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Battery Charger Tutorial
Xantrex TRUECHARGE2 Battery
Chargers feature low electrical interference and superior, efficient, power
factor corrected multistage charging. TRUECHARGE2 Battery Chargers can be
mounted virtually anywhere, given their unique drip-proof design.
Promariner battery charger:
The fastest battery charger with the
most features in its class. Specifically designed to deliver maximum charging
performance and extend battery life. Get on the water first and stay there
longer with tournament winning technology providing: 100% charge upon completion
of multi-stage charging process
Newmar battery charger -
Phase Three “Smart” battery charging technology is now available in a wide range
of power levels, allowing you to select the right size, features and flexibility
you require for virtually any application from small recreational craft to large
live-a-boards, workboats and other commercial vessels
Charles
C-CHARGER® 2000 Series Marine
Electronic Battery Chargers are an excellent choice for value-priced, high
performance products and the HQ series offers
a rugged battery charger and power supply all in one unit
Analytic batter charger - This all-new
single board design incorporates state of the art switch mode technology for
unmatched efficiency and ultra-quiet operation. Multiple stages of filtering
reduce radiated or conducted noise to very low levels
Mastervolt battery charger ensures you an
electrical system with no weak links and a dependable and silent power supply.
Whether for recreational or professional purposes, with Mastervolt you always
have power you can rely on... The power to be independent.
Call Tech Support for Any Questions
on Products:
Xantrex
at
408.987.6030; Newmar at
(714) 751-0488;
Charles Marine at
(847) 806-6300
Please click here to learn about more about Battery Chargers
Marine Battery Charger
Xantrex battery chargers are micro-processor controlled for fast,
accurate charging of vehicle or boat batteries in deep cycle or maintenance
applications. Xantrex battery chargers are compact, light weight and easy to
install. These chargers feature multi-stage, power factor corrected charging
meaning that they require less AC input power than traditional chargers to
operate at its peak efficiency. This results in more AC power available for
connected AC loads on vessel or vehicle.
Truecharge2
Xantrex TRUECharge™2 Battery Chargers lead the industry with a
small footprint and ultra-compact design. Designed for marine and commercial
applications worldwide, the new TRUECharge2 charger is the latest addition to
the TRUECharge2 series.
Newmar Battery Charger
Phase Three Series Battery Chargers: 12V
Input: 115/230 VAC
Output: 7 – 80 Amps
“Smart” battery charging technology for 12 volt systems aboard
marine applications including workboats, military vessels, commercial vessels,
and recreational craft. These chargers interact with batteries providing the
optimum three stage charge process for fast recovery and conditioning,
maximizing performance and extending battery life.
Phase Three
Series Battery Chargers: 24 & 32V
Input: 115/230
VAC
Output: 8 – 95 Amps
“Smart” battery
charging technology for 24 and 32 volt systems aboard marine applications
including workboats, military vessels, commercial vessels, and recreational
craft. These chargers interact with batteries providing the optimum three stage
charge process for fast recovery and conditioning, maximizing performance and
extending battery life.
Phase Three
Modular & Programmable Series Battery Chargers: 24V
Input: 115/230
VAC
Output: 100 – 150 Amps
The PTMP represents a new level of functionality, reliability,
and serviceability in very smart battery charging for critical 24 volt systems
aboard work boats, military, commercial, and recreational craft. A menu of
pre-programmed battery type charge profiles as well as custom settings option
allow user to select or program optimal three step charging voltages and
operating parameters. The chargers interact with batteries providing the ideal
profile for replenishment and conditioning, resulting in maximum performance and
extending service life.
Phase Three
Modular Series Battery Charger: 24V
Input: 115/230
VAC
Output: 67 Amps
The PTM charger
provides a significant improvement in system reliability, for critical marine
applications, by utilizing multiple independent charger modules that plug into
the unit, and should a fault occur in one module, the system continues to
operate, thus is considered “fault tolerant”.
Phase Three
Charger Monitor/Control Unit
Designed for
installation in conjunction with most models of PT Battery Chargers, this unit
provides additional functionality of monitoring, control, and alarms. It
contains a Digital DC volt meter with 3 battery bank sense selector, a dial that
adjusts the PT charger float voltage, and AC Master circuit breaker for control
and protection of charger input power.
ABC Series
Battery Charger: 12V
Input:
115/230 VAC
Output: 6 Amps
The ABC Series
chargers utilize time tested SCR charging circuitry, individually sensing and
regulating each of 2 isolated battery banks, allowing the user to leave the
charger operating indefinitely, even under no-load conditions without fear of
overcharging. These chargers are ideal for vessels or vehicles which have an
intermittent demand for battery power.
ProNauticP Dry Mount Marine Battery Chargers
Industry recognized with the 2010 IBEX Innovation Award, ProNauticP employs
our Generation 3 ProMar Digital Performance Charging Platform which combines
all digital control and softwarebased power conversion technology with global
energy management features. ProNauticP addresses the trend of incorporating
and using more 12-volt electronics onboard today’s power, sail, cruising and
sport fishing boats. Boasting twelve digitally-controlled performance charging
profiles with finger tip selection, ProNauticP fully charges, conditions,
maintains and re-conditions batteries while extending battery life and
maximizing battery reserve power performance.
Frequently Asked Questions - Promariner
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Q.
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How much charging time is available per day, either with shore
power or generator power? |
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A.
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A 20 amp unit will average 20 amps per hour. Twelve hours of
charging time will equal near 240 amperages returned to battery. |
|
Q.
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How many batteries or battery banks are to be
charged? |
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A.
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A bank is several batteries harnessed together and treated
as if they were a single, larger battery. Your charger will require one
output per bank. Chargers often have a number of outputs, some which need
not be used. Some have 1 or 2, most have 3 or more units. |
|
Q.
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What is the type, usage and total amp hour capacity
of your batteries? (Examples: #1-one 205 amp 8D for engine start, #2-one 205
amp 8D for engine start, #3-four 250 amp 6 volt golf cart-house, #4-one 85
amp gel cell for generator start) |
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A.
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This figure is usually expressed as a “20-hour rating.” Fast
or quick chargers should not exceed 20% of this rating for normal batteries
or 30% for golf cart or specialty batteries. |
|
Q.
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What is your average hourly DC load (24 hours)?
(Example: Fridge runs for 20 minutes out of every hour at 12 amps = four
amps average load.) |
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A.
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This is the total of all equipment loads: lighting +
refrigeration + pumps + motors, etc. Intermittent loads, such as 12V DC
refrigerators which cycle on and off, should be averaged out over their duty
cycle. |
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Q.
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How quickly do you need to recharge and to what
percent of full charge – 80% or 100%? |
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A.
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Batteries need to be kept fully charged (to 80% is okay for
two or three weeks of cruising). Normal alternators and battery chargers
reach 70% of full charge fairly quickly, but take longer than “fast”
chargers to charge that last 30%. The new technology multistep chargers will
recharge your batteries 100%. |
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Q.
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What type of batteries – flooded, lead/acid, gel,
agm, etc.? |
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A.
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Chargers are field adjustable to meet manufacturer’s specs,
or Professional Mariner will customize a unit for your requirements. |
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Q.
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What are the different types of batteries? |
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A.
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Here are the different types of batteries you can purchase:
| Lead-acid batteries
Requires maintenance. |
Liquid electrolyte that needs to be periodically checked and filled
with distilled water (as needed). Has to be mounted upright (will leak
through caps if mounted in any other position).
Considered hazardous material. |
| |
| AGM absorbed glass-mat batteries
Maintenance-free. |
| Sealed battery that has all of its electrolyte absorbed in
fiberglass separators consisting of a sponge-like mass of matted glass
fibers. Operates under pressure to force the hydrogen and oxygen gases
produced during charging to recombine into water, eliminating the need
to periodically add water to the battery. Spill-proof, leak-proof, can
be mounted in any position and can be shipped via regular freight
carriers. |
| |
| Gel-cell batteries
Maintenance-free. |
Sealed battery that uses gelled electrolyte technology. Operates
under pressure to force the hydrogen and oxygen gases produced during
charging to recombine into water, eliminating the need to periodically
add water to the battery.
Spill-proof, leak-proof, can be mounted in any position and can be
shipped via regular freight carriers. |
|
| Q. |
What types of batteries can your chargers handle? |
| A. |
You can use any of the above battery types on our chargers. Our chargers
are factory set for lead-acid batteries. The settings depend on the type of
charger (different models may have different settings), but most of our
chargers have a lead-acid and a gel-cell setting. AGM batteries will charge
at the lead-acid setting (NOT the gel setting). |
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Q.
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Can my 12 volt charger charge my 24-volt or 36-volt battery
system? |
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A.
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Our waterproof chargers are designed to charge 12-volt
batteries within a 12/24/36 volt system. If you have a Dry Mounted battery
charger (ProTech, Flyback, Promatic) then you would need a 24-volt charger
for a 24-volt system or a 36-volt charger for a 36-volt system. A 12-volt
non-waterproof charger cannot charge a 24-volt or 36-volt system…….the
charger has separate positive terminals but only one common negative
terminal (so the battery banks are not isolated from each other). |
|
Q.
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Can I connect the charger to only one battery? What
do I do with the unused terminals? |
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A.
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On a Dry Mount charger, you will need to jumper the unused
positive terminals to one of the positive terminals that you are using so
that the charger will “read” a battery on each lead. |
| Q. |
Where can I mount the charger? |
| A. |
Make sure you have adequate ventilation for cooling of the charger, but
these chargers are not made to get wet and it will Void the warranty. |
| Q. |
My charger is tripping my GFCI circuit breaker on my outside
outlet? |
| A. |
All chargers that use this technology to charge batteries bleed a little
voltage, which should be below the GFCI trip point. Test the charger on a
non-GFCI outlet (inside the house) and see if the charger works. If it
works, then most likely something is wrong with the GFCI outlet. If it does
not work on an inside outlet, then there is something wrong with the
charger. |
| Q. |
Can my charger be left on for an extended period of time? |
| A. |
The newer 3-step chargers have a float mode (3rd step) which maintains
the batteries at 13.3 volts (for lead-acid batteries) and 13.8 volts (for
gel-cell batteries). As long as the batteries are in good condition and you
maintain your water levels inside the batteries periodically (for lead-acid
batteries), then you can leave the charger on between fishing, boating
trips, etc. |
| Q. |
What charger setting do I have to use for AGM batteries? |
| A. |
AGM batteries can charge at the lead-acid setting on our battery
chargers. Our chargers are factory set for lead-acid so you do not have to
make any changes to the charger. |
| Q. |
Can I charge a lead-acid battery and a gel-cell battery
together? |
| A. |
Our chargers charge and float lead-acid batteries at a different voltage
than gel-cell batteries. You should not mix battery types because you are
going to compromise a battery if you charge it at the wrong setting. |
| Q. |
What is the difference between the older Ferro-Resonant chargers
and the newer 3-step chargers? |
| A. |
The older Ferro-resonant chargers were constant volt chargers that put
out 13.8 volts. They did not charge at a high voltage and then step down the
voltage for a maintenance mode. They are much bigger and heavier and most
often louder. |
| Q. |
How long will it take to charge my batteries? |
| A. |
The following equation will give you a good idea of how long it will
take to charge batteries.
Total Amp Hour capacity of the batteries
————————————————
Total amperage output of charger
= Total Hours To Charge Batteries
Example: 100 amp hour battery / 10 amp charger = 10 hours
If you drain your battery half-way (50%) then you would need to put 50
amps back into it. Based on the above equation it would take you 5 hours to
charge the battery.
If you have more than one battery, you will have to add up the amp hour
capacity of all the batteries and then divide by the total amp output of
charger to get charge time. |
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