Charging battery with amps connected ok?

(bendow) · (bendow) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 05-17-2011, 3:34 PM

I have my entire stereo running off its own battery bank, head unit, 2 amps. Is it ok to charge the batteries without disconnecting the stereo? I don't have an on/off (Perko) switch. The only switch I have is to turn the head unit on and off. I don't mind taking the a few seconds to remove power/ground for the amps from the battery, but don't want to loose my settings on the head unit.

(hatepain) · (hatepain) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 05-17-2011, 3:37 PM

Yes

(david_e_m) · (david_e_m) **Join Date: Jul 2008** 05-17-2011, 3:40 PM

A battery charger can potentially induce noise if the stereo is 'ON'.
If the stereo is 'OFF' there is no reason to or benefit in disconnecting any stereo wiring while AC shore charging. Simply turning the stereo 'OFF' is all the isolation that is required.
David
Earmark Marine

(bendow) · (bendow) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 05-17-2011, 3:42 PM

YES! something I wanted to hear

So can I also hardwire the leads from the battery charger to the terminal posts on the battery?

(bill_airjunky) · (bill_airjunky) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 05-17-2011, 4:23 PM

Sounds like you want to look up "dual bank on board battery chargers". A number of guys on this site have installed chargers like this in our boats. Brands like Guest, Pro Mariner, and BatteryTender.

It's a great option to have in the boat. No messing with batteries, chargers & connections. Just park the boat, plug the charger in & cover it. Done.

(05mobiuslsv) · (05mobiuslsv) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 05-17-2011, 4:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bendow

YES! something I wanted to hear

So can I also hardwire the leads from the battery charger to the terminal posts on the battery?

How else would you hook up an "onboard charger". If you took it in and out it wouldn't really be an onboard charger.

(david_e_m) · (david_e_m) **Join Date: Jul 2008** 05-17-2011, 5:53 PM

benjamin,
The charger has built in one way isolation so its not a problem for it to wired permanently and in parallel with the alternator output. No back feed. There's nothing to worry about.

David
Earmark Marine

(bendow) · (bendow) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 05-17-2011, 7:33 PM

sweet. Thanks guys.

I guess I should have been more clear when I asked about hardwiring the battery charger leads. I have 2 battery terminals...there's (2) 0ga outputs on each terminal. I wanted to cut the connector rings off the Prosport 20 Gen2 battery leads and wire them into the vacant outputs on the battery terminals. Is there any issues with doing that?

On another note, I have 2 Prosport 20's. 1 of them is to charge the 2 Trojan 6v's (315ah total). Promariner told me if I double up the leads to charge 1 battery the charger will see it as one battery...I wonder if this decreases the charge time?

(hatepain) · (hatepain) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 05-17-2011, 8:05 PM

I spoke with an electrical engineer for yachts and was told that you should set your charger up to see your batter bank as one big battery. He told me that it gives you and even charge across the bank. He had me connect the negative to one battery at the end of the bank and the positive to the other end. This has worked brilliantly for me.

(bendow) · (bendow) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 05-18-2011, 2:49 PM

Thanks hate.

So has anyone ever cut of the ring connections on the battery leads and wired it in to a battery terminal with the allen wrench type clamps?

(bendow) · (bendow) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 05-19-2011, 6:36 AM

Bump.

I want to cut the ring connectors off the battery charger leads and plug in it to a battery terminal like the one in the pic below...has anyone done this???

(bill_airjunky) · (bill_airjunky) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 05-19-2011, 8:20 AM

Apparently not.
I don't really see the point.

(bendow) · (bendow) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 05-19-2011, 8:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill_airjunky

Apparently not.
I don't really see the point.

There is a point. I have 2 +/- battery post...with battery terminals attach...where my power/ground for the amps are. I would have to remove the terminals and attach the battery charger leads every time I wanted to charge the battery.

(shawndoggy) · (shawndoggy) **Join Date: Nov 2009** 05-19-2011, 9:22 AM

You could, and it would work fine. But why not mount your ring terminals under the bolts on the top of the terminals? That's what those bolts are for....

mojo 05-19-2011, 10:56 AM

was charging my batteries yesterday with m ctek. after a night they were charged and i left it on, only to see the charger go back to half charge. then later the battery it was installed on was like smoking almost out of the little "foam" looking circles near the edge of an optima. any ideas what thats all about?

(bill_airjunky)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bendow

There is a point. I have 2 +/- battery post...with battery terminals attach...where my power/ground for the amps are. I would have to remove the terminals and attach the battery charger leads every time I wanted to charge the battery.

Then go for it. I don't see any reason why you can't.

I just put the ring terminal under the bolt like SD explained. Never have touched them since.

(bendow) · (bendow) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 05-19-2011, 11:37 AM

Thanks SD and Bill.

Didn't even consider the bolt as an option...lol