Charging Dual batteries - CTEK
After a flat battery in the car leaving me and another fishwrecked member looking at a car and trailer 2 meteres apart at 5:30 in the morning, I'm keen to ensure my boat batteries are well looked after.
Hoping someone with a CTEK charging port & dual batteries on the boat can answer these questions:
- Which charger do you use?
- Can the CTEK M100, 200 or 300 charge both batteries at the same time, or do you need to select a battery to charge through the isolator switch.
- Do you need to turn on power to the boat (by selectinbg at least 1 battery on the iusolator swicth) to allow charging through the CTEK port?
- Assuming the boats power needs to be left on whilst charghing, has anyone had any mishaps where the charger has been disconnected, leaving the batteries to slowly drain down?
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dmck
Posts: 443
Date Joined: 07/03/19
Charging dual boat batteries.
Selthy, it just aint to easy to answer you! We need a bit(lot) more info
Firstly, I run 2 boat batteries and use 2 CTEK MS8? chargers, 1 on each. The chargers are connected directly to the batteries and the batteries are isolated when I charge.
I dont have a CTEK charging port as a fixture in/on the boat.
I DO NOT reccommentd charging the batteries in parallel- a bad battery will prevent a good batt from charging and the CTEK diagnostics will not tell you which one is stuffed.
If you really must use 1 charger to charge 2 batteries, use a VSR to connect batt 2 once batt 1 is charged.... still not as safe a 2 chargers.
You need to determine how the CTEK charge port is wired. If you are NOT confident/competant to test and /or follow the wiring- find someone who is and get them to check.... and get them to give you a wiring diagram. DO NOT settle for someone who thinks they know what they are doing... its your life at stake! Find someone who is proficient and understands boat wiring/cabling.
With 50+ years of experience I'd love to help... but I live in Adelaide.
Hope this helps.
Oh...... If you have an aluminium hull, you may feel a slight tingle when the CTEKS are charging, if you touch the hull and an external earth (shed frame etc) at the same time.
I have researched the sensation and it is known by CTEK, and IT IS NOT dangerous... but it can be disconcerting.
selthy
Posts: 295
Date Joined: 27/05/11
Cheers dmck, did some more
Cheers dmck, did some more reserach through Barcrusher, they seem to suggest that you leave both batteries on when charging overnight. Makes me believe that the CTEK port is connected to the batteries via the isolator. Can any Barcrusher owners confirm this?
I can forsee an accident happening when someone disconnects or turns of the charger, without turning off the batteries' power, running both dry.
dmck
Posts: 443
Date Joined: 07/03/19
bar crusher...
Mine is an early Gen 1 530C, doesnt have the C-tek port..
but on another matter....
Is your battery switch a single switch or 3 BEP (brand) style?
If its the 3, there can be a wiring 'problem'. If you can post a pic, please do so. I wont go in to it unless you potentially have the problem. Its a simple fix, just an 'uncomfortable' work position...
Depending upon your answer, there may be some simple tests you can do to resolve your questions.
selthy
Posts: 295
Date Joined: 27/05/11
The following video has a
The following video has a discussion on the batteries and switches at approx 5:10. There is a CTEK pot on the dash. youtu.be/c2fNGwAAy7A
dmck
Posts: 443
Date Joined: 07/03/19
From the video, it appears
From the video, it appears that the Ctek port is wired in to the dash wiring loom, in which case it will charge whichever battery the battery switch is set to.
You an check this.. with the batt switch set to batt 1, inspect the Cteck port indicater LEDS... the ones that show you the "battery condition" - thay should be red, green or yellow.
Check these LEDS in batt 2 and 'both' and see if there is any difference. Then switch the batt switch to OFF and check. I reckon there will be no LEDS on, meaning that to charge a battery you must have the battery switch set to ON. If you plug a charger in you should also see a difference in the charger lights when the batt switch is OFF
This leads to the problem you are concerned about. If you forget to turn the batt switch to OFF there may be current drain which could flatten a battery over time.
I DO have this problem too.... I'm not sure what instruments 'do the damage' but I know there is a current drain. Overnight (or a couple of nights/days) is OK... I hope!
I only run 1 battery connected , the other is my stand-by in case the main battery fails. I know of some people who use battery 1 to go out.. and battery 2 for the return, just to ensure both batteries get a charge from the motor
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
Got 7 years out of my last
Got 7 years out of my last boat batteries, they saw a charger maybe 4 times in that time.
Always switched off when not in use.
selthy
Posts: 295
Date Joined: 27/05/11
I think it's about time my
I think it's about time my saw a charger then.
dano83
Posts: 790
Date Joined: 25/05/12
2 eBay solar panels and a
2 eBay solar panels and a couple of trickle chargers will do the trick
selthy
Posts: 295
Date Joined: 27/05/11
Bringing up this thread
Bringing up this thread again. I've been charging the batteries successfully using a CTEK charger and the boats in built CTEK comfort port. Easy, convenient, can select which battery to charge via the isolator and does not require opening the battery box and connecting alligator clips or the like.
I've now been thinking there may be times when I will want to charge the batteries using solar. I'm therefore keen to find a way to charge the batteries using solar through the CTEK comfort port. My thinking is solar panels -> regulator (mine and many others have an anderson connector for output) to existing CTEK comfort port -> isolator -> battery. However, my searches cannot loacate any anderson to CTEK comfort connectors. Has anyone come across such a thing or have any other ideas on how to charge the battery from solar through the CTEK comfort port.
I know I could connect the regulator to the battery via other means (alligator clips, anderson to eyelet etc.) but keen to see if there is a way to do this with the convenience of the Comfort port.
scubafish
Posts: 962
Date Joined: 15/08/12
Best site for info
https://www.youtube.com/@PacificYachtSystems/videos
http://img.gg/BQ91Sys
selthy
Posts: 295
Date Joined: 27/05/11
Cheers, looks like a good
Cheers, looks like a good channel. Will check it out.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8146
Date Joined: 07/05/12
I have my batteries hooked up
I have my batteries hooked up by a VSR each with a CTEK comfort connection hanging out of the battery box and I also have a CTEK panel mounted charging connection in the dash. I can plug the charger into any of those and it will charge both batteries. Don't get the fancy comfort chargers with the indicator light as I've found they're not waterproof and will stop working fairly quickly.
Before I rewired the boat I had the panel mounted connection hooked up to the pos/neg in the helm meaning I had to engage the isolation switch in the helm to get the power to the battery. All it took was for someone to bump the cord or connectoin or the Mrs to swtich it off and I'd end up with a dead battery so less than ideal for the battery life. I've now rewired the setup in the helm so that I have a direct conection to the battery and I've also piggybacked a panel mounted anderson plug/cig plug off the same line which I can plug my solar blanket into.
Very happy with this setup and we did a river cruise 2 weeks ago and I chucked in my 38L Dometic and when we jumped out places like the Camo for lunch I just rolled out the solar blanket and kept the fridge running with the blanket keeping the charge up.
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
selthy
Posts: 295
Date Joined: 27/05/11
"I've also piggybacked a
"I've also piggybacked a panel mounted anderson plug/cig plug off the same line which I can plug my solar blanket into." Makes sense, although looking for an anderson to CTEK plug/cable to save the need to do this or similar... maybe I'm dreaming.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8146
Date Joined: 07/05/12
You could buy a CTEK
You could buy a CTEK extension cable and cut off the female end and install and Anderson plug www.batteriesdirect.com.au/shop/product/24199/56-304.html.
$35 for an extension cable though.... sheesh.
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
selthy
Posts: 295
Date Joined: 27/05/11
Good idea. Cheers.
Good idea. Cheers.