On Board Chargers?

[chowder]

What is the basic idea with an "on board charging" unit? I have a Starcraft Islander with 2 12v batteries, one (which I will call the primary)I assume charges from the I/O, the other I have to charge with 110v unit plugged into a socket. I am not sure why you can't charge the 2cd battery from the primary battery. All my electronics and riggers run off the 2cd battery, so If you have a long day, or if you forget to charge it, it get's pretty tired, one time I had to patch the primary battery over to the riggers and the sonar and down speed so I could keep fishing. Does an "on board" charging system solve this situation, and how much do they cost to purchase and install?

[Erbyjoe]

The purpose of an on board charger is that you can charge multiple battery from one charger and it stays on the boat all you do is unplug and store the wire and your good to go. It depends on how many bank charger you get and the amp output per battery I have a 2 bank on board that charges my two batteries at 10 amp each. I use the 2 batteries for the trolling motor up front and when I'm trolling with the down riggers. I have the 2 batteries hooked up in parallel (+ to + &- to -) this doubles my current output and keeps the voltage at 12 volts so I can run my riggers for days with out charging(but charge every night) .then I run the batteries in series(+ to _) to add up to 24 volts when using the electric motor in the front of the boat.How many riggers do you run?You might want to get another battery for your riggers and all the other stuff then get a switch that you can change the battey confeguration. I don't run one of these but a lot of guys here do.I run 3 battery and on the main battery i run the original boat stuff on that and everything else is on my other 2 batteries.They are easy to install and the cost is what you want to spend on one here is a page to look at http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/commo ... .jsp.form1 hope this helps

[chowder]

Do the batteries not charge evenly if they are hooked up in parallel to charge from the alternator? There must be a reason that this is not standard practice?

[Tim Bromund]

I added an onboard charger a couple years ago, but my boat always had a battery selector switch with options of battery 1, battery2, both and off. With 2 batteries on board, yours should be set up the same way. Some people recommend against it, but I usually have mine on both and that keeps both batteries charging off the alternator.

An onboard charger won't stop the draining of your accessory battery on a long day, they are 110 AC and are plugged in to a regular electrical outlet back in the slip or in your yard on the trailer. In my case in the slip, since I don't have a 30 amp shore power setup on the boat, I got a 30A male to 110v female adaptor plug that gets plugged into the shore power station and then a regular exterior grade heavy duty extension cord to the charger.

Tim

[dieselhp]

If they are hooked in parallel and you kill them, you can't start the engine.

A better way is to use a switch. If you kill the battery, turn the switch and you are on the way home.

Older engine you can switch from one to the other battery while the engine is running. Don't do that with newer engines.

[Fishtails]

I charge my Electronics battery off one of my altenators with a Blue Sea 3003 Afd battery switch. I had the same problems as you, so I hooked this switch up late this past season and It has worked great. The last 6 or 7 trips I never charged the Electronics battery, where previously I was plugging It In every day. The diagram on the package was a little confusing and I spent a good part of a day getting It set up and running the wires, but It was well worth It. I'd suggest having a voltmeter on hand to test that everything Is working as It should when you are done.

There are more complex systems from Blue Sea also, If you want to spend a little more.... so you have choices.

Here Is the wiring instructions that I used.

http://bluesea.com/files/resources/inst ... ersion.pdf

Good Luck!!

[rustyrat]

Chowder I run a Perko battery switch on my 2 battery set up. I leave it on the both position and always have no problems running all my stuff all day long. The alternator keeps both batteries charged up while fishing. No issues at all. Like mentioned before, don't switch it while the motor is running, you will blow up your alternator.

Just make sure you have 2 good batteries when you start out, as a week one will drain the good one.

RR

[jimski2]

There are different switches for batterys. The better one has a "field disconnect" switch in it to save the diodes in your alternator. Look for it when you buy.

[Fishtails]

There are different switches for batterys. The better one has a "field disconnect" switch in it to save the diodes in your alternator.

Yes, It's an Afd switch (automatic field dissconect) and that Is the switch that should be run for charging applications. It has two extra poles on the back (f1 & f2....If I remember right?) that get wired from the Alt. to the regulator.

[seasquirrel]

I am still trying to figure out exactly how my onboard charger and all the other switches work together. I understand how the battery selectors work but dont understand the four small switches attached to the blue electrical box. I gues it is to further isolate electonics? Maybe some of you guys can shed some light on it for me. It is a twin configuration. It is a new to me ride and I have no time on the water with her yet to try to figure it out.