Daft Question - trickle charging batteries when not at the boat

[oGaryo]

Do I need to keep the battery isolation switches turned on in order for the battery conditioning unit to trickle charge the batteries. Or would the conditioning unit still charge the batteries with the isolation switches off so long as the shore power is left on?

 

[nigelmercier]

Depends if the charger bypasses the switch, you will have to check.

 

[oGaryo]

Depends if the charger bypasses the switch, you will have to check.

so it's not a standing (legislated) approach to hooking these things in to a boats system, it's different for each make of boat?

 

[nigelmercier]

It's different for every boat. Currently mine go via the switch, I plan to change this.

 

[oGaryo]

It's different for every boat. Currently mine go via the switch, I plan to change this.

thanks, I'll check the wiring diagrams. I did notice that the gauge on the charger didn't move when I turned off the isolation switches which I guess is promising as I'd expect it to reduce to zero if the isolation switches cut off the cct to the batteries.

 

[Daydream believer]

Do I need to keep the battery isolation switches turned on in order for the battery conditioning unit to trickle charge the batteries. Or would the conditioning unit still charge the batteries with the isolation switches off so long as the shore power is left on?

Yup - dead right - it is a daft question

 

[oGaryo]

Yup - dead right - it is a daft question

thanks for your input Mr Frown type person. having an off day? pee'd off with the snow? being yourself?

 

[CPD]

No such thing as a daft question. What I would suggest however is that you ignore the drawing and trace the cabling yourself, perhaps making up a drawing as you go. My answer to your question would have been "It depends on how she is wired up ......."

 

[Tranona]

Just to make you feel better, it is normal to wire the charger direct to the batteries, not via the isolating switches. Easy to check when you get to the boat by following the cables from the charger to the batteries.

 

[Daydream believer]

thanks for your input Mr Frown type person. having an off day? pee'd off with the snow? being yourself?

But i was agreeing with you!!
You are worse than my missus
Agree with her & i still get moaned at
Oh .... When will this b...y weather improve????

 

[Cardo]

Our boat has the charger hooked up direct to the batteries, so this will keep charging and floating when the isolators have been turned off and we head off.

 

[oGaryo]

No such thing as a daft question. What I would suggest however is that you ignore the drawing and trace the cabling yourself, perhaps making up a drawing as you go. My answer to your question would have been "It depends on how she is wired up ......."

good advice, I've just checked the diagrams which show the charger connected to the pole on the isolation switch that's not connected to the battery so the batteries will not be charged when the switch is off. However, I recall there continuing to be a 1 amp trickle charge showing on the chargers gauge which suggests it still had a load attached. Other posts suggests their boats do not go via the isolation switches so will double check when next down the boat. I am hoping it goes direct so I can isolate all systems from the batteries when not at the boat but still keep the batteries trickle charged

 

[oGaryo]

But i was agreeing with you!!
You are worse than my missus
Agree with her & i still get moaned at
Oh .... When will this b...y weather improve????

Here you go

feeling better?

 

[contessaman]

The charger should go straight to the battery(s). Since the idea is: when you leave the boat unattended, you turn the isolator switches off for safety, meanwhile the charger is quietly keeping your batteries topped up for when you next return to the boat. thats the whole idea of shore power. certain essential items will run off a permanently hot busbar i.e the stuff you want on when you're not at the boat - auto bilge pump, eberspacher, weatherfax etc. It would not only be daft to have the charger wired through the isolator switch but some units may actually be damaged if they are powered up while not connected to at least one battery, which could occur if wired through the isolator.

 

[PhillM]

Mine charger is connected directly to the Engine battery.

How do I tell if it will charge the domestic battery with the switch off?

 

[Cardo]

Mine charger is connected directly to the Engine battery.

How do I tell if it will charge the domestic battery with the switch off?

Check the battery voltage with the isolator off? If the voltage is up with the charger on, then voila!

 

[Tranona]

Mine charger is connected directly to the Engine battery.

How do I tell if it will charge the domestic battery with the switch off?

Not sure why you have it connected to the engine start and not the house - if that is the case. Most chargers have more than one outlet, one going to each bank. If you have a simple one outlet charger makes sense to connect just to the house because that is the one that is usually less than fully charged when you leave the boat.

 

[ianj99]

Just to make you feel better, it is normal to wire the charger direct to the batteries, not via the isolating switches. Easy to check when you get to the boat by following the cables from the charger to the batteries.

The OP doesn't make it clear whether when he says batteries, he means one bank or more. Obviously one trickle charger is needed for each bank and yes, connected direct to the battery (through a fuse close to the battery) not via the isolators.

 

[oGaryo]

The OP doesn't make it clear whether when he says batteries, he means one bank or more. Obviously one trickle charger is needed for each bank and yes, connected direct to the battery (through a fuse close to the battery) not via the isolators.

there's 2 engine and 1 domestic battery with 3 leads leading away from the charger, it's a Newmar RM-2025 unit

 

[PhillM]

Not sure why you have it connected to the engine start and not the house - if that is the case. Most chargers have more than one outlet, one going to each bank. If you have a simple one outlet charger makes sense to connect just to the house because that is the one that is usually less than fully charged when you leave the boat.

I didn't, long story! But your suggestion makes eminent sense. Thank you.