View Full Version : How big of a battery charger?
walleyes13
03-13-2002, 06:13 PM
I want to put a battery charger on my boat. I think my starting battery can sustain itself so I'm primarily concerned with my 2 trolling motor batteries. Is the Guest model 2620 big enough with the 20 amps to charge my batteries over night if I would run them way down the day before. I just want to make sure that I buy a big enough charger. Also is there a charger out there that is better than Guest. Thanks for you help!
The general rule of thumb that most folks use is to use a 10 amp charger per battery. If you have a 2 bank charger - a total of 20 amps - at 10 amps each -- great.
The units that are only 6 amps are really too small.
The 15 or 20 amp chargers are nice - if you have very large trolling motor batteries, and routinely run them all the way down in a day's fishing -- as might be the case for a tournament fisherman - who needs to fish in heavy wind with his trolling motor.
I don't know if I necessarily agree with the - not needing a charger for the starting battery.
If you are a typical fisherman - who runs to his spot - then uses his trolling motor for a good deal of the day and or night - all the while running his electronics, bilge pump, live well pump, marine band radio, depth finders etc. etc. etc - off his starting battery could easily find yourself with a dead starting battery - when it is time to go home. If you do get it started - make a short run back to the dock - and then do it again the next day - could easily find yourself without starting power by t he 2nd or 3rd day.
If you are going to the expense of getting an on board charger - and have two trolling motor batteries - I would certainly entertain the thought of getting a 3 bank charger - so that you can maintain your starting battery in its peak charged condition. Remember - these are fully automatic battery chargers - so if a battery doesn't need a charge - it will shut itself off. However, if you do need a charge - it will quickly restore its full charge potential.
Take care
REW
walleyes13
03-14-2002, 05:37 PM
I appreciate your help. Thanks
Dave Q
03-14-2002, 08:53 PM
Apart from the longer charge time is there any disadvantage to a 5,5,3 amp charger. {Guest 2613} THANK YOU.