ProMariner - New to Reel Boating

[cowdogs]

I have 4 batteries and a pair of ProSport 12 Gen 1 chargers. These chargers are 2 banks each, 6 amps per bank.

1 battery is for port engine and 1 is for starboard engine, 2 batteries in parallel are for house.

How would you recommend hooking up chargers to the batteries?

[prowlersfish]

Jim

I have been using a Pro sport 20 with no problems , I notice you said 31 series was the limit, I am using D4 batteries the amp rating is about the same as the 31 but is much large in size , Is this a problem ?

Thank you

Prowlersfish,

If your boat is the one shown in your icon photo it is not what we would recommend for the application.

Typically if your boat has an AC distibution system we would automatically recommend a dry compartment charger there are a few reasons for this but the most relavant are the following.

1) Dry compartment chargers are designed to serve as a power supply maintaining house loads while charging.

2) Dry compartment chargers will allow you to charge batteries of difference capacities without creating an imbalance.

I hope this is the only battery this charger is charging. We like to use this for a rule of thumb (Total Amp Hour Capacity of the batteries being charged X 10% = Amp battery charger you should be using. For Example (4) group 31 batteries 125 amp hours each = 500 Amp Hours worth of batteries x 10% = 50 Amp battery charger.

Let me know if you have any questions I would be happy to address.

Jim

Jim I am not sure what you mean by a AC distribution system unless you mean shore power ? the 12 volt loads are very light when at the dock under way the engines supply 12 volt power for the heavier loads like radar and other electronics , I am still not under standing the need for a "Dry compartment" charger . I don't know if my boat ever had one (I did have a inverter charger I got rid of . as far as charging batteries of difference capacities it only charging 2 of the same size and it made for charging a cranking and a house Battery or so the info said was this incorrect ? the 3rd battery in the boat is not hooked up to the charger (genset battery ) I thought about going to the prosport 20 plus( mine is not a plus) to charge all 3 ,but from what your saying I need a different type of charger ? and at what cost ? Dry compartment chargers how costly

Thanks

[ProMariner]

Jim

I have been using a Pro sport 20 with no problems , I notice you said 31 series was the limit, I am using D4 batteries the amp rating is about the same as the 31 but is much large in size , Is this a problem ?

Thank you

Prowlersfish,

If your boat is the one shown in your icon photo it is not what we would recommend for the application.

Typically if your boat has an AC distibution system we would automatically recommend a dry compartment charger there are a few reasons for this but the most relavant are the following.

1) Dry compartment chargers are designed to serve as a power supply maintaining house loads while charging.

2) Dry compartment chargers will allow you to charge batteries of difference capacities without creating an imbalance.

I hope this is the only battery this charger is charging. We like to use this for a rule of thumb (Total Amp Hour Capacity of the batteries being charged X 10% = Amp battery charger you should be using. For Example (4) group 31 batteries 125 amp hours each = 500 Amp Hours worth of batteries x 10% = 50 Amp battery charger.

Let me know if you have any questions I would be happy to address.

Jim

Jim I am not sure what you mean by a AC distribution system unless you mean shore power ? the 12 volt loads are very light when at the dock under way the engines supply 12 volt power for the heavier loads like radar and other electronics , I am still not under standing the need for a "Dry compartment" charger . I don't know if my boat ever had one (I did have a inverter charger I got rid of . as far as charging batteries of difference capacities it only charging 2 of the same size and it made for charging a cranking and a house Battery or so the info said was this incorrect ? the 3rd battery in the boat is not hooked up to the charger (genset battery ) I thought about going to the prosport 20 plus( mine is not a plus) to charge all 3 ,but from what your saying I need a different type of charger ? and at what cost ? Dry compartment chargers how costly

Thanks

Prowlersfish,

Sorry about the confusion AC distribution system = shore power.

The biggest difference between the two chargers is that the Dry Compartment is designed to serve as a power supply while at the dock.

What this means is that the charger will maintain the DC loads providing power and charge the batteries at the same time. So if you have the lights on and accesories running the charger will feed both without kicking in to fast charge (the higher rate of charge). You want a charger that will charge the batteries and then maintain them once they are full. Also a ProSport is not designed to run off a generator as it does not have filtering required which a dry mount charger does.

A waterproof charger is designed for a boat without a shore power system that comes home at the end of the day and can be plugged into the garage without loads on it and the reason we fit the charger with a 3 prong plug.

Last thing to note that battery manufactures recommend 10% recovery for batteries that are flooded lead acid and 20% for most AGM (Absorped Glass Mat) batteries. This translates to the following. Take the full amp hour capacity of the batteries for example two 4D batteries 185 amp hours each = 370 Amp Hours x 10% = 37 amp charger for flooded lead acid batteries for proper recovery.

Hope this helps.

Jim

[wiley]

ProMariner.

Hope to get you part of our Vendor/Consumer Exchange Forum opening in a week or so.

This is the type of thread to be posted there.

Details soon.

Thanks

[ProMariner]

ProMariner.

Hope to get you part of our Vendor/Consumer Exchange Forum opening in a week or so.

This is the type of thread to be posted there.

Details soon.

Thanks

Will do.

Thanks

[prowlersfish]

Jim I am even more confused , Why would the prosport 20 be set up for a house and a engine battery ( per the box) on a trailed boat ? sence My 12 volt loads are low ( very low use of 12 volt lighting ) I guess my be bet would be to remove the prosport and go with out a charger ? ( by the way the charger is never on with the gen set .

I asume the dry charger is very $$$ ,

[ProMariner]

Jim I am even more confused , Why would the prosport 20 be set up for a house and a engine battery ( per the box) on a trailed boat ? sence My 12 volt loads are low ( very low use of 12 volt lighting ) I guess my be bet would be to remove the prosport and go with out a charger ? ( by the way the charger is never on with the gen set .

I asume the dry charger is very $$$ ,

Paul,

I would need to know the exact capacity of the batteries to recommend the appropreiate battery charger for the application.

That said, if it is working for you so be it and I am glad to hear it!

With over 100 boat builders we do business with the ProSport is never recommended for a 36' sportfish.

I just want you to have the best possible performance and get the longest life out of the charger.

Jim

[prowlersfish]

After talking to Jim on the phone , Issues have been cleared up , and I can say this company cares about their Customers and I will be using their products in the future .

Thank you Jim

Edited March 1, 2010 by prowlersfish