Jump to content

Search the Community

Showing results for tags 'charger'.

  • Search By Tags

    Type tags separated by commas.
  • Search By Author

Content Type


Forums

  • For guests...
    • Guests and new members
  • Waterways & Boating
    • New to Boating?
    • General Boating
    • Boat Building & Maintenance
    • Waterways News & Press
    • Moorings & Marinas
    • Boat Equipment
    • Living Afloat
    • Holidays Afloat
    • Cruise Diaries & Reports
    • History & Heritage
    • Stoppages
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Boat Handling
    • Vintage Engine Forum
  • General
    • Fishing, Cycling and Walking
    • For Sale & Wanted Items
  • Miscellaneous
    • Waterway & Boat Events
    • Links Directory
    • Articles, Resources and Merchandise.
  • Canal World
    • Site Announcements
    • Technical & Account Support
    • Suggestions & Feedback

Calendars

  • Events Calendar
  • Birthdays Calendar

Blogs

  • Jon's Blog
  • Pirate's Blog
  • Mick and Pauline's Blog
  • Voyages of the Odnargonauts
  • Gary Peacock's Blog
  • Raven's Problem's with The New Boat Co???
  • Blackbird
  • Honey Ryder
  • obenhack's Blog
  • biffa's Blog
  • minerva's Blog
  • minimoman's Blog
  • Paul & Kym's place
  • Graham & Jane Oliver's Website
  • Bones' Blog
  • Retirement with No Problem
  • Moore 2 Life
  • Craft A Craft
  • larner's Blog
  • Restoring Theodora
  • tafelblog
  • Misterton
  • Sunshine River Tours's Blog
  • Chris J W's Blog
  • what can you use for central heating in a narrowboat do calorifies work for that??
  • Hadar
  • Narrowboat Mr David's Blog
  • Picture This
  • Narrowboat Starcross
  • Middlewich Narrowboats' Blog
  • wiltshire_boy's Blog
  • Mark Beach's Blog
  • Photografix's Blog
  • Elysium's Blog
  • BORNJOYFUL's Blog on Tikkun
  • Silver Eel's Blog
  • andy the hammer's Blog
  • BlueStringPudding's Blog
  • Narrowboat: The Green Man
  • picture this' Blog
  • donbucks1's Blog
  • judith's Blog
  • saltysplash's Blog
  • StoneHenge's Blog
  • bassett's Blog
  • charl's Blog
  • Buffalo2's Blog
  • Shinner's Blog
  • The Beginning
  • jelunga's Blog
  • fudd's Blog
  • craig bayliss' Blog
  • tired old pirate's Blog
  • Sylver Lining' Blog
  • Gypsy Rover
  • zenonoilmills' Blog
  • Paul's Blog
  • Shamu1's Blog
  • kettleby's Blog
  • nb poppy
  • Broads cruiser liveaboard
  • dave_2A_'s Blog
  • Doug Blane's Blog
  • Pyxis' Prattlings
  • Smoke on the Water
  • Traditional narrowboat chimneys and exhausts.
  • Boaty Jo's Blog
  • Harmony
  • slick's Blog
  • zoko's Blog
  • davidjack's Blog
  • ganne's Blog
  • flek's Blog
  • Capt Flint's Blog
  • steveandangi's Blog
  • magnetman's Blog
  • Lindka's Canal Blog
  • Stu-pot's Blog
  • I used to be a plastic box...
  • CWDF Forum's Blog
  • mark collier's Blog
  • vicozzy's Blog
  • Guzziman's Blog
  • heyjude999's Blog
  • Bernard McMillan's Blog
  • richardickfuck's Blog
  • Daffodilbabe's Blog
  • davidR's Blog
  • Boat Owners
  • phonebizz's Blog
  • stagard's Blog
  • KayDee's Blog
  • Dave nbBrenda's Blog
  • Rover's Blog
  • TURNER's Blog
  • canalchris' Blog
  • tony914474's Blog
  • trebai's Blog
  • Mike Swanton's Blog
  • Jude's Blog
  • NIGELG's Blog
  • waterman's Blog
  • carole 'que sera sera''s Blog
  • long john's Blog
  • bargeeboy's Blog
  • niloc's Blog
  • artymac's Blog
  • Have you seen this boat???
  • Dekazer's Blog
  • Freedom!!!!
  • Ange's Blog
  • allybargie's Blog
  • casper ghost's Blog
  • NB The Robber Button's Blog
  • Moondaisy's Blog
  • ditchdabbler's Blog
  • undertaker's Blog
  • canaltraveller's Blog
  • waterwaysmail's Blog
  • W+T`s Cruiser
  • jeannette smith harrison's Blog
  • tom's boat's Blog
  • Martin Peers' Blog
  • timmy's Blog
  • Who Lives on the Canal
  • cratch board for sale
  • B is for Boat
  • soldthehouse's Blog
  • purdy01's Blog
  • Tooley's Boatyard's Blog
  • z1100r's Blog
  • remi's Blog
  • patty's Blog
  • Bill_Door's Blog
  • canal boat stove's Blog
  • "BaileyJades" Blog
  • My Boat Buils Blag
  • stan4's Blog
  • alan oxley's Blog
  • nb Abigail Jenna
  • DHutch's Blog
  • Diving Fun
  • Newboater1's Blog
  • In at the deep end.
  • PSSCB 2010
  • Olly`s Serenity
  • blue swan's Blog
  • josephine's Blog
  • weasel's Blog
  • old canal book man's Blog
  • BETA OIL CHANGE PUZZLE
  • competition boats' Blog
  • gypsy's Blog
  • tallpaul81's Blog
  • Life, The Universe & Everything - Grand Tour 2010
  • Sadie's Blog
  • MeganJones' Blog
  • nuts' Blog
  • simonsayssaysimon's Blog
  • NB Siskin
  • yorkshire tyke's Blog
  • Grace & Favour's Blog
  • vidang12's Blog
  • vidang12's Blog
  • sanctuary...
  • petsion's Blog
  • hilaryb's Blog
  • vontel57's Blog
  • headjog's Blog
  • valencia's Blog
  • valencia's Blog
  • valencia's Blog
  • Narrowboat "Hyskeir"
  • PatM293's Blog
  • old canal book man's Blog
  • Tom and Bex's Blog
  • old canal book man's Blog
  • Tom and Bex's Blog 2011
  • suecpage's Blog
  • myramyra's Blog
  • boatything's Blog
  • andywatson's Blog
  • stewart&jenny's Blog
  • kayontrent's Blog
  • seahawk8866's Blog
  • Uccello's Travels
  • Nickie-Noo's Blog
  • Nickie-Noo's Blog
  • Alice No1's Blog
  • Alice No1's Blog
  • Brev's Blog
  • brev's Blog
  • Dank's Blog
  • Dutch coaster barge
  • Vic the Vicar
  • awebuser's Blog
  • RoseonWildrose's Blog
  • britishgas-man's Blog
  • Keadby Lock Prop Fouling
  • lindiA's Blog
  • Nimrod VII
  • Adventures of a railway journalist
  • Paddington's Blog
  • Talk o' Devil's Blog
  • davidc's Blog
  • love2share's Blog
  • waterwheels' Blog
  • The Real Life of a Narrowboat Wife
  • Good folks on narrowboats
  • Goodie's Blog
  • redgirl's Blog
  • Jameisons Afloat
  • hardy scot's Blog
  • TARDIS' Blog
  • a.p.now's Blog
  • Adventures in Narrowboating
  • Humphrey's Blog
  • notebook's Blog
  • The Kite Experiment
  • floatingtraders' Blog
  • Boatlilfe: Living Aboard as Continuous Cruisers
  • pirate woo's Blog
  • pirate woo's Blog
  • pirate woo's Blog
  • T Fern's Blog
  • Rock Salt
  • DavidRoberts(Venetian)'s Blog
  • The Bona Boaters Blog
  • Secrets of La Licorne
  • Intermezzo
  • robby's Blog
  • Wiff' of the Woods takes to the Water
  • How much?'s Blog
  • Lancs lad's Blog
  • Lancs lad's Blog
  • tafelberg's Blog
  • Life on a wide beam
  • Erie Canal's Blog
  • boatcarecompare's Blog
  • cwwmike's Blog
  • strawberry fields' Blog
  • Maffi's Winter Trip
  • Sydknee's Blog
  • Mr Adagio's Blog
  • Mr Adagio's Blog
  • Bobbybass' Blog on diabetes type 2
  • youandi1421's Blog
  • Building a live-aboard using alternative technologies
  • bowten's Blog
  • Sofabedbarn's Blog
  • Alan&sue's Blog
  • nb. islonian
  • Boatgal's Blog
  • hughie's Blog
  • NBnutter's Blog
  • Gatesofrome's Blog
  • Tom&Lynn's Blog
  • lee b's Blog
  • sunset song
  • Narrowboating's Blog
  • bosh34's Blog
  • Adventures on Felix
  • Mario's Blog
  • Narrowboating Blog
  • carl2011's Blog
  • Ian Barber's Blog
  • bachmann's Blog
  • bachmann's Blog
  • bjc's Blog
  • NoeB4711's Blog
  • warrior princess' Blog
  • BloxwichDaryl's Blog
  • larryjc's Blog
  • Paul Mellor's Blog
  • Canal Works Nature
  • souladventurer's Blog
  • Jenkyn Knill's Blog
  • irish Waterways Blog
  • davidowens' Blog
  • wild wild wood's Blog
  • suec7566's Blog
  • Beaker's Blog
  • Cheryl's Blog
  • Total Eclipse's Blog
  • NAVI's Blog
  • Garry's Blog
  • Scribblings from the Mintball
  • Help!! Help!! Boat-life Starter
  • lfairfield's Blog
  • Sue Brown's Blog
  • Tina1's Blog
  • BlueBelle1's Blog
  • diehard's Blog
  • Les Wilkins' Blog
  • Chalky White's Blog
  • Retrolady's Blog
  • Finiancial support for famailies who live/lived on narrow boats and parents who worked at sea.
  • bobabout's Blog
  • sweatpea's Blog
  • diesel-oil's Blog
  • Mibosa's Blog
  • Gorey's Blog
  • newboata's Blog
  • julie101m's Blog
  • charlie44's Blog
  • r-harris' Blog
  • Miemie's Blog
  • Cenevieres' Blog
  • Mark Ryan's Blog
  • Nds123's Blog
  • p6rob's Blog
  • suepeters' Blog
  • Fazandgil's Blog
  • kevin222's Blog
  • Peter Selby's Blog
  • Birdswood's Blog
  • Justin1974's Blog
  • Bohemian man's Blog
  • Dream Daisy's Blog
  • Boat Haulage from Nantwich to Grangemouth
  • Tracey Barlow's Blog
  • Claire Martin's Blog
  • tier1's Blog
  • Alan&sue's Blog
  • suep's Blog
  • suep's Blog
  • suep's Blog
  • Annie Lovebug's Blog
  • Jon57's Blog
  • Bernard Jarvis' Blog
  • Bernard Jarvis' Blog
  • waterail's Blog
  • Rare's Blog
  • Angry Boater
  • debbieg's Blog
  • umpire111's Blog
  • Brick's Blog
  • Peter Turnell's Blog
  • Roman Roads' Blog
  • winding hole - aynho
  • reelax's Blog
  • Ron Cross' Blog
  • secret squirrel's Blog
  • Starling's Blog
  • Widebeam Life
  • Adventures of the Green Knight
  • Crow's Blog
  • alex19's Blog
  • Su Jonesy's Blog
  • livebaboardforever's Blog
  • Unclebuck's Blog
  • StainlessDave's Blog
  • kris daly's Blog
  • Roger Murray's Blog
  • Judgejim64's Blog
  • Su Jonesy's Blog
  • ChalkhillBlue's Blog
  • john4647's Blog
  • Brian Holt's Blog
  • hermit's Blog
  • grahamsdriving's Blog
  • spooley's Blog
  • kynance3's Blog
  • nangacoops2828's Blog
  • eaglesdad's Blog
  • Little Bo Diddley's Blog
  • Teal.366's Blog
  • Benny the Ball's Blog
  • Magneto
  • FORTUNATA's Blog
  • Roan's Blog
  • Roan's Blog
  • boswellbaby's Blog
  • debbie robbo's Blog
  • Guide to canopy fasteners
  • Jaymee's Blog
  • Saint Paul's Blog
  • Rich1983's Blog
  • kevin222's Blog
  • haza's Blog
  • Aquaman's Blog
  • Diesel Cleaning Services' Blog
  • Trillian's Blog
  • Horace42's Blog
  • kevinbsa Blog
  • RichardB's Blog
  • Blood, Sweat & Tears Blog
  • NoraChoi's Blog
  • Michael Lane's Blog
  • Michael Lane's Blog
  • RichM's Blog
  • automate's Blog
  • Plumbers London Blog
  • Local Plumber's Blog
  • janeyjane56's Blog
  • TTGE's Blog
  • Argo stolly's Blog
  • signrytin's Blog
  • Gibbo1997's Blog
  • Chris and Graham's Blog
  • Old Waterway Books
  • Chalkhill Blue 2's blog
  • David walgrove's Blog
  • JACK FELL's Blog

Find results in...

Find results that contain...


Date Created

  • Start

    End


Last Updated

  • Start

    End


Filter by number of...

Joined

  • Start

    End


Group


Skype


Website URL


Location


Interests


Occupation


Boat Name


Boat Location


Duplicate ID

Found 14 results

  1. Mastervolt 2000w combi charger/inverter Mains input is not going anywhere, will not charge the batteries. Mains up to the connections underneath OK. Inverter works fine apart from showing led fault code for overheating even from stone cold switch on. Its not any connections, resetable thermal fuse, or duff batteries. No signs of a burn up. Any ideas please?
  2. Our Trace charger/inverter was installed some 12 years ago. It is giving problems. We can find nobody to advise on its checking/repairing/replacement. Can anybody help? Boat based in Banbury area.
  3. This weeks oddity from the towpath. A boater has a 24v Victron inverter charger combination. He can get power either from his shore line or the inverter. It charges his batteries when connected to the shore. The inverter shuts down then as it should. It has worked fine for a long while. The one night whilst on the shore line it starts to hum loudly and gets hot. Unplugging the shore line it drops to being an inverter only and shuts up. He now has power. But the shore line will no longer power the boat when it is in charge only mode. Most odd, worried that it sounds expensive. Disconnecting shore line and switching everything to off, reconnect and everything is working normally again ! Any ideas what causes this tantrum?
  4. Can you put a 12v battery onto an inverter and put a battery charger from the same inverter so it loops and provides a continuous charge. I live on a narrowboat and pondering the question. Thank you.
  5. Don't know if this is the correct place to ask my question, there may already be a post that covers it. but here goes. I want to convert a future boat to hybrid, to make it all electric onboard and propultion by both engine and battery. What size invertor do I need for this task? what battery monitoring is required? What battery bank will I need? what generator / motor is available? (No limit cost and budget alternatives for the system). The origion post is one of the best I have read on battery maintenance and functionality and thank you for the education.
  6. Our old PowerMaster 1500w Inverter/Charger just blew up (quite dramatically, issuing smoke and flame at 4am). I'm looking to replace it ... probably with a Victron multiplus 2000w 12v Inverter/Charger. (Victron 2000w) Knowing little about electronics and electrics, I'm wondering, Is it a fairly simple matter of unhooking the old PowerMaster (Battery + / Battery - / AC In / AC out / ground wires) and wiring in a new Victron inverter/charger. Or is the Victron much more complicated than that? Also, with the old PowerMaster I was able to configure things like battery bank size, battery type, charging routine, etc. by reading the manual and pushing buttons on the front. Is it the same with the Victron or is it more complicated and really requires a technician? I don't want to bugger up a new, expensive piece of electronics. Anybody have experience hooking up Victrons?
  7. I have recently bought a narrowboat with a semi trad stern where the engine lives under deck boards at the stern. The boat had a battery charger fitted in the cabin that led back to the battery bank in the engine hole via a length of wire that had been cut and joined in several places and as a result was about 8 feet long and then crocodile clips to attach it to the batteries as needed. Having had to use the charger ashore it transpired that it was dead and I have invested in a very snazzy thing with the intention of having it permanently connected as it says it was suitable for this. Reading the instructions it says that if doing this you need to remove the crocodile clips and replace them with rings. No problem with that. It also says you should not extend the wires as the voltage drop would make the unit ineffective - I also understand (I think) why that would be. The charging wires are about 3ft long and wont reach from the cabin to the battery bank. So I am thinking of locating a 240v socket in the engine hole and connecting the charger there. Only thing is do I then run into problems if gas is given off in charging and the presence of diesel etc? In an ideal world I would put the charger in the cabin and then I can see what it is doing without disappearing in the the engine hole. Anyone else had this problem and what solution did you come up with? Thanks
  8. I have one of these: It doesn't appear to look like anything on the Sterling web site or anywhere else for that matter. Does anyone else have one? If so do you have a manual for it? What I'd really like to know is whether it has a starter battery charging circuit or not.
  9. Hi there, I've got one of these (see pic below), but want to change it for something that can take more solar panels and is a bit more modern. We use it with a 60A alternator, and 1x 100w solar panel (although I think this regulator can only take up to 60w solar. We don't have a wind turbine. It only seems to produce a max of 14.1v when the engine's on (even after hours of cruising) and recently has been hitting 15.1v through the solar panel - which seems a bit high?! I'd like to replace it with a charger suitable for the alternator, and maybe solar as well. Do I need to get a separate charger for the alternator, then an MPPT charger for the solar panel (I also want to add either one or two 175w solar panel to make 275w or 375w in total). We have 3x 110ah leisure batteries and a starter battery, and a Sterling 1600W pure sine wave inverter that is yet to be hooked up.. Any advice, brands, models to watch out for etc, most welcome! Cheers, Alistair
  10. Hi everyone, I have just moved onto a canal boat and am looking to update my electrics and install some solar panels. I am a newbie so really appreciate any advice you can give. I have been attempting to do an electrical audit (using a template I found online) Firstly I wonder if someone could have a look over it and see if I have made any glaringly obvious mistakes?? I have done my best but I must admit I do find the electrics a little confusing !! I am continually cruising and my boat is 57x10 I am looking at installing: - 3x 260w or 305w solar panels (with the plan to add a fourth in the future) - 2x 40A MPPT controllers - Victron Multiplus Inverter/ Charger - A monitor of some kind recommendations apreciated! I will also have a Honda EU20i generator to top things up. The questions which I am struggling to find answers to online are... What is a good size battery bank to match this system? I have been told it's important not to go too big as it means lots of time spent trying to charge them up. Not to mention the expense. Is it a good idea to get a multiplus inverter and charger or a separate inverter and charger? I am thinking about purchasing a washer dryer which will need 2.1kw to run (not shown on audit) would it be acceptable / advisable to run this of my setup while the generator is running? So the batteries / inverter would only need to supply the extra bit of energy as the Honda is only rated at 1600w continuous. Is there any other major bit to the system I am missing. My understanding is Batteries / Inverter / Charger / MPPT Controllers / Solar Panels / System monitor. Do I need fuses or any other bits? Thanks in advace for your time. Look forward to hearing your opinions. (Please be gentle I am new and still figuring it all out) Martin just figured out how to attached the file hope that works ok : http://www.martin-price.org/downloads/boat.pdf
  11. I wrote this elsewhere but as the same questions pop up regularly I thought it might be an idea to post it here. I don’t intend this to be an exhaustive in-depth ‘instruction manual’ which covers all aspects of marine battery charging, there are already many web sites and books which attempt to do that. Rather, this describes, in pretty broad brush strokes, my opinion of how to approach the matter while taking into account your boating style. It’s also not written with substitute examples (like buckets for batteries) but with real products that you may have on your boat.While I’ve tried to avoid being overly technical whilst describing what is a highly technical subject, there are nevertheless mentions of volts and AmpHours here. Despite that, I’ve intended it to be reasonably light reading for those with a little knowledge of the subject yet possibly containing some nuggets of useful information for those who know the subject quite well. It's also worth pointing out that there is no such thing as 100% charged; by the very nature of its chemistry a battery can never get there. You can always squeeze just a tiny bit more in. However I will refer to 'fully charged' as meaning "as charged as practical" !Please read the couple of safety points at the end of this post. It’s more than possible that I’ve overlooked something or made errors in which case I’m sure you’ll let me know . So, here we go.Battery charging is a topic that generates almost more discussion on any boating forum than anything else. This article tries to set out the basics for keeping your batteries healthy and happy, but can only be an introduction to such a complex business. Let us first understand the problem. When sitting in the cabin with no engine or generator running, you are consuming power from your batteries. TV, radio, lighting, pumps, phone chargers etc. all use power. Now, if you cruise for a number of hours the following day then it is possible, depending on how many hours that your engine is running, that your alternator will have replenished the lost charge by the time you moor up for the evening. Then you start the cycle again.In the summer a good solar installation can take care of some or even all of your charging needs (depending on the sunshine and the size of the solar panels). In the winter solar will not achieve this. In fact you will experience days or even weeks where the solar contributes virtually nothing at all. Wind generation is of even less value.If you require extra battery charging then the solution is therefore a mains battery charger. What type, how it is used, and how it should be configured is covered in the following sections.Before we get to that, let us first understand what a modern, microprocessor controlled battery charger does. All modern battery chargers have three basic stages. Marketing departments will sometimes advertise 4, 5, or even 6 stages of charging but that is purely so they can make their charger appear superior to the competition. For a straightforward recharge of discharged batteries there are only three stages. (Equalisation or Desulphation are not a charge stage, they are a maintenance stage). So, what are these three stages?1. Bulk Stage. This is when the batteries are at their lowest SoC (State of Charge) and will 'demand' the maximum output from the charger. All chargers are categorised by their maximum current rating (20A, 40A etc) and during the Bulk Stage the current will be at this maximum while the voltage slowly rises up to the preset maximum (typically 14.4 to 14.7V, depending on battery type and internal chemistry). This stage is sometimes called "Constant Current". Note that the size of the charger (its maximum current) should be chosen to suit your usage, the size of the battery bank and the battery type. How this is arrived at is outside the scope of this post.2. Absorption Stage. The batteries have now reached a higher SoC (typically around 80-85%) and are gradually demanding less and less from the charger. The voltage remains at the preset level (typically somewhere between 14.4v to 14.8V) whilst the current slowly reduces. This stage is sometimes called "Constant Voltage". This stage should continue until the batteries are very close to 100% charged.3. Float Stage. Depending on your charger's float voltage this can be considered to be similar to the Absorption Stage inasmuch as the voltage is constant, but the voltage is now reduced to around 13.6V (again, preset according to battery type and internal chemistry) in order to treat the battery gently and to slowly bring it to a fully charged state whilst simultaneously countering self-discharge. Some chargers, however, have a much lower float voltage of only around 13.25V. If yours is one of these then float should be considered as a maintenance stage because it will not charge the battery, only keep it at its current state of charge.Self-discharge is where a charged battery will slowly lose its charge if left unattended.How a battery charger should be used and configured depends largely upon your boating style, which is discussed below.There are three main scenarios for using the batteries which will be taken in turn.If you are off-grid with no access to shoreline If you never have an opportunity to plug your boat into a shoreline and solar/wind is insufficient then you are reliant on either the engine alternator or a TravelPower or separate generator to feed an on-board charger. Whichever of these two methods you use (engine or generator), you will be limited in how long you can run it. CRT licence conditions do not permit the running of engines or generators for charging purposes outside the hours of 8 am to 8 pm and in any event, it is highly inconsiderate to spoil the peace of an evening on the cut with engine noise. Besides, why add wear to the engine and use fuel any more than is essential?Note that thanks to something called Charge Efficiency (don't worry about it, just accept this), more energy needs to be replaced when charging than you took out when discharging (by a factor of around 10-20%). It is impossible to tell from a simple volt meter when the bank is fully charged. In brief, you will need to monitor either the specific gravity (relative density) or an ammeter to know when it is safe to stop charging. This is particularly pertinent to off-grid boaters who for reasons of noise and expense of fuel do not wish to charge for hours on end when unnecessary.If using the SmartGauge to monitor your batteries, be aware that it is not as accurate when charging as discharging and therefore continuing charging for some time after it shows 100% may be advisable. If using a monitor that contains an ammeter, you need to watch the current flow into the battery bank. It will start very high during the bulk phase, then tail off during absorption. When it has either stopped reducing over a period of an hour or reached 1 - 2% of the bank's capacity, then little will be achieved by continuing charging. So for a 400 Ah bank, for example, you should aim for a "tail current" of 4 - 8 amps if it is achievable.There is however a problem with most (if not all) battery chargers. When charging with a generator and 'mains' battery charger it is very important to note that many chargers switch to float voltage much too soon. This is because the designer was imagining them being used on a never-ending household mains supply, and switching to float early treats the batteries gently at the expense of charging time. An off-grid boater needs the opposite; he needs the batteries to charge as fast as possible so that he can switch off his generator as early as possible. Ideally, an off-grid boater doesn't want the charger to ever switch to float; simply continue at absorption voltage until the tail current indicates that the bank is fully charged. Note however that this requires the boater to be vigilant. Continuous charging at the Absorption voltage once the batteries are charged will irreparably damage your batteries.Some chargers permit the user to configure the settings to a large degree, and I would advocate, where possible, that an off-grid boater should set the float voltage to be the same as the absorption voltage - somewhere in the order of 14.4V depending on the make of battery. It is important to repeat the advice that if you do this you must be vigilant and stop charging once the batteries are close to 100% SoC.Although somewhat inconvenient and requiring experience, it is possible, once charging has finished, to use an accurate voltmeter to estimate the state of charge, but only once the surface charge has been eliminated. One way of doing this would be to turn the tunnel light on for around 10 minutes. This table shows the relationship between resting voltage and charge state of a typical 12V bank:12.65V - 100%12.45V - 75%12.24V - 50%12.06V - 25%11.89V - 0%The highly accurate way to check the state of charge of individual cells is to use a hydrometer or refractometer to measure the relative density of the electrolyte but many boaters will not wish to go to those lengths and those with sealed, AGM or gell batteries will not be able to do so anyway.You should aim to fully charge the batteries daily for maximum life. If that is impossible, then every few days, certainly every week, to avoid sulphation permanently reducing the bank's capacity.If you are off-grid with occasional access to shoreline If you are able to get into a marina occasionally and plug into a shoreline, then you can give the batteries a much more thorough charging. Leaving the charger on until it goes into float mode, turning it off for a while then back on, will result in the batteries being brought to a much better state. Ideally, leave the charger on overnight.If you have configured the Float Voltage to be high as described above for off-grid boaters then it is essential that you change it back to a suitable float voltage for your batteries when connected to shore power.If you have regular access to shoreline If you regularly moor in a marina or somewhere else where you can use a shoreline, then in addition to all of the foregoing you can routinely leave the bank on float charge. Most modern chargers will go back into absorption mode from time to time to ensure that the batteries are kept in good condition.During the summer, a decent solar panel array will achieve the same effect, keeping a float level of charge across the bank, as long as your power usage is less than that which the bank is producing, but the weak UK winter sun will not be adequate for this purpose.EqualisationYes, I know it's not a 'charge mode' but I thought I'd add a little about it here anyway. Some chargers will enable you to give an equalisation charge at a much higher voltage than usual, probably above 15V for a 12 volt system. This has the effect of ensuring that all the cells in the bank have been fully charged and that as much sulphation as possible has been removed from the plates. Some warnings about equalisation: 1. Sealed, AGM and gel batteries should not normally be subject to equalisation. If you are considering doing so, take expert advice first.2. Some items of equipment in the boat may not be able to handle the high voltage and should be disconnected. The safest way is to isolate the bank before proceeding.3. Hydrogen gas will be given off during the process. The bank should be well ventilated and must never be left unattended. During equalisation, check the temperature of the batteries from time to time, say every 15 minutes. They may well become warm to the touch but serious heating is a bad sign and the process should be stopped at once. It is not unknown for batteries to boil or even explode if a cell has failed.4. The cells will need topping up with distilled water after being equalised.A couple of general bits of safety advice should be added here:1) A permanently installed charger must never use crocodile clips to connect to the battery. 2) Temporary chargers should only be connected with the input (230V mains) power turned off, and only disconnected 3 minutes after turning off the charger input power to minimise the risk of explosion from hydrogen gas generated during charging.
  12. Hi all battery afficionados I am about to take new batteries down to the boat and do the change over. I have searched the forum and found some interesting things I did not know before. Now I would like some clarification. The old set up (six batteries 110Ah) was always a bit higgeldy piggeldy as we couldn't fit all the ends onto the terminals. When I had to buy new batteries at short notice we basically had to do the same again so Set 2 comprises 5 leisure batteries 115Ah I will label them A to E. Positive side Battery A currently has solar cable and one from the Isolator Switch and link to battery B Battery B has two links A and C Battery C has link to B and D as well as smartgauge Battery D has link to C and E as well as one to the Isolator Switch Battery E has link to D Negative side Battery E has link to D and one to Victron and one to the Mikuni Battery D has links to E and C and one to the smartgauge Battery C has links to B and D and one to the solar panels Battery B has links to A and C and one to Victron Battery A has link to B and one off to the Starter Battery Now the 4 new batteries 160Ah have a M8 bolt type fitting so no need for the terminal clamps as used previously so we hope that it will be easier to fit more cables to a single post. The proposed layout is going to be Positive side Battery A has both the Isolator cables and the link to B Battery B has link A and C Battery C has link to B and D Battery D has Link from C and solar and Mikuni and smartgauge (ie 4 one large and three small) Negative side Battery D has link to C and both large cables to Victron Battery C has links to D and B Battery B has links to A and C Battery A has link from B then the large one to Starter battery and the negatives to Solar Mikuni and smartgauge. I am reasonably happy with this BUT which order should I pile the cable ends for best connection (thinking smartguage here) (My reasoning for putting both Isolator switch connections to one and both Victron to the other is I am not 100% sure why there are two or if this is immaterial or not and if material and I put them the wrong way around it could mean that they are not going to pass through the whole bank. If you get my drift.) I have printed off the smartgauge info linked to in a previous post about how to correctly interconnect multiple batteries but a) this doesn't address the issue of all the other items connected to the bank. I have basically assumed that by having the charger going one way and the solar and everything else going the other way around that that is okay. Otherwise Everything would have to go onto two diagonally opposite terminals and b ) we don't have enough extra cabling to do the fancy Methods 3 or 4. Battery etc.pdf Schematic, what I drew, of current set up since oct 14.pdf
  13. Hello there, what would you say is the best over all investor/charger I should get for my boat? From genty
  14. Mastervolt 12/2500-100 Mass Combi Inverter Charger So, we're onboard, on the shore electrical supply, all boat 240v circuits working fine, charger whirring away doing its thing very happily. Along comes electrical test man safety testing shore supplies, off goes the shore power, he the tests the shoreside installation and RCD so power trips a couple of times, all done, power restored. Didn't realise quick enough to disconnect my boat before he started, but had we not been aboard then I wouldn't have had the opportunity anyway. The issue was noticed immediately on restoration of the power and, whilst the electrician was quick to explain it was nothing to do with his testing, the coincidence is rather too glaring. Not necessarily his work, perhaps a power spike on restoration? Anyway, he beat a hasty retreat. So, I now have AC input to the boat again, but all is silent. Investigation reveals 240V at input terminals to Combi, 240V on AC output "power" terminals (shore supply only - immersion heater cct in my case), 240V not present at AC output "short break" terminals (so no shore power to sockets, etc). AC input led on Mastervolt front cover is 'off', battery charger not running. The thermal fuse has not popped open, hence doesn't reset. Switching the inverter on works as it should, supplying 240v to sockets, etc, from the boat's 12v bank. From these symptoms I believe can ascertain that no shore supply is reaching the short break circuit (from which the charger is also supplied) - I suspect that the transfer relay is not closing. I have the User Manual and it's helped so far, but I've run out of technical information now. Can anyone provide further enlightenment or does anyone know 'a man who can'? The situation is made rather more difficult as the boat comes out of the water tomorrow for blacking (self employed and we're staying aboard), so I can't run the engine to keep the batteries topped up if I use the inverter. I'm considering a temporary connection of the unaffected AC output power to the cable leaving the short break terminals to give me domestic 240V whilst the boat is on the blocks, so if anyone sees reason not to do that, do shout! I'm still in head scratching mode at the moment, I and wanted to get a thread started in case you guys are able to provide ideas and info. Help, advice, or appropriate phone numbers, much appreciated. The boat will be on the hard in Droitwich Spa Marina from Friday. Thanks in advance.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.