomes of less and less benefit the higher you go above 50 degrees latitude, when an adequate case can be made for wind-generation >300 watts.

Though many may swear by the gospel, according to St Charles S, I can recognise an artistic marketer at work and would suggest we have more expertise on the subject available on this site in the form of such contributors as Troubadour et al.

 

[Dino]

Thanks for the input folks. I need to replace the belts on the engine and I also need to get to the bottom of my non-operating rev counter so I was thinking of removing the alternator. My local auto-electrician will test it for a fiver and it'll give me piece of mind knowing that it's operating okay. While I'm at it I'm going to replace the battery terminals and possibly the wiring to the starter.
Then I think i'll build a system like the second one in the link I posted yesterday. I will leave the system with one domestic battery but I will make provision for a second domestic. At the moment I don't really need to include solar but I might look into it in the future.