2 bank charger ?

[Kenny Guess]

2004 PT175-a 2 bank guest charger ,chargers both the trolling battery and the cranking battery right? Someone asked but I forgot....help!

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Right!

 

[Sue DeLelys]

Depends.....how many trolling batteries do you have?

 

[Larry Harp]

Not meaning to hijack your question but I have a similar question. The new boat I'm buying has 3 batteries, 1 starting 2 trolling motor, but only a 2 bank (Guest) charger. I asked the salesman if it shouldn't have a 3 bank and he said you only have to charge the TM batteries...the big motor takes care of the starting battery. Well, I knew that but I did think the onboard charger maintained ALL the batteries. Am I wrong???:huh:



Harpo

 

[pete hanford2]

A 3 bank charger will charge and maintain all your batteries.Thats what i have in my boat.

 

[Kenny Guess]

I have two batteries-one cranking and one trolling (12 volt) unit.

 

[Kenny Guess]

And speaking of charging....do most of you leave yours plugged in all the time? As soon as I clean up and put the boat in the garage, I plug it in and don't un-plug until I go again.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

If you have a GUEST, leave it on. I can't speak about others but I "think" most of them are the same way and have a "maintence" cycle where it trickle charges. Keeps them fresh. Mine is plugged in whenever it is off the water.



TOXIC

 

[Rick Knapich]

Most boats that come from the factories (all brands) with 3 batteries: 2 trolling, one starting battery, have 2 bank chargers hooked up to the trolling batteries. The engine's alternator charges the starting battery. The general rule is that, if your boat is big enough to warrant a 24 volt sytem (2 trolling batteries) the engine is going to be big enough to keep the starting battery charged.

e.g. a smaller boat with a 90 hp motor is not going to keep as strong a chrge on a starting battery as a 200 hp motor will. I have a 200 Opti and I have never had to charge my starting battery. Even when I opted for a stronger charger to charge my batteries quicker for overnight tournaments, I bought a 2 bank charger.

In answer to the other question about keeping your batteries on the charger until you're ready to go again, yes, keep them on the charger until you're ready to go. However, monitor your water level and make sure you are keeping the water level up as this is the biggest cause for battery failures.

 

[Rick Knapich]

P.S. I forgot to mention that, when I had a smaller boat with a 90 hp motor, I found myself with a dead starting battery at the launch ramp, so I bought a 2 bank charger, one for the single trolling battery (12 volt system) and one for the starting battery. I'm not sure what horse power rating will keep a sufficient charge on the starting battery. This is a personal call that everyone might have to make for each individual setup.

 

[Marty Klein]

:huh: I had never heard that a 90HP couldn't keep its battery charged. If Pat jumps in and says it is so, then I'll believe it.



I do know that one summer I discovered that I wasn't running my Big Mo enough to recharge the cranker.



I replaced my one-banker with a guest two-banker and I've never worried about it again.

 

[Jim B]

Harpo

You are correct in your thinking that a 3 bank will keep all three topped up. Yes the motor will charge the battery but if you dont make a lot of long runs and run all your accessories all day you will eventually kill the battery. Thats the reason i run a 3 bank in my boat. your allready plugging it in, why not let it make sure the starting battery is charged all the time. For what little extra the third bank costs, id rather spend a little extra and know that the astarting bettery wil be juiced when i make that 3 hour drive to the lake.



There are lakes that i fish where i might run the big motor for 10 minutes tops all day then run my finders and livewells all day durning a tournament. That little amount of engine running will NEVER charge a battery no matter what size the motor is. Even on lakes like champlain where i might make a 40 min run each way plus running spot to spot my guest charger still has to top them up at the end of the day.

 

[Donn Norton2]

Stay away from trickle chargers, they can and will boil a battery, since they are actually always charging. You want a charger that will shut off when the batteries are compeletly charged and come on again when they need a charge. In the industry I used to work in for some 25 years we used 12 volt batteries in many applications. Trickle chargers will shorten the life of a battery.

 

[Teri C.]

I would would advise you to get the 3 bank charger if you don't run around on the lake alot or if you leave your boat outside. I have a 2 bank charger on my Triton and keep my boat on a lift. It's out of the water and covered but there are many times in the spring and fall that the cranking battery has been drained to the point that I can't get the motor to turn over. I am not sure if its a slow drain from the bilge pump from rain, radio or what but I only seem to have issues in rainy colder weather. I try to remember to hook up my portable charger the night before if I know I am going out. Life would be much easier if I just installed a 3 bank which I probably will in the spring.

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Harpo.. Talk them into a three bank charger. If you don't do a lot of running your starting battery could very easily run down.

I also have a guest and leave it on. I do check the water levels but have never had to add water. I love it. Just don't forget to unplug before pulling out.:lol:



Uncle Billy

 

[TOMMY RICH]

I have a two bank and an extra charger to top off the starting battery about once a month and never been an issue.

And yes the 90 should charge the battery when running.

 

[Jim B]

Just don't forget to unplug before pulling out.

LoL Uncle Billy. i have wrecked a few extension cords over the years doing just that. I once dragged the remnants of one all the way to NH after i forgot to unplug it.