need advice leaving the boat

rafiki_ said:
Jon, I think you need to check what type of battery charger you have installed. If it is a "smart" charger, one which charges depending on the state of the battery, then this should be OK. If not "smart", then you may kill your batteries quicker than you would like. I am assuming your fridge is 12V, and running off the batteries? My worry is that you are leaving something on, and assuming it won't fail while you are away.
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Many smart charges can't detect a dead or weak cell in one of the batteries in a series or parallel pair, therefore over charging and boiling off the water in the good battery (e.g. two or four separate batteries connected together for a domestic supply)
 
oceanfroggie said:
Many smart charges can't detect a dead or weak cell in one of the batteries in a series or parallel pair, therefore over charging and boiling off the water in the good battery (e.g. two or four separate batteries connected together for a domestic supply)
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Yes, agreed, so I think you are renforcing my concern at leaving this switched on unattended?
 
rafiki_ said:
Are you sure? I think my fridge is 12v.
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Hi rafiki - when I said it is either 12v or mains - I meant that as a statement and not as an unsure answer but that is my error of grammar

The fridge is a norcold.

I have asked a few people and they all have said the same 12volts off and shore power connected.

Very interesting though as I can see both sides of this thread.

Jon
 
Ultimateley, leaving shore power connected increases the vulnerability of your anodes. We have a galvanic isolator on Rafiki, which is a great help, but I have a natural caution of leaving electrical things on, and disapearing for a period of time��
 
rafiki_ said:
Yes, agreed, so I think you are renforcing my concern at leaving this switched on unattended?
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Only if your batteries are not healthy.

I have left my smart charger on for months at a time but I have checked electrolyte/water level once or twice in the interim and if it is remaining constant I know the batteries are not being over charged. When leaving the charger on we also leave the fridge on so that the batteries are being used. In winter storage we leave the batteries isolated but once during the winter put the charger on for a half day.

Once or twice a year put a volt meter on each battery and if its closer to 12v than 14v you have a dead or dying cell in that battery, which will prevent smart chargers stepping down to float levels.
 
Thank you for the replies much appreciated

Still a mixed bag of opinions and I can see both sides off leaving power off and on.
I have fitted a galvanic isolator as a precaution and the anodes have about 65% usage left in them which will get replaced at the end of the season as a matter of course.

Thanks again

Jon
 
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