Special chargers for marine batteries?
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=17345
Printed Date: November-18-2024 at 11:25am
Topic: Special chargers for marine batteries?
Posted By: SN206
Subject: Special chargers for marine batteries?
Date Posted: April-30-2010 at 11:11pm
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I recently prurchased a battery charger for use around the house. While reading the manual I noticed that it specificaly said "not to use on marine batteries, marine batteries require a specific type of charger". Can anyone tell me about these special marine battery chargers are and have I been unsafe or risking damging my boats? ------------- ...those who have fallen and those who will. |
Replies:
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: May-01-2010 at 4:23am
Are they talking about AGM's or gell cells? I just purchased a new shumacker charger that has seperate settings for "standard","AGM", and "gell cell". My new marine battery is standard however. It classifies deep cycle and starting as being the same for charging purposes. Whats this "reading the manual" stuff all about anyway? 
Ok I found and read my manual and it says a boat battery must be removed and charged on shore, with a 24 inch 6 guage cable between the battery and the negative charging wire.(My theory is confirmed, Reading manuals only tells you things you really do not want to know) ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: May-01-2010 at 4:46am
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I found this at on the lake.net. Most chargers that are designed to charge you car batteries are not designed to charge your boat batteries: they just don’t always completely shut down. And how often do you think that you can remember to unplug that cheap charger when things “look about right?” From what I have read, a 3-stage charger – one that will totally shut off when the battery has reached full charge – is your best buy. Without all the chemistry and physics involved, batteries will do best on a regulated diet of amperes and volts served up in the right amount… and in stages. There are three stages: 1) bulk, 2) absorption and 3) float. The bulk stage is where a battery is brought up to about 75-80% of capacity. Absorption is where the voltage is constant but the amperage is tapered while the battery is “topped off.” And finally, the float stage is where the voltage is just enough to keep the battery from losing any charge. I’m sure that you are aware of this, but a battery can lose – depending on how and where it is stored – up to 30% of its charge per month – just sitting around the house or garage! And there are all kinds of things that affect battery charge and loss thereof (like temperature, humidity, state of discharge, age of battery, etc); ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: May-01-2010 at 10:13am
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It's not the marine or automotive that is the issue but rather the battery type. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: May-01-2010 at 2:24pm
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I think maybe what they very poorly were trying to say is that the standard charger is not intended to be used as an onboard charger. They have fans and such that could generate a spark, which would not be good in an enclosed area with potential for gas fumes. ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |