mariog
Well-Known Member
Hi Guys, I need to buy a new onbaord battery charger to charge 2 batteries of 80 amps each, Any advise on wich one I should get keeping in mind lightness, easy installation and abvoiusly price?
which battery charger to buy
- Thread starter mariog
- Start date
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
Dolphin
BAtoo
Well-Known Member
Sterling
Rivers & creeks
Well-Known Member
that's cleared that up then.
Birdseye
Well-Known Member
been very happy with my sterling which has done (sterling) service in 2 boats for 8 years without problem.
helpful that not only is it British but you can talk direct to the factory.
helpful that not only is it British but you can talk direct to the factory.
Talbot
Well-Known Member
answer depends on what voltage,Hz you expect to use as mains. some battery chargers demand a specific spec (e.g. 230v 50 Hz) e.g. mobelec, others are very much easier on the input voltage and will accept 115 -240v 50/60 Hz (e.g. sterling)
then there is the choice on how you want to use it, with a choice of single bank versus 2 or even 3 banks of batteries all supplied by the one charger. The final choice is amount of charge - and this is dependent on size of battery bank.
The more complex, and also the higher the charge supplied = the higher cost.
FWIW I have a 45 amp x 2 bank charger for my boat.
recommend you decide on the spec for your needs, check on the possible contenders/ price and then bring a short list back on here for comments/recomendations.
then there is the choice on how you want to use it, with a choice of single bank versus 2 or even 3 banks of batteries all supplied by the one charger. The final choice is amount of charge - and this is dependent on size of battery bank.
The more complex, and also the higher the charge supplied = the higher cost.
FWIW I have a 45 amp x 2 bank charger for my boat.
recommend you decide on the spec for your needs, check on the possible contenders/ price and then bring a short list back on here for comments/recomendations.
gandy
Well-Known Member
Is that 80 amps charging current needed, or 80AH battery capacity?
G
Guest
Guest
[ QUOTE ]
Hi Guys, I need to buy a new onbaord battery charger to charge 2 batteries of 80 amps each, Any advise on wich one I should get keeping in mind lightness, easy installation and abvoiusly price?
[/ QUOTE ]
First you need to answer yourself a few questions :
a) Do you need fast charging and then leave connected on "maintenance float charge" ?
b) Does boat sit long enough on berth and mains to be able to have slower charging ?
c) Do you normally go from mains socket to mains socket in your trips ?
I asked myself and found that ...
a) Not needed, but wanted the "float charge facility".
b) Boat spent reasonable period tied up and so should be fully charged from "normal" charger ... ready for use.
c) Most trips involved marina to marina with occasional anchor / beachings that were catered for well with full charged batterys.
So instead of spending mega=money ... I spent about 40 quid in Halfords for an Automatic Charger that gave a reasonable charge ampage and then dropped to float charge to maintain batterys permanently. The only trouble here was the "auto facility" in the charger didn't like splitting across two batterys. So I kept that charger for other duties ... and changed back to my standard car battery charger without float facility. It was wired to a 7 quid Maplins charge splitter that feeds both domestic and start batterys - without having them feed each other. The charger not having float facility was then plugged into a timer .. in turn plugged into 240V onboard socket. The timer was set to 2 hrs on each day ... 5 days out of 7. Which gave it 2 days rest ...
That system ran for 2 years without trouble ... and is still running nw while boat is on hard. My batterys are as charged as you can get them !
Total cost (ignoring the Halfords Automatic charger - which IMHO is an excellent piece of kit ...) about 25 quid.
But of course - it doesn't have marine stamped all over it .... it's plugged in and not hard-wired .... didn't cost a fortune and I'm a cheapskate !
/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Oh by the way ..... with that system - I have used the boat for a week without trouble with marina supply for couple of days in that period. My batterys are Heavy Duty Diesel Start Battery about 80 A/hr and a Deep Cycle also about 80 A/hr ...
Hi Guys, I need to buy a new onbaord battery charger to charge 2 batteries of 80 amps each, Any advise on wich one I should get keeping in mind lightness, easy installation and abvoiusly price?
[/ QUOTE ]
First you need to answer yourself a few questions :
a) Do you need fast charging and then leave connected on "maintenance float charge" ?
b) Does boat sit long enough on berth and mains to be able to have slower charging ?
c) Do you normally go from mains socket to mains socket in your trips ?
I asked myself and found that ...
a) Not needed, but wanted the "float charge facility".
b) Boat spent reasonable period tied up and so should be fully charged from "normal" charger ... ready for use.
c) Most trips involved marina to marina with occasional anchor / beachings that were catered for well with full charged batterys.
So instead of spending mega=money ... I spent about 40 quid in Halfords for an Automatic Charger that gave a reasonable charge ampage and then dropped to float charge to maintain batterys permanently. The only trouble here was the "auto facility" in the charger didn't like splitting across two batterys. So I kept that charger for other duties ... and changed back to my standard car battery charger without float facility. It was wired to a 7 quid Maplins charge splitter that feeds both domestic and start batterys - without having them feed each other. The charger not having float facility was then plugged into a timer .. in turn plugged into 240V onboard socket. The timer was set to 2 hrs on each day ... 5 days out of 7. Which gave it 2 days rest ...
That system ran for 2 years without trouble ... and is still running nw while boat is on hard. My batterys are as charged as you can get them !
Total cost (ignoring the Halfords Automatic charger - which IMHO is an excellent piece of kit ...) about 25 quid.
But of course - it doesn't have marine stamped all over it .... it's plugged in and not hard-wired .... didn't cost a fortune and I'm a cheapskate !
/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Oh by the way ..... with that system - I have used the boat for a week without trouble with marina supply for couple of days in that period. My batterys are Heavy Duty Diesel Start Battery about 80 A/hr and a Deep Cycle also about 80 A/hr ...
ccscott49
Well-Known Member
Sterling. Very good chargers. But not as has been said British made! Made in the far east, I think, but definitely not UK.
UK company.
UK company.
mariog
Well-Known Member
I want to charge 2 x 80AH batteries, what charging capacity should I get? is a charger giving 10amps charge enough?I want to go on trickle charge as the boat is not used vey frequently.
pvb
Well-Known Member
And designed in?
Perhaps not designed in Britain either. Most Sterling products look very similar to American ProMariner products.
Perhaps not designed in Britain either. Most Sterling products look very similar to American ProMariner products.
TrueBlue
Well-Known Member
Re: And designed in?
Charles's top-of-the-range units are designed or have major input from him. They are programmable by them. You can tell which units are "his" by the somewhat ahem unusual design.
Bog standard stuff is sourced from "established suppliers". However, does that matter any reputable seller takes care in sourcing his product if only to protect his reputation. Where Sterling's unit score is that he knows enough to suss out the poorly designed and built units.
Charles's top-of-the-range units are designed or have major input from him. They are programmable by them. You can tell which units are "his" by the somewhat ahem unusual design.
Bog standard stuff is sourced from "established suppliers". However, does that matter any reputable seller takes care in sourcing his product if only to protect his reputation. Where Sterling's unit score is that he knows enough to suss out the poorly designed and built units.
stevebirch2002
Well-Known Member
I can confirm they are designed here in UK and made in Far East. Good piece of gear and mine has been installed for the last five years without a mishap. 20A 3 Isolated Outputs
Sterling would be my choice. Easy to install and works.
Sterling would be my choice. Easy to install and works.
G
Guest
Guest
[ QUOTE ]
I want to charge 2 x 80AH batteries, what charging capacity should I get? is a charger giving 10amps charge enough?I want to go on trickle charge as the boat is not used vey frequently.
[/ QUOTE ]
Your req't matches mine to a certain degree and I did it with timer ... bog standard charger and maplins splitter ...
Yes the Sterling etc. are fine stuff and work ... but at a price. I had enough change left out of my gear to have a night in the pub !! or buy other gear !
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?TabI...o&U=Strat15
OOPs sorry price has gone up to 8.99 !!
Couple to a standard charger from Halfords, Argos etc. that is NOT a float charger - has to be cheapo non automatic type ... in fact cheaper the better ! Gunston ... or whatever ... about 10 - 15 quid ...
Timer - mines mechanical .... 4.99
Bob's the proverbial !
If you assume that you would normally leave your battery on for most of a day ... then across this splitter - you literally double the time. So really a max of 2 days ? In fact most likely a lot less. AND you do not risk pushing the battery to its limits as more sophisticated boost type chargers do ( mostly marine I have to add ...).
I want to charge 2 x 80AH batteries, what charging capacity should I get? is a charger giving 10amps charge enough?I want to go on trickle charge as the boat is not used vey frequently.
[/ QUOTE ]
Your req't matches mine to a certain degree and I did it with timer ... bog standard charger and maplins splitter ...
Yes the Sterling etc. are fine stuff and work ... but at a price. I had enough change left out of my gear to have a night in the pub !! or buy other gear !
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?TabI...o&U=Strat15
OOPs sorry price has gone up to 8.99 !!
Couple to a standard charger from Halfords, Argos etc. that is NOT a float charger - has to be cheapo non automatic type ... in fact cheaper the better ! Gunston ... or whatever ... about 10 - 15 quid ...
Timer - mines mechanical .... 4.99
Bob's the proverbial !
If you assume that you would normally leave your battery on for most of a day ... then across this splitter - you literally double the time. So really a max of 2 days ? In fact most likely a lot less. AND you do not risk pushing the battery to its limits as more sophisticated boost type chargers do ( mostly marine I have to add ...).
DaveS
Well-Known Member
Sterling battery charger
I have used one of these for a few years and so far it's done its job reasonably well. It does, however, kick up a fair bit of RF interference (surprising, given the CE marking), which I successfully suppressed using ferrites.
I'm a bit suspicious too of the isolated outputs claim. For reasons that I won't bore you with, I wanted a relay to close when the batteries were being charged by shorepower. "Easy," I thought, "use one of the isolated outputs to power the relay then, when the charger is switched off, the relay will open." But it didn't. The supposedly isolated output showed battery voltage and, since it's capable of delivering current, it's "real" voltage, not a high impedence metering effect.
I have used one of these for a few years and so far it's done its job reasonably well. It does, however, kick up a fair bit of RF interference (surprising, given the CE marking), which I successfully suppressed using ferrites.
I'm a bit suspicious too of the isolated outputs claim. For reasons that I won't bore you with, I wanted a relay to close when the batteries were being charged by shorepower. "Easy," I thought, "use one of the isolated outputs to power the relay then, when the charger is switched off, the relay will open." But it didn't. The supposedly isolated output showed battery voltage and, since it's capable of delivering current, it's "real" voltage, not a high impedence metering effect.
pvb
Well-Known Member
Guess Sterling designed the American ProTech charger too then.
tonybob
Active Member
I fitted a sterling 1250CED 12v-50 amp charger last August, it suffered a catastrophic failure last saturday. I removed it and checked inside - most of the components including metal parts had melted. I returned it to makers on monday and a replacement is in the post. Having checked it they say that it was a manufacturing fault (a diode had failed). However, before I install the replacement and as the failure was potentially a fire hazard, I have asked for written assurance that the replacement will not do the same. I will post their reply when I recieve it