Battery charger recommendation

[Winged Pig]

The original Daytek battery charger in my 1998 272 seems to have given up the ghost. Still gets power but puts out nothing at the batteries. Fuse looks good and I will replace it to make sure, although I don't have much hope for it. Looking for recommendations for a replacement. I will be using shore power at the marina where I plan on running the fridge (DC) all the time, and will be using the air conditioner when it gets really hot so the boat is not an oven when we get to it.

I am trying to decide between the Mastervolt Power Charger (20 amp), Blue Sea systems P12 charger (25 amp) and the Pro Mariner ProNauticP charger (30 amp). None of these units are waterproof, but the old unit wasn't either and it lasted for a while. It is mounted in the aft compartment under the rear seat, close to the batteries, so I don't think the waterproof rating is a big deal. I have read a few bad reviews of the Xantrex chargers so I was not including them in my selection.

Looking to get some advise and or opinions/experience with any of these units.

Thanks.

 

[Graybeard]

those are some powerfull chargers. I had a Guest waterproof 10 amp duel bank charger on my old Parker and it kept the batteries charged and maintained. For my new Freedom 225 I got a Bass Pro waterproof 8 amp duel bank charger/maintainer. It was on sale and has more bells and wistles than the Guest. ;

 

[ROBERTH]

Check out the new Minn Kota chargers. I got one last year and it is excellent and has received good ratings from folks that have them as well. I installed mine on the transom, just under the lift out box for easy access. It has done a great job maintaining the batteries.

 

[Winged Pig]

Thanks for the replies. I am looking for a battery charger that can keep the batteries topped off while the boat is in it's slip (shore power) and a few things are running. Specifically the refrigerator, some lights and occasionally the live well. The A/C will obviously be run off shore power, I just mentioned that as a side note. I don't want a charger simply to charge the batteries, but one that can maintain them while the house battery supplies the other items mentioned.

I guess I should have mentioned all that in the first post, but I hope that helps.

 

[ROBERTH]

Not sure how to know if one can do that but I have been using mine all winter and I run the Stereo with sub woofer, lights at night, and run pumps for water, etc. and have not had any issue. Not sure the specs on how a charger can keep up with demand, but if demand is random, it does keep up no issue.
I don't recall reading about chargers ability to be used as a converter or not.

 

[ahill]

When my Guest failed I replaced it with a Genius 4 from Batteryguys.com.
Its a 4 bank & works great.
Installed nearly 3 years ago.

 

[Winged Pig]

I ended up getting a Mastervolt PowerCharger 20A unit. Seemed to be very simple and I found lots of good reviews on it. I plan on installing it this week. I'll try to post after it is installed to report on how it works.

 

[billfish33]

I bought a Dual Pro {Pro-series} 2 bank 3 years ago from charging chargers and it's been flawless,the Pro series is 15 amp per bank. It's also fully waterproof.

 

[ROBERTH]

Billfish33, curios with your photo. Sorry to hijack thread....Looks like you have a pump directly threaded on inlet of seacock valve and it goes somewhere, then it also feeds to another pump that goes somewhere?
Been trying to figure out how to add a second pump and not have to flip the 3 way valve when I want to rinse down vs livewell. Is this what you are doing? One feeds livewell and other feeds rinsedown and can run both at the same time?

 

[billfish33]

Robert,
I did away with thay Y-Valve , I couldn't run both at the same time with the old setup.
I use a shurflo bait sentry livewell pump ,
http://www.shurflo.com/marine-products/ ... fault.html
that's the white pump that's attached to the seacock, that pump has a pass-through that I connected to the washdown pump, the outlet from the baitsentry goes to the livewell.

Wire each pump independently to it's own dedicated breaker/switch.

 

[ROBERTH]

Gotcha! How well does the bait sentry pump work out? Does the one inlet for both pumps allow enough volume to run both at same time? In other words, when running the livewell, does the washdown get enough water?
This setup seems simple enough and I am tired of that Y-Valve!

 

[billfish33]

Both the washdown and bait sentry pumps run without restriction.
I'm going to add a standoff bracket from the bait-sentry to the sidewall for piece of mind.

I've had it like this for 2 seasons without any problems,but it really should have a bracket on it !

 

[ROBERTH]

Agree with that as I was thinking same. Now I see some options. I also wonder if I can just put in a 3 way fitting in place of where you have the bait sentry pump and then install another bait blaster or equivalent type pump mounted to bulkhead to rid of worry about a special bracket. I mainly was in fear that the single inlet would not provide enough water volume for the wash down if livewell was running.

 

[Winged Pig]

Installed my MasterVolt 20A battery charger today. Other than the usual effort of becoming a contortionist it went fairly easy. Turned it on and it went through it's internal checks and then went right to charging the batteries. After a few minutes I started to turn on some DC items and it powered them with no problem all the while reducing the current to the batteries as they moved from bulk through absorption towards float. Quiet and cool running, so far I think T'm going to be pretty happy with it.

 

[Bg56126]

Hey guys,

I know this thread has been quiet for a while but I'm running into the same issue with my 1999 272 Sailfish. The factory charger died (got my use of it) and I need to replace it. How has your experience been with the new charger? Any other recommendations?