• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Battery Charger Not Charging

Filkee

Sustaining Member
I'm beginning to believe that my battery charger is not charging. I have solar panels so I have more power than I know what to do with during the day and I live on a mooring so I'm rarely plugged in to shore power. When I am, my outlets work and my water heater works but I wake up in the morning and my batteries are not topped off (at least according to the solar controller). I sometimes hear the cooling fan go on at night.

The unit is inside my chart table so it's hard to get to but when I take off the vent cover I can see that the "ready" and "charging" LED's light up but I don't see the current LED's light up except when they cycle during startup.

I've read that there are fuses inside the unit but I would have to get it out from inside the chart table and disconnected to open it up so before I start ripping out furniture, I'm wondering if there are any other bright ideas out there.



charger.jpg
 

Baslin

Member III
The charger in the picture I believe will only come on and charge the battery when plugged into an AC electrical source like from shore power or a generator
 

Baslin

Member III
Sorry I misread your post, I thought this was only happening when you are on a mooring ball......So when you plug into shore power and flip the switch for the battery charger, you dont see an increase in battery voltage? Your issue is most likely the charger. When we bought our boat we had the same issue with a Xantrex charger. It would come on, charge the batteries for a while and then stop...The problem became worse and finally it would not turn on at all......I replaced the Xantrax with a Pro-Nautic and it has been working perfect for 4 years. Im not sure how old your charger is but it may be bad...You might just check and make sure the charge cables from the charger to the batteries are in good condition...These chargers also like a well ventilated area. At least as well ventilated as we can get them.
 

Filkee

Sustaining Member
I'm going to pull the panel and make sure there's not an in-line fuse I've missed somewhere but I'm guessing this is a 1990's installation at best along with a matching inverter which is rarely used.

Next question is how do I get the old one out of there? It's in the space under the chart storage between the kick panel of the chart table and the back of the dinette. Anyone ever done this surgery?
 

1911tex

Sustaining Member
Filkee: I have the same Statpower True Charger except mine is 20 amp. Ericson must have bought them by the Gross. Mine acts the same way as yours whenever the shore power is in and charger switch is on...Maybe the reason the charge lights go off is that the batts are full charged? The current LED's will only be seen when they are charging. I don't see a problem.

My battery temp switch on my charger is on, yours is off...if that makes any difference? But you say you hear the cooling fan go on/off at night...means the charger is working. Mine is located in the starboard cockpit lazaret, against the forward panel so I cannot hear the cooling fan go on.

When using shore power, how do you know the batteries' charge level are not topped off if you are only depending on your solar controller for accuracy? When is the last time you checked batterys distilled water level?

A good test when plugged into shore power, would be to switch the main panel charger switch to "off". Make sure solar is off. Run some heavy 12V outlet accessories for an hour or more to draw down the batteries. Then turn the battery charger switch back "on" and check the LED's on the charger. If LED's stay on...all is ok. If not, you have your answer.
 
Last edited:

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
If our present charger dies, I will probably get a Sterling charger ...

My local bricks-n-morter marine electronics store likes them, as well.
 

Tom Metzger

Sustaining Partner
How about we just swap boats and you sell mine?

Great idea. I like it. Of course, I couldn't give you the grill cover, lines and fenders, or the battery charger. I wonder if the admiral would like to keep a little smaller boat.
 
Last edited:

Filkee

Sustaining Member
Great idea. I like it. Of course, I couldn't give you the grill cover, lines and fenders, or the battery charger. I wonder if the admiral would like to keep a little smaller boat.
She sails like a dinghy. Maybe you could tell her it’s really a dinghy. That’s why there’s no grill cover.
 

Guzzisailor

Member II
If the ammeter on the charger is at 0% (indicating full charge) Disconnect shore power. Then disconnect battery for 1 hour. Put multimeter on battery should read 12.6-12.4 VDC which would be 100% - 75% charge which means charger is good.
 

Filkee

Sustaining Member
Conversely, I left it plugged in all night and it went down to 11.9. I’m so rarely on shore power that it’s not an emergency, but I’d like to be able to plug in when I’m on the hard this winter.
 

markvone

Sustaining Member
When my old charger died, I switched to the 20 amp Sterling charger referenced by Loren and sold by MaineSail on his website. It has worked fine and seems like a quality unit. I got the optional remote control panel ($82). My PO installed a very complicated electrical system with multiple charging options. I'm mostly on shore power so the optional remote panel really helps me monitor the charger status.
Note: The 10 amp charger is currently on sale at MaineSail's website for $170.

Mark
 

Filkee

Sustaining Member
Thanks everybody!

Two more questions because I think in circles rather than straight lines:

1. The charger is paired with a same brand inverter. As long as all the specs are the same, that shouldn’t be a worry, right?

2. the existing unit is behind the kick panel of the chart table. It looks like the only way in is through the swing cabinet under the chart tubes.Is there a remarkably simple way to open up that space that I’m missing out on?
 

Sailingfun

Member III
That charger is a very old model, time to change. Would suggest Mastervolt if you can afford it or Promariner on the economic side.
Just an observation for everybody. 10 years is the time spam any electronic gadget is designed for. After 10 years, you are getting "extra time"
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
EY installed a "ferro resonant" battery charger in our boat when it was built out, in 1988. Heavy, maybe 20 plus pounds. When we bought this boat in the 90's, that 'old technology' charger had boiled the existing batteries dry and ruined them. First major change to the boat was a solid state charger, which worked well, but I lost trust in it after the case inhaled some hydroscopic dry powder from a leaked-out fire extinguisher. Replaced it with a Pro Mariner, and while it continues to work fine, it does have a noisy fan. As often as the fan kicks on, even when the main bank is mostly full, I do not believe that their charger design is very efficient. (IMHO and YMMV)

Those 80's chargers were often called 'hummers' and 'closet warmers' by technicians that I know, and while the devices were durable, you had to add water to your batteries weekly. It's a good thing we have modern info sources like the articles from Compass Marine (RC Collins).
 

Sailingfun

Member III
Uff!! I remember those heathers so-called battery charger!! Horrible regulation and questionable technology! But on the '80 when I started working on the trade was the only option.
Now, every time I found one I stress the boat owner to replace it. Unreliable, heavy, and dangerous after 30 years...
Thanks for the new technology!!
 
Top