# Battery Chargers



## Waterwings (Dec 6, 2007)

Thought I'd start a new topic (no, it's not about a Zune, lol). Wondering how many of you have onboard battery chargers on your rigs, or how many charge their batts from a portable charger? I currently have a 2-bank 8amp Guest Charger which works pretty good for charging the 2 batteries on my rig.


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## Jim (Dec 6, 2007)

I have a GUEST 2 bank 10amp per side charger. It stays plugged in 24/7/365 unless the boat is in the water. My bilge fuse fell out 1 day while it was raining and the charger was completely submerged...no problems. I will stick with Guest from now on unless I have issues.


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## redbug (Dec 7, 2007)

i have a dual pro 4 bank 10 amp charger it works great and also stays plugged in ear round

Wayne


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## Mattman (Dec 7, 2007)

On board 3 bank Dual Pro plugged in constantly. Wouldn't have it any other way.


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## shamoo (Dec 7, 2007)

i have a two bank minn kota and i'm going to try the leaving it plugged in all winter, Ive tried this for a couple months and it seems fine, i usually take the batteries in but got a case of the lazies so if this works all well, just checked the acid level couple weeks ago and are good to go


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## ACarbone624 (Dec 10, 2007)

I use this one...got it at Walmart for less than $20 and it works great!


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## shamoo (Dec 10, 2007)

Mr. AC, does the charger have a trickle down on it/


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## ACarbone624 (Dec 11, 2007)

It charges at 1.5amps then switches to a float mode when its charged. I leave it plugged in all the time.


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## pbw (Dec 11, 2007)

I use one of these.


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## Popeye (Dec 11, 2007)

Guest 2 bank 5 amp per bank. Plug it in after each use until late evening and if all green lites, unplug otherwise it charges overnite and unplug in the am.


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## ANDREW J. (Mar 10, 2008)

I use a Stay n Charge system. charges battery off your tow vehicles system, takes about 15 mintues. 
costs about $49... easy to install, pays for it's self fast


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## Jim (Mar 10, 2008)

ANDREW J. said:


> I use a Stay n Charge system. charges battery off your tow vehicles system, takes about 15 mintues.
> costs about $49... easy to install, pays for it's self fast



I have heard great things about that system!


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## Pont (Mar 10, 2008)

Cabelas Pro sport II 20amp with the Cabelas AGM's. Keeping my fingers crossed that I will have no problems. They have had awsome reviews. Let's just hope they live up to there name. Usually anything cabela's puts there name on ends up being pretty good.


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## Waterwings (Mar 10, 2008)

I just recently purchased the _Guest_ 2-bank 10amp charger from Cabela's. It was on-sale for $99.00 (don't know if it still is).


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## ANDREW J. (Mar 10, 2008)

Jim said:


> ANDREW J. said:
> 
> 
> > I use a Stay n Charge system. charges battery off your tow vehicles system, takes about 15 mintues.
> ...



I never have to take the battery out of the boat, it charges to the pond and back , with our high electric rates it pays for it's self in a few months..


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## Popeye (Mar 10, 2008)

15 minutes? How far run down is the battery to be able to be recharged in 15 minutes? I might have to look into this more because I was told any drive less than 30 minutes and it wouldn't be worth my while.


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## Starfire01 (Mar 10, 2008)

Is there an actual "deep cycle'" charger for marine batteries or will my SEARS brand charger work? It has a 2 amp/10amp or start setting. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Waterwings (Mar 10, 2008)

The Sears charger will charge your batteries, however, the marine chargers are designed to basically work in three stages, with the last "stage" of the charging slowly "topping-off" the batteries at a slower rate to what they call "conditioning" I believe. You'll get a better/more complete charge from the marine-type chargers.


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## Starfire01 (Mar 10, 2008)

okay. I think for now I am getting the portable charger .....I don't have the funds for a 4 bank on board charger. Any name brand portables you recommend? I noticed the minn kota has a 2 bank portable charger for $100. Comments?


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## Waterwings (Mar 10, 2008)

Are you using 4 batteries?


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## Starfire01 (Mar 10, 2008)

yeah, here is the scoop. At the moment, I have two batteries. One for the OB the second for the accesories (live well, bilge and lights). I am getting a 24 volt TM. I am getting 2 new batteries for the TM. The OB and acc. battery is in the back of the boat, the TM will be on the bow. I realize that I can run the accesories and the OB off the same battery. I still want to get 2 of the same size, new batteries for the TM. 

Are the AGM (cabelas) batteries gel cells?


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## ANDREW J. (Mar 10, 2008)

flounderhead59 said:


> 15 minutes? How far run down is the battery to be able to be recharged in 15 minutes? I might have to look into this more because I was told any drive less than 30 minutes and it wouldn't be worth my while.


I fish with a trolling motor only. about 3-4 hours a trip, never had the battery run down. the ponds i fish are 15-20 minutes away. remeber it charges in both directions. I had the same questions before I bought the system


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## sccamper (Mar 10, 2008)

I have an old Shumaker trickle charger 2/6amp I think. Charge on 2 amp after every trip, usually takes a few hours. My boat is parked in "my" toy box at the end of the yard, no power out there. If I did I would get an onboard. System I use now has worked fine for 4-5 years.


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## ANDREW J. (Apr 30, 2008)

flounderhead59 said:


> 15 minutes? How far run down is the battery to be able to be recharged in 15 minutes? I might have to look into this more because I was told any drive less than 30 minutes and it wouldn't be worth my while.


20 minutes driving time works for me, the owner of company the said 15 minutes would work. remember it charges to and from the lake.
for you guys that use trickle chagers to rechage a battery after it's run down, you need to charge with at least 10 amps, 15 amps would be better


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## cdover73 (Jun 4, 2008)

Anybody ever used this?

https://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=27369&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

I am thinking of buying it for mine. I use two batteries on my new Lowe Stinger. OB battery has the accessories on it. The other is strictly for trolling. It came from Cabelas this way, but I didn't like this set up initially because I have always used the OB battery by itself for cranking purposes only and ran the acc on the trolling battery. My priorities may be different, but I would rather run down the trolling battery and still be able to crank up and get back to the landing! However, with the current set up, the cranking battery should never go dead because it is hooked to the alternator. Besides, the few acc I have on it don't pull that much anyway. So I can leave it the way it is. My trolling battery is not hooked to the alternator. I find that a hard day fishing leaves the battery well drained from trolling. It would be nice to be able to charge on the water by cranking up and running the OB a while.
I am only hesistant in this product because I don't how much of a strain it will put on my OB or alternator. What do you all think?


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## Jim (Jun 4, 2008)

Hopefully someone has used it, because in theory it sounds like a great idea. The reviews were somewhat favorable (take them for what they are worth).


My G3 is set up the same way all accessories off the starting battery.


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## cdover73 (Jun 4, 2008)

I have always wondered what the difference is in using an onboard charger vs a portable one. It seems to me the only difference is the onboard stays connected at all times so all you have to do is plug it in while the boat is in the garage. I don't mind having to hook up two alligator clips before plugging in. Neither system doesn't seem to solve the problem of having to charge up before going out regardless! Is it just a matter of preference or does an onboard system offer more?


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## Jim (Jun 4, 2008)

cdover73 said:


> I have always wondered what the difference is in using an onboard charger vs a portable one. It seems to me the only difference is the onboard stays connected at all times so all you have to do is plug it in while the boat is in the garage. I don't mind having to hook up two alligator clips before plugging in. Neither system doesn't seem to solve the problem of having to charge up before going out regardless! Is it just a matter of preference or does an onboard system offer more?



It offers no real advantage except a dedicated charger for your boat. I still lift the hatch run a cord and plug it in= PITA.

I thought the stayncharge had a system for the boat (no need to use the truck) if your motor was big enough.


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## Jigger (Jun 4, 2008)

My Sears charger quit 1 week before the warranty ran out. The guy at the store was acting like he didn't want to honor it, went to talk to the supervisor. He came back and gave me a brand new one.

Of course right after that a guy in our club tried the Stay-n-Charge and got the club members a discount. I didn't get one because I had a brand new charger. So I hoss my troll motor battery out of the jon boat after every trip and charge it.

The rear battery doesn't get used as much, its runs the bilge, livewell pump and starts the big Merc (25hp). I usually run an extention cord out to the driveway and charge it while I put my tackle away and un-hitch the boat.


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