On Board Charger

[C-VENN]

I am looking at installing a 2 or 3 bank on board charger (12 volt system). Is there any brand to buy/avoid. Also I may switch from 2 to 3 batteries down the road, can I buy a 3 bank and just tie off the last bank if I don?t have a battery at the time? The boat (14ft) is cramped for space so I don?t really want to buy a 2 bank and then later a single bank charger. The unit must be waterproof and the budget looks to be $200-$300. The amp rating is not critical because I usually only fish one day followed by 6 days of work, so they have plenty of time to charge up.



Thanks for the help, Charles

 

[Silvertip]

Re: On Board Charger

Yes - you can just leave the third bank disconnected if you don't intend to use it. You might want to re-think the three bank vs two. Three bank chargers get spendy and if one bank dies, you have to buy a single bank anyway. Depending on the size, you might be better off money wise by buying a two bank. Then if you do add another battery, use the two bank for the the two trollers, and add an inexpensive on-board maintainer ($25.00) such as a Schumaker for the starting battery. The starting battery does not get deeply discharged anyway so the maintainer will work just fine at keeping it topped off. I have one on my boat as the live well pumps run off that battery. Sometimes they need to run overnight which would kill the start battery. The maintainer keeps it topped off nicely.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: On Board Charger

If you get a 3 bank and only use 2 of them the unused one has to be connected to one of the batteries. You won't get proper indications on the charger if you don't hook it up.

 

[C-VENN]

Re: On Board Charger

Looks like I am going to need 3 batts anyway. Just ordered all the wire. Going to run 2 fishfinders, troll motor, lights, radio to be named latter, and other crap.