ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
Would one of these be any good in a boat? I've got one in my 'van and it distributes 240v with mcbs and charges the battery.
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Caravan power centre
- Thread starter ghostlymoron
- Start date
David2452
Well-Known Member
If it's anything like the Dolphin all in one I guess so it does AC distrubution and three output battery charger.
http://www.dolphin-charger.com/dolphin-charger.php
http://www.dolphin-charger.com/dolphin-charger.php
VicS
Well-Known Member
Includes or is connected via an RCD I hope!
Norman_E
Well-Known Member
It all depends on what power centre it is. Ones designed to retro fit mains electrics to older caravans are probably going to be fine, assuming they are RCD protected. Some years ago you could buy them with a reverse polarity switch, so that if you connected to a supply with line and neutral reversed you could correct it with a single push of a button. I don't think those are available any more. I would caution against the type that charge the battery as the chargers in them are generally not very big, and one in a caravan I owned failed. When I opened it up I found a tiny 2 centimetre transformer and some electronics. I disconnected and removed the charger part and installed a decent sized transformer power supply which I wired back to the original panel switches.
ianj99
Well-Known Member
I like the idea of that but am now nervous after my Sterling charger failure of having any sort of combination unit including inverter/charger. If the charger in this unit packs in its a nuisance and much bigger job having to un-install it to return for repair.
So maybe there is an argument for using separate units for each job.
Ian
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Caravan-P...ervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item417182f141 I think the switch on the right is an RCD. Not bad for 80 quid but I don't expect the charger is 'smart'.
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Mistroma
Well-Known Member
I can see the point of sep. units but I did install one of these Doplphin units a long time ago. It worked very well and was simple to install. No inverter, just a charger combined with shorepower distribution and RCDs.
If the charger had ever failed and been beyond repair, I'd just have fitted a new charger. The Dolphin would still have been fine for AC power distribution (just a but large for tha one job). So don't actually see much of a problem with an AC shorepower system combined with a charger, but sep. inverter.
If the charger had ever failed and been beyond repair, I'd just have fitted a new charger. The Dolphin would still have been fine for AC power distribution (just a but large for tha one job). So don't actually see much of a problem with an AC shorepower system combined with a charger, but sep. inverter.
David2452
Well-Known Member
Indeed, I have one myself (OE on the boat when bought new) and have fitted some for customers, they perform perfectly well for leisure boat use and are long term reliable, the only let down is that they have a maximum 20a output so not so much use on a live aboard.
ianj99
Well-Known Member
20amp is fine if the liveaboard uses mains power for most things (I do). I must admit I've never had a problem with the four motorhomes' chargers I've owned over the last 18years which makes my Sterling charger failure all the more disappointing.
David2452
Well-Known Member
I refer to liveaboards in the boat term rather than the lifestyle, mostly wide beam cruisers inland cruising with infrequent access to 240AC where 20a simply will not do, they usually have high amp smart chargers to make the most of mains when they can get it and alternator boosters and often extra alternators.
Norman_E
Well-Known Member
I would not touch that. The charger will be low powered and probably only single or two stage. Far better to pay a lot less for a garage consumer unit with RCD and two MCBs and install a separate decent quality battery charger fed from one of the MCBs. Small IP65 consumer unit for only £29 (+VAT) http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/TLBS16slash6.html
David2452
Well-Known Member
That looks like a single pole RCD, not really suitable, and the charger is probably pretty low amps too.
