My 'useless' Maplins Charge splitter over winter

[Refueler]

I have taken stick from various about my 'budget' approach to charging batterys on the 'lesser budget boats' ....

I never intended to advise those who have Live-Aboard or large power requirements. This post is purely for those similarly who have low /modest 12v demand on board ... and access to 240v while not sailing.

My approach is the smaller cruiser in the 'older' 25 - 28ft range that has modest requirements and probably a couple of Lead Acid batterys in the locker.

My 25ftr has two modest Car batterys ... ~90A/hr each ...

I don't have super duper gear on board - but do have a Cold Box that can pull up to 7 - 8A when on. That has a relay so that only when engine is running - it works,

OK - what is this thread about ?

Long way back - I mentioned I had a Maplins Charge Splitter - this being fed from a basic non smart car battery charger. The splitter then divides the charge to the two batterys as they need .... once full - the splitter shuts off to that battery waiting till charge drops back and it then starts charging again.
The splitter cost me about a tenner many years ago and always worked.

Later I changed to using separate battery maintainers that provide a low charge rate that can sustain caravan / boat / car batterys in storage. An LED shows green when full charged .. Red when charging. These provided excellent service for more than 4yrs.
One maintainer failed .... and I then considered replacement or reverting back to my Maplins cheapo splitter ...
I ordered new maintainers of eBay ... so while waiting - I reconnected the Maplins splitter. That has sat through last months and batts are FULL ... GOOD ...

I have new maintainers ready to use ... but TBH ... having looked at various ways to keep batterys charged ... I also bought a Solar Controller suited to 20A supply .... I am now sitting wondering whether I really need to change.
The maintainers - I already have a couple looking after my Lawn Tractors during idle winter ... the new ones I can use for various model related items.
Its a toss up whether to stay with the Maplins Splitter or swap to the Solar Controller to split the charge .................

 

[Stemar]

I have a reputation - and a need - for being "careful" with my money, so I'm curious, but a search only comes up with gizmos to go in the cigar lighter. Any more info?

 

[Refueler]

Battery maintainer :

Portable 12V/1A Car Boat Motorcycle Smart Battery Charger Maintainer Trickle ho | eBay

Maplins splitter :
manual attached .... discontinued item but Kemo have a new higher rated item now ..

The Solar Controller :

10/20/30A Solar Charge Controller For 12V/24V Panel Dual Battery Regulator Kit | eBay

 

[Stemar]

Interesting. Thank you.

 

[Refueler]

I had caravans as well in UK .... made me aware of so many 'other items' that did the job ....

 

[neil_s]

I have one of those dual solar charge controllers - the 10 A model. it works very well. 70% charge for the house battery and 30% for the start battery. In the UK, I find that if I get the batteries fully charged by solar at the end of October, they last easily to the beginning of March. No need for mains chargers!

 

[Refueler]

I have one of those dual solar charge controllers - the 10 A model. it works very well. 70% charge for the house battery and 30% for the start battery. In the UK, I find that if I get the batteries fully charged by solar at the end of October, they last easily to the beginning of March. No need for mains chargers!

I plan to hook a standard plain mains battery charger to it ... NOT a smart charger.

Smart chargers are ok - but once they click off at full - they don't resume charging when battery drops down in use. Also they usually refuse to work when a controller is in the line.
But a bog standard plain charger doesn't care .... it just keeps going till controller decides to cut the charge ..... sits waiting for controller to reconnect again ...

That's what my Maplins is doing at present .... but it has no indicator ..... and is why I want to change to this 'Solar' Controller with its LED's etc.

Too bl**** cold out there at moment though to do the swap !!

I may have mentioned this somewhere else .... but I have a good indicator of power to boat ..... I have LED Xmas tree lights on the boom cover ... so I can look from kitchen window and know mains power is still active on board.

 

[neil_s]

I plan to hook a standard plain mains battery charger to it ... NOT a smart charger.

Smart chargers are ok - but once they click off at full - they don't resume charging when battery drops down in use. Also they usually refuse to work when a controller is in the line.
But a bog standard plain charger doesn't care .... it just keeps going till controller decides to cut the charge ..... sits waiting for controller to reconnect again ...

That's what my Maplins is doing at present .... but it has no indicator ..... and is why I want to change to this 'Solar' Controller with its LED's etc.

Too bl**** cold out there at moment though to do the swap !!

I may have mentioned this somewhere else .... but I have a good indicator of power to boat ..... I have LED Xmas tree lights on the boom cover ... so I can look from kitchen window and know mains power is still active on board.

It's worth a try - solar panel output is something like 17 volts so a bit more than the battery charger. You might need some smoothing on the output of the charger, too.

 

[Refueler]

It's worth a try - solar panel output is something like 17 volts so a bit more than the battery charger. You might need some smoothing on the output of the charger, too.

At the price - its worth a punt !!

If not - then I just cough up for a solar panel.