Charging bateries on the go

[Big Fish]

This might be kind of off the wall, but has anyone tried plugging a 110V converter into the accessory socket and then plugging your onboard charger into that to charge trolling batteries on the go? cw

[fishy1]

go to youre nearest high performance stereo dealer and have them install one of those lightning alternaters then run a wire from the alternater to youre boat but remember to use an isolater that way when one batt. is charged the current goes to a battery that needs it
you can charge four batteries in a five hour drive with two isolaters but its gonna pull on the motor quite a bit when the lghtn charger is pullin hard

[Big Fish]

I was thinking more of charging trolling batteries from the acc. socket in the boat while running the big motor or trolling with the kicker. Like I said this might be kind of far fetched.. cw

[MK]

I've never tried it but can't think of any reason it wouldn't work, except for the acc. outlet. I don't think it would handle the current, they are usually fused at 10-15 amps max.

Just to guess at some numbers, if you had a 10/10 amp charger, the numbers might look something like this:

Assume the charger is 80% efficient, 20 amps charger output/.80 = 25 amps input to the charger. Now assume the inverter is also 80% efficient, you have 25 amps/.80 = 31.25 amps input, rounded to 32 amps @ 12 volts from the main motor's alternator to the inverter input line. You would need about 32 amps input to the inverter, more than the acc. socket will take but you could wire a special outlet for the inverter or wire it direct. This is a lot of current but I think most I/O's would handle it. I'm not sure about all of the outboards.

You would need about a 500 watt inverter. 32 amps x 12 volts = 384 watts minimum needed from the inverter. Now lets assume that my previous assumptions are optimistic (Murphy) and the two devices are less efficient than hoped, the 500 watt inverter would still cover you, and if they are more than 80% efficient, you'd be in good shape.

I think the main concern is the alternator output. The combination of the two devices would consume quite a bit of power (heat) but it is an interesting idea.

Just my 2 cents.

[SBickett620]

Steve catches more than Scott!!

Go to the latest issue of In-Fisherman or their website. They offer info into a system that they have rigged on thier boats.

You can charge batteries off of your outboard.


Scott

[ANXIOUS]

i had often thought about attaching an altenator to the trailer frame and then running a pulley off of the wheel then a belt to the alt. with someway of adding tension and then the wires up into the boat to charge the battery on the way home! just more farfetched farmer thinkin

[Hawgeye]

See now I had a similar thought but considered using the alternator on my tow vehicle with an additional connector. If away on a trip and batteries get low, just go drive around for 6 hours or so! :)

But really, I thought it would be nice to charge batteries on the way back from the lake. I have read somewhere though that batteries should always be recharged at the same rate of which they are discharged....hmmmmm.

[hgmeyer]

Couple of thoughts....(1) I use a simple "Isolator" that charges the starting battery and then charges the "house/trolling" batteries off the outboard alternator...prices start at $50...Bass Pro / Cabelas / West Marine...etc. (2) I do not, but a friend has a second alternator with a clutch (kinda like an AC unit) that he can switch on to charge his ham gear batteries in the back (stored in the bed) obviously that kind of system could be rigged to charge boat batteries... (3) beware of charging rates...some batteries...such as the Optima wrapped cell kind...can only be charged at lower rates...this would have to be considered in any "setup"...