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Thread: Onboard Charger / Battery Tender

  1. #1
    Waldo
    For the last year I have been using a Battery Tender to maintain my batteries on our boat. I leave it on indefinitely when the boat is stored. Usually it works great. Everything charged, no problems. Lately (last two times I've pick up our boat) I have noticed when I pick up the boat the volts are a little low. I don't know if I just so happen to be picking up the boat when the tender is on its "decharging" mode or if my charger is kaput! I'm thinking about an onboard charger.
    What's the deal with onboard chargers?
    Do they only "charge" your batteries when in use?
    What about in the winter when the boat is stored, do they save some amps to get you going?
    Can you hook them up like my "tender" during the winter time to maintain the juice?
    Anyone use them?
    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    TrojanDan
    I installed the Pro Pak IV on our boat a few months ago and have been very happy with it. I plug it in when I leave the boat in the garage and the charger does everything automatic to maintain a charge. I had the cables custom cut to length so I don't have excess wires (cost an additional $15).
    We used to dick around with those battery chargers but never got a full charge on all three of our batteries overnight. Now I just plug an extension cord into the charger's plug hidden in the side of my upholstery and get all my batteries charged overnight. Pretty slick and beats climbing into the engine compartment and connecting the charger to the batteries every night.
    The website is http://www.culmrite.com The man who answered the phone was pretty cool and answered a lot of my questions.
    There's also some other on-board chargers like Guest that are offered at West Marine. But I don't think Guest are waterproof like the Culmrite ones.

  3. #3
    dimarcobros
    We use a battery switch for both our batteries. When we store it we turn both of them off and when we go back in the summer they are still fully charged. Might be somthing to think about. On our old boat we use to disconnect the battery which worked just the same.
    DMB

  4. #4
    TrojanDan
    Originally posted by dimarcobros
    We use a battery switch for both our batteries. When we store it we turn both of them off and when we go back in the summer they are still fully charged. On our old boat we use to disconnect the battery which worked just the same.
    DMB
    Are you referring to a Perko Switch? Most boats have that now a days. Consider yourself lucky that you haven't had dead batteries, especially if you store it in the desert.
    How do you know that the batteries are fully charged? Do you test them first or just tell because the engine turns over?
    It's going to suck bad the time you go out there and find out you have dead batteries. Plus keeping your batteries charged pro-longs your battery life.

  5. #5
    al cole'holic
    I am hoping that Froggy will show up for this thread....this has been a big problem for me and I have given up! I have gone through 3 chargers and have now resorted to replacing my batteries every season because of charging issues. If I am lucky and bring em back before the 1 year warranty expires I don't pay. I have replaced 6 batteries a total of 4 times...

  6. #6
    Waldo
    Sounds like you might have a short somewhere???
    I have a perko switch that I keep on at all times since I'm either using the boat or charging it. I have had good luck with the tender this year but wasn't sure if it was capable of being used in a constant nature (several months).
    I like the sounds of that ProPak system. What did it run you?

  7. #7
    dimarcobros
    Originally posted by TrojanDan
    Are you referring to a Perko Switch? Most boats have that now a days. Consider yourself lucky that you haven't had dead batteries, especially if you store it in the desert.
    How do you know that the batteries are fully charged? Do you test them first or just tell because the engine turns over?
    It's going to suck bad the time you go out there and find out you have dead batteries. Plus keeping your batteries charged pro-longs your battery life.
    I don't know what they are called but you can switch it from the #1 battery to the #2 batter or both, and off of course. We even put it on our 77 DiMarco. Every time we go out the motor fires right up and has planty of juice. Maybe we are just lucky.
    DMB

  8. #8
    Three Days Only
    Originally posted by Waldo
    For the last year I have been using a Battery Tender to maintain my batteries on our boat. I'm thinking about an onboard charger.
    I have a On-Board battery charging system. It is more or less the same idea as a tender, except for the fact that it is wired and installed into your boat. The charger supplies a heavy boost charge, then a lower amp charge for deep cycle charging, and then goes into a trickle charge tending mode. Your Battery Tender is more then likely working fine, you batteries are just more then likely going to shit and not excepting a charge.

  9. #9
    Tom Brown
    Originally posted by al cole'holic
    I am hoping that Froggy will show up for this thread....this has been a big problem for me and I have given up! I have gone through 3 chargers and have now resorted to replacing my batteries every season because of charging issues.
    The problem is those Optimas don't like over voltage. You should probably look at getting rid of them and switching to a couple of 6 volt golf cart batteries. They are more forgiving during the charge cycle.

  10. #10
    al cole'holic
    Originally posted by Tom Brown
    The problem is those Optimas don't like over voltage. You should probably look at getting rid of them and switching to a couple of 6 volt golf cart batteries. They are more forgiving during the charge cycle.
    I don't buy Optimas, these are Interstate. I believe the problem is the chargers I buy from AutoZone...I am not sold on the 6 volt's yet.

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