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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

battery charger

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eguevara
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USA
111 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/19/2011 : 12:18:36

sorry guys I searched but I can't seem the find the location of the battery charger on this 1986 catalina 25.

any ideas?

-eddy

1986 C25 SR FK #5152
http://knoteasy.tumblr.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eddyguevara/sets/72157626204345986/

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3436 Posts

Response Posted - 03/19/2011 : 14:42:15

Are you sure you have one ?

I added a battery charger and mounted in the cabin near the battery boxes but in front of the quarterberth. Some may have mounted it accessed through the dumpster and mounted on the wall behind the sink area. Others may have mounted it near the battery box under the quarterberth area. A battery charger is an option that many original owners may have not purchased. Some time later, it's an option that many have added.

My battery charger is hard wired to the back of the AC outlet that is on my starboard side aft end of seat back wall. (Not shown)

Edited by - OLarryR on 03/19/2011 14:43:30

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4017 Posts

Response Posted - 03/19/2011 : 14:47:42

These boats didn't come from the factory with a charger. The only way you would have one is if a PO installed one.

Edited by - on

jhinton
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USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 03/19/2011 : 15:02:30

Larry,

Do you have your charger wires connected directly to the batteries or through something like a switch?

Edited by - on

OLarryR
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USA
3436 Posts

Response Posted - 03/19/2011 : 21:39:11

I have the Guest 5+5 charger. It has 2 leads for each battery and I have them directly connected to each battery (except for the fuse I installed for each set of leads).

Edited by - on

jhinton
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USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2011 : 05:36:35

Thank you!

Edited by - on

eguevara
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USA
111 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2011 : 09:03:47

Then it has to be hidden somewhere.. I know it has one I guess I gotta get in the dumpster and start chasing cables.

Thanks for all the help.

-eddy

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2011 : 12:51:07

Our charger is actually in the dumpster right next to the shore power inlet. i put a switch between the charger and bateries.

Edited by - on

Tom Gauntt
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204 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2011 : 16:57:42

Eddy,

I installed my battery charger under the aft quarterberth. I epoxied a mounting board underneath the forward part of the quarterberth to keep the run from the charger to the batteries as short as possible. It's a great location and it is well out of the way. Might want to check under there...

Edited by - on

dlucier
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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2011 : 17:38:36

My charger is mounted inside the starboard settee right next to the battery.

Edited by - on

eguevara
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USA
111 Posts

Response Posted - 02/12/2012 : 13:06:02

Ok guys since I finally got the boat moved I can now really start to work on it.
My thoughts so far about the charger is that I don't want it low in the boat. (in fear of getting water in the boat again)
If I mount it on the board behind the sink. Does it make sense to wire it right behind the battery switch?

Thanks in advance.

-eddy

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 02/12/2012 : 14:14:03

I would recommend mounting it behind the ladder on the vertical board that separates the quarterberth from the "dumpster" (aka sail locker, aka storage compartment under the port cockpit bench. That puts it out of the way, but easy enough to see the indicator lights on the charger.
Why not just store it out of the way and hook it up when you need it!

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 02/12/2012 : 15:48:29

They get hot, I wouldn't put it on the power awl bullhead itself. I put mine just below the power wall.

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GaryB
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USA
4300 Posts

Response Posted - 02/12/2012 : 18:26:46

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dmpilc
 I would recommend mounting it behind the ladder on the vertical board that separates the quarterberth from the "dumpster" (aka sail locker, aka storage compartment under the port cockpit bench. That puts it out of the way, but easy enough to see the indicator lights on the charger.
Why not just store it out of the way and hook it up when you need it!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
That's where mine is installed. It seems to get plenty of cooling air, is out of the way, and is in an area that stays dry.

Edited by - on

NautiC25
Admiral

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USA
957 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2012 : 06:09:20

Mine's in the dumpster. Doesn't need to be "checked" so much as gauges, so personally I'd rather keep it out of the way.

Edited by - on

eguevara
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USA
111 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2012 : 18:37:29

okay.. now next question.. I've been using this

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Battery-Charger-12-Volt/16203654

why should I switch to this?

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|328|985|316471&id=1450046

thanks in advance guys...

-eddy

Edited by - on

Ape-X
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USA
662 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2012 : 06:09:04

"Meets all Guest Harsh Environment Guidelines "

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Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2012 : 08:26:14

That's the unit I have...the Guest one you linked to. I'm very happy with it.

Why buy it instead of using the cheap Walmart unit?

Because the Guest unit is better. It's 10 amp instead of 1.5. It's made for the harsh marine environment. It's made to hard wire in. It is a charger and maintainer....not just a maintainer that charges. It is designed to take care of your house bank. The Walmart one is just a cheap battery maintainer. Sure, it'll work, but the superior Guest unit is only $99. Why is there even a question?

Cheap bugger.

Edited by - on

JimGo
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USA
962 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2012 : 09:36:19

Joe Diver, I think the question wasn't "why spend $99 instead of $27?", but rather, "why replace what I already have?" I'm in the same boat as Eddy - I have a battery maintainer that will also charge the boat. Yeah, I understand that my battery maintainer isn't marine grade. I got it for a very inexpensive price, and it works well in my garage to maintain/charge my lawn tractor (mower) battery and I'm using it on my boat battery too. For what I paid, I could afford to replace it easily 5-7 times before I came even close to the cost of the Guest charger, so if it's "just" an issue of not lasting, then that isn't really a big deal. By contrast, if it's an issue of the maintainers shorting out and causing a fire within the boat while the charge controlers are designed so this can't happen (which may be a bit of a stretch), then that's a different story.

From what I'm reading in your response, and the comments in other threads, one big reason (aside from the fire hazard, which I'm not intending to minimize) for something like the Guest unit is its ability to provide power to the "house" system WITHOUT draining the battery. The maintainer is meant to do just that - maintain the battery, and maybe charge it over a (fairly long) period of time. But it isn't meant to actually SOURCE current (electricity) for your house system. So, if you're sitting at a dock and watching an LCDTV and running a fridge that is hooked up to your 12V system, for example, when plugged in to shore power, the Guest can handle that (provided neither draws more than the 10A rating). By contrast, with the charge maintainer, the TV and fridge will be drawing down the battery the whole time. The maintainer will only provide, at best, a trickle of electricity. Eddy, you can think of it as the difference between trying to source water (electricity) from a container (in this analogy, the battery) that's supplied by a drip irrigation system (the battery maintainer) versus one supplied by a fire hose (a Guest-type system). The fire hose can quickly replenish the water, and can even directly source the water, whereas the drip irrigation system can't directly source the water, and refilling the container will take a long time.

Joe Diver, I agree, on balance even the $99 Guest unit is a cheap bugger. I think it really comes down to a question of your needs.

Edited by - JimGo on 02/14/2012 09:40:36

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3436 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2012 : 10:28:16

I have a Guest 5+5 - It independently charges 2 batteries. I only use it when I visit a marina overnight. Otherwise, I rely on my 20 watt solar panel to maintain the batteries throughout the year. It has a max charge of 1.2 amps but mainly charges between .4 - ,8 amps during daytimes depending on early-mid-late in the day charging.
I agree with Jim's thinking regarding maintaining the battery(ies) vs running loads that exceed the charging capability of the Walmart charger. Yes, the Guest and similar marine type chargers are specifically made for the marine use vs questionable with the Walmart charger. Also, many of the marine chargers are made for permanent hookups and not having to hook a charger in each time you use it. If I had the Walmart charger at home, I guess I would use it but if I were to be using the Walmart charger on a permanent basis for the boat, I would eventually go with a marine charger for the extra juice and not having to be concerned regarding anything that may corrode quicker on it which then may result in not so much a fire but lack of providing a charge and running the battery(ies) down.

But as in everything there are decisions on what you spend on upgrades. I would consider the Guest Charger okay but there are far superior marine chargers that cost probably double of the cost of Guest charger and multiple times the cost of the Walmart charger. It really comes down to what other projects you are working on and when to upgrade to a marine charger. The Walmart charger will probably do the job for maintaining the batteries but for extra insurance upgrading to a marine charger would be adviseable....but then which one for you.

Edited by - on

eguevara
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USA
111 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2012 : 11:26:02

awesome... sounds like I will need a guest charger when I start spending the night on the boat...
for now.. the walmart chargers will do...

Thanks guys..

-eddy

Edited by - on

Joe Diver
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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2012 : 12:00:17

My bad Jim....I know Eddy personally...he's a friend IRL and I'm just bagging on him. I forget you guys probably don't know that.

EDIT....I was calling Eddy cheap, not the Guest

Edited by - Joe Diver on 02/14/2012 12:02:40

JimGo
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USA
962 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2012 : 12:04:53

Ahhhh! Sorry, I didn't realize that. OK, NOW that explains the "cheap bugger" comment! LOL

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eguevara
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USA
111 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2012 : 12:46:40

I prefer to be called frugal... although I just paid $250 to get every line on my boat replaced...
so... not feeling very frugal right now..

-eddy

Edited by - on

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2012 : 14:09:44

$250 for all new running rigging? That's pretty dang frugal.....

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eguevara
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USA
111 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2012 : 14:50:51

jib sheets not included... those are ok...

3 halyards (main,jib, spin/drifter)
main sheet
2 traveler lines

-eddy

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