R25 Battery charger

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Rebel

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Fluid Motion Model
C-248 C
Hull Identification Number
FMLT2565K708
Vessel Name
JOHN'S FOLLY (2008)
I am putting my R25 into storage for the winter. Storage will be inside on an unheated RV barn in Albany, OR. I have looked at how difficult it would be to disconnect and remove the 4 batteries and would like to leave them in place. I have looked at the battery charger, which I am able to power throughout the winter, and want to know if it is safe to leave power connected to the batteries through the charger for the entire winter or would I be less likely to damage them by turning off the charger and just keeping the batteries warm. The charger is a ProSport20 Plus. I have no knowledge of the capabilities of this charger. Any comments would be appreciated.
John Turner
 
John,
When we had our Catalina sailboat, I would leave the charger plugged in all the time. There would at times be two to three months between uses. You will need to be sure and keep the fluid level of the batteries up to the proper levels by checking regularly.
 
If you have access to power, my suggestion would be to connect the charger to a 24 hour timer set to turn on/off at specific time each day. For example, turn on the charger each day for one hour. This would keep your batteries topped off and you would not need to be concerned with over-charging.

Tuggin Aweigh
 
I appreciate the comments. I believe I will implement the use of a timer. Sounds like a real good idea for my motor home as well. Thanks, John Turner
 
Look up the specs on your charger. It should be a smart charger. It can be plugged in all the time. It should trickle charge an amp or so. If not, a smart trickle charger is not all that expensive. And can be very small.
captd
 
captd,

Don't smart chargers just sense the batteries' charge when in the "float" phase and not do any charging? And when sensing that charging is needed, add charge as needed?

I seem to recall that trickle charging could lead to overcharging.

Gene
 
Thank you for your suggestion. I have looked up the information on the charger and also information on batteries. In addition I have been monitoring the terminal voltage of the batteries with the charger on. Information about batteries says they should be float charged between 13.2 and 13.5 volts. The output of the charger holds steady at 13.26 volts (using a cheap analog meter). Looks like the charger can be left energized continuously without damage to the batteries. I will be monitoring battery water level periodically so all should be good.
John Turner, Albany OR
R-25, John,s Folly
 
John,
Do watch the water level on your batteries closely. When we purchased Solitude we had wet cell batteries. I was filling these every two to three weeks (not an easy task....). After doing this for a year, I switched over to gel cells. No more filling. When we made the purchase of Karma, I had the factory swap out the wet cells for AGM batteries.

For years we have always left the charger energized on our boats thus insuring fully charged batteries on each trip. Other than the water level, we have had no issues.
 
Having gone through a set of batteries on the Laurie Ann and added a whole lot water them and seen the battery casings swell from lots of charging, when the tug is in our driveway, I run the charger for a 24 hour period every week or so. This keeps the batteries at 12.8 volts. Automation is great, but it does not replace good monitoring and adjusting as needed.
 
Any trickle mode charger that holds a flooded cell lead-acid battery above 12.7 volts continuously will lose water...
Using a timer to charge them 30-60 minutes a day is almost fool proof...
If you are using the factory smart charger built in, it will charge for a few minutes, the batteries will top off and the charger will drop back to trickle mode...
On my plane's gel cell battery the charger shows charge for roughly 30-60 seconds and then the trickle light comes on...
On the tractors, bulldozer, etc. the chargers show 8-10 amps charge for 5-10 minutes and then the current falls way off (I have no smart chargers for 200 pound batteries)
These short charge periods lose almost no water over a winter...


denny-o
 
rt11002003":1cl3ogpy said:
captd,

Don't smart chargers just sense the batteries' charge when in the "float" phase and not do any charging? And when sensing that charging is needed, add charge as needed?

I seem to recall that trickle charging could lead to overcharging.

Gene
Click to expand...

Gene,
Their are good chargers and their are bad chargers. If you get a good one, it will moniter your batteries better then you can. It will not boil the water out of your batteries. They will not over charge your batteries. Also keep in mind "surface charge" it will show full charge because of surface charge after disconnecting your charger, but with a slight draw it will drop off quickly, indicating a cell going bad. A good trickle phase will sense this. This doesnot relieve you of the job of checking your water level. Evaporation is going to take place.
I have gone totally for AGM batteries. The charger must be ajustable if you change types of batteries. 1st time in all my boating years that I don't worry about the batteries. I just check the flow of power coming from the solar panels and the status of the charge in all the batteries. Just to make me feel good. Kind of like watching tv. 😉

captd
 
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