Sterling 30amp charger (bought this year) anomaly

[Caladh]

Ok - I had the House bank wired to the 3rd terminal (next to the earth) and the Start wired to the middle connection. On looking at the manual it indicates that you should wire from left to right and I have now changed this and will monitor. Regarding Pauls post above he doesn't explain why if the battery bank falls below 12.8v the charger does not kick in again within the 72hr period (thankyou GHA) - or am I just not reading the manual correctly ? Lets be honest the manual is not very comprehensive. I can't see how to monitor each of the 3 banks separately. I'd have thought one of the numerous lights and buttons would be able to indicate at least current state of voltage for each bank !!

 

[PaulRainbow]

If the voltage really *is* going down to 12.6v at the batteries then the charger isn't behaving as per specs, it's actually cycling the battery by maybe up to 10% .

He says 12.6 and 12.8 at the batteries, not sure what he's using to measure. He could turn as much stuff on as possible to see if/when the charger resumes, or just change to PS mode.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Ok - I had the House bank wired to the 3rd terminal (next to the earth) and the Start wired to the middle connection. On looking at the manual it indicates that you should wire from left to right and I have now changed this and will monitor. Regarding Pauls post above he doesn't explain why if the battery bank falls below 12.8v the charger does not kick in again within the 72hr period (thankyou GHA) - or am I just not reading the manual correctly ? Lets be honest the manual is not very comprehensive. I can't see how to monitor each of the 3 banks separately. I'd have thought one of the numerous lights and buttons would be able to indicate at least current state of voltage for each bank !!

Have you actually checked to see if it resumes at all ? (i'd assumed that it did, but that may be an incorrect assumption)

I connect the engine to the left terminal, domestics to the middle one and bridge the right to the middle too. The bridging isn't essential, but preferred.

 

[GHA]

Ok - I had the House bank wired to the 3rd terminal (next to the earth) and the Start wired to the middle connection. On looking at the manual it indicates that you should wire from left to right and I have now changed this and will monitor. Regarding Pauls post above he doesn't explain why if the battery bank falls below 12.8v the charger does not kick in again within the 72hr period (thankyou GHA) - or am I just not reading the manual correctly ? Lets be honest the manual is not very comprehensive. I can't see how to monitor each of the 3 banks separately. I'd have thought one of the numerous lights and buttons would be able to indicate at least current state of voltage for each bank !!

Would be odd if it was going down to 12.6v before kicking in again, wold mean slightly constantly cycling the batteries. Just measured across mine at float - from right to left -
Neg
Out 1 - 13.76v (main bank)
Out 2 - 14.02v (nothing connected)
Out 3 - 14.02v (nothing connected).

Not that that tells us much ...

 

[pvb]

On looking at the manual it indicates that you should wire from left to right

I can't see this anywhere in the Pro Charge Ultra manual. Have you got a Pro Charge Ultra charger?

It's good practice to link any unused charger output to a used output, helps with correct regulation.

 

[Caladh]

I can't see this anywhere in the Pro Charge Ultra manual. Have you got a Pro Charge Ultra charger?

It's good practice to link any unused charger output to a used output, helps with correct regulation.

Yes it is a 40amp Pro Charge Ultra. The ports appear to be labelled from left to right. The paper work indicates that you don't need to link unused ports - although I may do now.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Yes it is a 40amp Pro Charge Ultra. The ports appear to be labelled from left to right. The paper work indicates that you don't need to link unused ports - although I may do now.

Page 3 of my manual states "Any outputs not being used should be linked across to one that is, this is not a requirement for these new models but is good practice as it helps spread loads etc"

Bit of an odd statement, bit i link them anyway.

When your charger is in standby mode, have you tried turning some loads on to see if/when the charger restarts ?

 

[Caladh]

Page 3 of my manual states "Any outputs not being used should be linked across to one that is, this is not a requirement for these new models but is good practice as it helps spread loads etc"

Bit of an odd statement, bit i link them anyway.

When your charger is in standby mode, have you tried turning some loads on to see if/when the charger restarts ?

Having changed the links, turning on some load was my next test. It hadn't gone into standby when I left the boat yesterday. Yes your manual is the same and yes it is a strange statement re. linking the unused link(s). I guess you just can't "monitor" each battery bank which is strange for such a sophisticated piece of kit.

 

[GHA]

I guess you just can't "monitor" each battery bank which is strange for such a sophisticated piece of kit.

You're actually getting a lot of back for your buck already with a pro charge ultra so maybe it's not too odd only having one current sensing module given the price.
On your boat now might be a good chance to justify treating yourself and the boat to DC clamp meter - not that pricey and can tell a lot about about what's going on in situations like this.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Having changed the links, turning on some load was my next test. It hadn't gone into standby when I left the boat yesterday. Yes your manual is the same and yes it is a strange statement re. linking the unused link(s). I guess you just can't "monitor" each battery bank which is strange for such a sophisticated piece of kit.

The displays on the charger are just monitoring the output from the charger. It doesn't treat either output differently, in as much as the charger only outputs a single voltage/amperage across all of the outputs. For actual battery/bank monitoring a battery monitor is needed. This will measure volts going into the batteries as well as current going in and out. This gives a clear picture of what's actually going on. I normally fit a decent monitor to domestic banks, with just a voltmeter to the engine battery.

 

[RIBW]

Ok - I had the House bank wired to the 3rd terminal (next to the earth) and the Start wired to the middle connection. On looking at the manual it indicates that you should wire from left to right and I have now changed this and will monitor...............

Caladh,
Sheer curiosity! Have you witnessed any definite conclusions?
Cheers
Bob

 

[Caladh]

Caladh,
Sheer curiosity! Have you witnessed any definite conclusions?
Cheers
Bob

Bob - the charger has been in Standby/Conservation mode for 2 days with the house down to 12.6v. Putting house lights on does not
bring it out of standby. I guess I may have an iffy battery anyway as there is nothing "on" to reduce capacity by that much from fully charged.

I have been in contact by email to Charles Sterling Jnr. He says to get over the standby "problem" just put it into PS mode !!! with no explanation as to why it is happening. Anyway in the end that's what I'll probably do. It did occur to me that maybe I'm (along with others) are reading the manual wrongly and that the charger will sit in Standby/Conservation mode for 72 hours and THEN if it senses the voltages is below 12.8v would then re-start.

 

[Caladh]

The displays on the charger are just monitoring the output from the charger. It doesn't treat either output differently, in as much as the charger only outputs a single voltage/amperage across all of the outputs. For actual battery/bank monitoring a battery monitor is needed. This will measure volts going into the batteries as well as current going in and out. This gives a clear picture of what's actually going on. I normally fit a decent monitor to domestic banks, with just a voltmeter to the engine battery.

Paul - so....one voltage across all 3 outputs ? If one of the outputs - say battery bank 2 is in fact at 12.8v or more, the charger thinks all is ok and goes to Standby even if the first bank is BELOW 12.8v ? There must be some sensing of each individual output or have I bought something that is not what I think it is ? Certainly on my old 20 year old Sterling, each bank (of 2) is separately sensed and charged accordingly - albeit in what is effectively PS mode.

 

[Caladh]

You're actually getting a lot of back for your buck already with a pro charge ultra so maybe it's not too odd only having one current sensing module given the price.
On your boat now might be a good chance to justify treating yourself and the boat to DC clamp meter - not that pricey and can tell a lot about about what's going on in situations like this.

Yup - will be doing this anyway.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Paul - so....one voltage across all 3 outputs ? If one of the outputs - say battery bank 2 is in fact at 12.8v or more, the charger thinks all is ok and goes to Standby even if the first bank is BELOW 12.8v ?

Good question, afraid i don't know the answer though.

There must be some sensing of each individual output or have I bought something that is not what I think it is ? Certainly on my old 20 year old Sterling, each bank (of 2) is separately sensed and charged accordingly - albeit in what is effectively PS mode.

The output voltage will be the same on all banks. Looking at mine at this moment, the charger display shows 14.6v, the battery monitor for the domestic bank shows 14.6v and all batteries show 14.6v at the terminals. The charger shows an output current of 7.4a, the banks will each be accepting what they need and the rest is going to various things that are switched on.

 

[Caladh]

Just an update to this. My Sterling has now settled down in its "Californian Mode" and does turn On out of Standby. I still believe I had it wired wrongly initially by having terminal 3 connected instead of terminal 1. Mr Charles Sterling Jnr did not responded to my queries other than to advise turning it to Power supply (PS) mode !

 

[PaulRainbow]

Just an update to this. My Sterling has now settled down in its "Californian Mode" and does turn On out of Standby. I still believe I had it wired wrongly initially by having terminal 3 connected instead of terminal 1. Mr Charles Sterling Jnr did not responded to my queries other than to advise turning it to Power supply (PS) mode !

Nothing in the documentation to say it has to go to any particular terminal, but as good as Sterling chargers are, the documentation isn't the best. I've always connected terminal 1 to the engine, 2 to the domestics and usually bridged 3 to 2, out of habit. Main thing is, it's working now :encouragement: