Marine Battery Charger?

[Morpheus]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Gues...ryZ26455QQihZ010QQitemZ200222773489QQtcZphoto
Ok after reading all the threads my head is spinning :smt101

Is that a good deal and is it what I need?

I have a 06 240 Sundeck with 2 batteries. Eventually I may replace them with maint free ones so the charger needs to work with what I have now and what I might have in the future.

I don't need shore power or anything like that. I just want a nice convienent way to keep the boat charged when not in use. Right now it's kept in a garage so it will be easy to plugin.

In the future it may or maynot be in the garage.

 

[250SLX]

I have used this for both cars and boats and it works great.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+maintenance/battery+care/griot%27s+garage+battery+manager+iii.do

 

[NorCal Boater]

The words, "Marine Max" and "good deal" are not usually found in the same sentence.

 

[Sundancer]

There are a BUNCH of chargers out there and that's perfect. They are available from West Marine for a little more if that auction goes crazy. I had a 10 amp 2 bank Guest that served us nicely for many years on our 250 DA. In 8 years, we never used shorepower, so I just mounted it on the wall in the engine compartment and attached it to the batteries. I had the plug hanging out so I could just use a regular extension cord. The batteries were a lot happier!

The Guest is a smart charger, but does NOT have the equalization mode which reduces build up on the plates. I'm not entirely convinced that IS something I need! For about twice that cost, you can get a charger that does that. Personally, I'd go with the Guest for that situation. The best part is that it significantly reduces the amount of water your batteries need.

 

[Morpheus]

I have used this for both cars and boats and it works great.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+maintenance/battery+care/griot%27s+garage+battery+manager+iii.do

I'd like to stick with a marine unit that I can mount near the batteries.

The words, "Marine Max" and "good deal" are not usually found in the same sentence.

You have a very very good point however so far I've found some pretty good deals via ebay for them, like a bow table and leg for $50 and a ski jacket for $18.

There are a BUNCH of chargers out there and that's perfect. They are available from West Marine for a little more if that auction goes crazy. I had a 10 amp 2 bank Guest that served us nicely for many years on our 250 DA. In 8 years, we never used shorepower, so I just mounted it on the wall in the engine compartment and attached it to the batteries. I had the plug hanging out so I could just use a regular extension cord. The batteries were a lot happier!

The Guest is a smart charger, but does NOT have the equalization mode which reduces build up on the plates. I'm not entirely convinced that IS something I need! For about twice that cost, you can get a charger that does that. Personally, I'd go with the Guest for that situation. The best part is that it significantly reduces the amount of water your batteries need.

All that's over my head I know very little when it comes to battries. Right now I've had the boat over a year and the water level in them has not gone down at all and they have always been charged I've not had to charge them. I'd just like to get the piece of mind that in the future that will stay the same as the batteries age.

I'll probably mount the outlet on the outside of the boat (saw someone had that) so that the admiral (and I) don't have to climb in the boat once it's in the garage to plug it in.

Reading that it seems that it's for 2 12v or 1 24volt and I imagine I just connect it directly to the batteries.

And that auction is a buy it now/make an offer type deal so I'm not really bidding on it per say normally I email them and offer then less then they want or ask for free shipping which makes it an even better deal, free shipping, no tax, maybe a lower price.

As for mounting it in the boat. This has been something I've been wondering how things like this should be done. Do you just drill into the fiberglass? Seems like that would leave lots of wholes or do you mount it on some starboard with screws and then mount the starboard on the fiberglass with some 3M marine adhesive.

 

[chuck1]

I think that is what I've got mounted in MS Judy. Has worked fine for me. If all you are adding is the Charger and going to plug it in at your garage you don't need the shore power. I added Shore power to MS Judy because I wanted the bilge heater & other AC options. Plus most marinas will not let you use the 30 to 15/20 amp converters any more. As to mounting it, MM did it for me and it is mounted in front off the batteries with screws into the bulkhead behind the port side lounge seat.

 

[Sorrento 25]

I have used this for both cars and boats and it works great.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+maintenance/battery+care/griot%27s+garage+battery+manager+iii.do

This is what you need.

 

[Nehalennia]

I sure like the built in one I just finished installing but it you're not permanently mounting it then the Griot's unit looks like it has the "smart" charger part figured out which is important. The only thing it doesn't do is the two banks automatically. You'll have to switch when one is done.
If you want to buy a built in unit, the ProMariner ProMite 5/5 which can do two banks of batteries.
It runs around $110 at Cabelas
If you're just using it at home you can simply wire in a Quick connect inlet

Guest also makes a new "Intelligent Charger" that sounds similar to the promite.

Let us know what you do.

 

[Morpheus]

I sure like the built in one I just finished installing but it you're not permanently mounting it then the Griot's unit looks like it has the "smart" charger part figured out which is important. The only thing it doesn't do is the two banks automatically. You'll have to switch when one is done.
If you want to buy a built in unit, the ProMariner ProMite 5/5 which can do two banks of batteries.
It runs around $110 at Cabelas
If you're just using it at home you can simply wire in a Quick connect inlet

Guest also makes a new "Intelligent Charger" that sounds similar to the promite.

Let us know what you do.

As I said before I want a marine one. I won't be at the boat to "switch" the battery that's charging. I want to be able to plug it in and go away for a month or two knowing when I get back both batteries will be fully charged.

As for Mounting Todd since you've done some upgrades, do I just screw it into the boat or do I 3M adhesive some starboard and mount it with screws to that?

 

[Nehalennia]

As I said before I want a marine one. I won't be at the boat to "switch" the battery that's charging. I want to be able to plug it in and go away for a month or two knowing when I get back both batteries will be fully charged.

As for Mounting Todd since you've done some upgrades, do I just screw it into the boat or do I 3M adhesive some starboard and mount it with screws to that?

On the inside of my engine bay there are strips of wood that are fiberglass encapsulated.
I’m not sure you have those or not; look for raised areas on the inside walls of your engine bay that other things are mounted to. Also on the Sundeck I think you have the engine cover instead of a hatch so you may be able to mount it nearby in a gunwhale or “Gunrail”, but ensure it doesn’t or cant get wet.
Here you see the old charger

I made a piece of ply wood and painted it that had the same bolt pattern of the old charger mounting holes. I traced the new charger and jig sawed it out to match.

Then I mounted the charger to the new board

I would get that Promariner ProMite 5/5 or that Guest Smart unit. They both are smaller and will do what you want. Make sure it’s ventilated and again away from water. That may be your challenge is finding a location.