Maintaining battery Charge

A_Nomad
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by A_Nomad »

Thanks for all the info boys, good stuff


Cheers,
Brad
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Tropical IV
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by Tropical IV »

OK here is a question. I have dual batteries each +ve terminal going to a selector switch (1,2, or 1+2) and the -ve terminals joined. The +ve terminals then go through a 60amp circuit breaker, then both go onto an anderson plug for the Minn Kota.

I also have a smart charger with an anderson plug attachment. Can I simply plug the charger into the Minn kota anderson plug and will it charge back through the circuit breaker to the batteries.
mike davis
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by mike davis »

On another note my main battery got a bit low on volts which when I went to start the motor tripped the alarm horn so it sounds constantly which in turn blow a circuit in the ECU(the main computer unit in outboard). Which means I'm up for a lazy $3000 to replace the unit. I'm thinking that this not a common thing to happen but is obviously a bad fault with optimax motors. Think I will investigate the anderson plug setup a bit more now and keep the batteries fully charged from now on.
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by mike davis »

Can someone explain the anderson plug setup a bit better or can I find it on youtube or google
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by pmck12 »

Hey all,

I've been reading this subject with a fair bit of interest. I have not seen or heard of the anderson plug setup prior to this forum.
I'd also be keen to see and/or hear about setup for the Anderson Plug.

Any pictures/diagrams etc would be awesome. :mrgreen:

Cheers
Basstad
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by Basstad »

Anderson plugs are just a more heavy duty connector socket for boats cars etc.......They come in 50a and 100a as far as I know and have been around for years.......most quality charges nowadays come pre wired with them........just do a google search their will be lots of info on them.
nomad
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by nomad »

Just a tip. dont leave the switch on for a month and expect the nattery to be ok :banghead: New batt tomorrow for me
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by AJay »

nomad wrote:Just a tip. dont leave the switch on for a month and expect the nattery to be ok :banghead: New batt tomorrow for me
Yeah i was left with the same issue on my last boat after taking it in for a service at a local mercury dealer and not checking the isolator when picking the boat up. Wanted to head out about two weeks later and both batts flat as a tack. Was annoyed to say the least.
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Tropical IV
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by Tropical IV »

Thanks for the info guys. I went to the automotive electrical install guys at our workshop today and they also said it would be fine. I have had it on charge now for 5 hours and it took about 20 minutes for number 2 battery (i had it switched to 2 first) to take a charge then the VSR kicked in and it has been charging both batteries at 14.4 v 16 amps. Once it gets to the top of the absorbtion phase it should float at about 13.7 which will keep the VSR closed so that both batts are also linked. A pretty cheap but very effective system I think.
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Re: Maintaining battery Charg

Post by craig.g »

I have 2 batteries one for electric and one for outboard, with the off, 1, 2 or both isolator switch.
I just leave isolator in off position and charge my electric battery for a few days prior to use, do the same for main if I think it needs it but its normally OK, I just plug charger straight to battery terminals, anderson plugs would be good but more poop to break!
been working with no hassles for a couple of years now.

cheers Craig
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Kimberlite
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by Kimberlite »

You NEVER should not put your battery isolator on both to charge batteries, they should be done individually or you could damage a good battery if it is paralleled to a poor battery. You need to use the correct charger for the battery chemistry and if you are charging both say AGM trolling motor batteries together with SLA wet cell starting batteries you have wasted $450 to $900 (depending on you trolling motor voltage) on AGMs if they do not have the charging parameter right,which is far different from your start batts.

If you use the right charger and treat your AGMs well they can last 10+ years

Many people are blinded by the sales talk at the counter but really need to be advised by a competent sparky before wasting money.

I modify and rewire many systems each month so the customer can gain maximum use from the batteries and also can go wide without fear of losing power to get back to land, yes it costs a bit more but that is insurance paid (or assurance!)

Don't let sales people blind you with guff is my main point
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by ronje »

Sorry but can't help myself.

Maxpower has it right. Different types of batteries have different charging regimes.

wrt taking terminals off or not, I always do with the reason being that if the battery has dropped a cell or is open circuit inside the battery due to a fault, you can have a situation where the battery is not presenting a load to the charger and you end up with the charger connected directly across your boat electrics without the buffering protection of a battery.

Not common but it happens. Then you could have a real problem.
Regards
Ronje
darwinguy
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by darwinguy »

All the advice above is correct, Just need to sort out what set up you have and charge accordingly. But always disconnect power to the charger before installing and removing charging clamps.
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Re: Maintaining battery Charge

Post by Gagey »

It was good to come back and review this topic and remind me what I haven't done yet.
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