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Aargh....help...battery charger dead in the water!


Québec

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Wondered why our 12v lights were a bit dim.....

 

Checked battery cupboard to find no lights on battery charger, and fuse box switch for battery charger (Sterling Pro 20) down/off, but all other fuse switches up/on, and we have mains power running lights, tv, etc.

Ran test on leisure batteries.....very low.

Switched it back up/on......nothing. But it stayed up.

Checked fuse in the 13amp plug from charger....fine.

 

Do battery chargers die?

 

Advice welcome!

(will run engine tomorrow morning as starter battery ok).

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Wondered why our 12v lights were a bit dim.....

 

Checked battery cupboard to find no lights on battery charger, and fuse box switch for battery charger (Sterling Pro 20) down/off, but all other fuse switches up/on, and we have mains power running lights, tv, etc.

Ran test on leisure batteries.....very low.

Switched it back up/on......nothing. But it stayed up.

Checked fuse in the 13amp plug from charger....fine.

 

Do battery chargers die?

 

Advice welcome!

(will run engine tomorrow morning as starter battery ok).

 

Their generally very reliable, our sterling has been on for 8 years without a problem, but like anything electrical it will probably fail at some time.

 

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm sure I recall a fuse on the sterling charger somewhere where the charge wires exit through the side panel. Worth checking if you can get to it.

Edited by Julynian
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I don't think battery chargers are generally supposed to be chucked in the water. That's your problem. ;)

 

Check all your connections to the batteries and also connections to fuses and fuses themselves in the 12v output cables. Sterling also supply a fuse for the negative cable on some of their chargers. If you have one of those check that too.

Edited by blackrose
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My charger has a internal fuse (the glass type), take the charger apart and look for one - more than likely near the 240v inlet.

 

Mine was a sterling as well, the fuse position wasn't documented like the DC side was.

Edited by Robbo
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Thanks again. Now working beyond my competence level, so have called electrician.

 

In the meantime running the engine and charging the batteries.

 

1 x starter, 3x leisure.

 

Using a voltmeter.

Leisure batteries were at 10.9v before starting engine.

Now charging steadily at 13.11v.

 

Roughly, as I know it's one of those ' how long is a piece of string questions', at what point can I/should I turn off the engine?

 

We're going to leave the boat today at lunchtime, and for the rest of the week or until it's fixed, with only the bilge pump switch on.

 

Paul

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When the battery gets to a steady voltage and stays there for several hours you are gaining very little by further charging.

Dependent on the alternator this could be between 13.8 and 14.4v

 

Get a small solar panel in the window asap. a small one will not usually provide power to use BUT it will keep the bank charged from natural self discharge, so it should be full each time you go to the boat.

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