Xantrex True Charge 2

[Ralph Masters]

Installed a new TC2 last weekend.  Ran the wires direct to the batteries and not to the 1-2-B switch as before.  So far the new charger is working fine.

Ralph
Ciao Bella

[Indian Falls]

Where did you end up mounting it? 

I have a Samlex-America 30a 3 stage charger. It's about 10.7 x 8.4 x 3.5.

http://www.samlexamerica.com/products/productdescription.asp?ProductsID=8002

[Ralph Masters]

Dan,
The old one was in the wet hanging locker behind the Nav table.  It was stuck in the back upper corner so you could not see, or get to it.  I put the new one in the same locker only in the front by the door so you can see the lights and know what it's doing.  The hard part was running the wires for it to the battery, I used #8 and ran them up into the space behind the panel then down through the compartment where the holding tank is under the deck pu into the battery compartment.  About 17 feet of wire, and that's why I went to #8.

Ralph

[Indian Falls]

The Truecharge looks larger than the Samlex. I was wondering where could you put that?  I can't put mine in the hanging locker due to the shelving.
I put mine kind of temporarily in the space behind the back of the port settee, just forward of the nav table.  I was worried about air space for cooling but it seems to quite ok in there as well as being easily wired in.  Thanks for the info!

[Ron Hill]

Dan : You need to have air around that charger, especially if you have one with a cooling blower. 
Have an article in progress on that very topic!   A thought

[scotty]

Mine is located on the starboard side, under the bench which goes along the side of the boat as part of the u-shaped dinette.  It does not have good access, which is a bad thing, but it seems to run cool - which is good.  It also has a short run to the two battery banks (located under each of the a-thwart facing seats of the u-shaped dinette).  The system seems to work fine, but we sail in Santa Cruz, where the ewater temperaure is quite cool.

[Indian Falls]

Thank you for your kind concern, Ron.  Don't worry, I'm keeping an eye on it.


Let me point out a few things though:
Yes it has a temp controlled cooling fan (70C) that has never turned on.  It also has temp controlled safety shutoff (100C), which obviously has not activated.
It is convection cooled and there is a lot of space around it.
It has never output over 20amps.  
I only have 2 batteries.
I have no dc loads that draw 30amps.
I never leave the boat with shore power on.
That particular space is open at the top all the way across to the V berth bulkhead.
There is lots of space for warm air to hang out and dissipate among the water cooled fiberglass.
Really no different in there than any other confined space on board.
Why is a hanging locker full of storage items a better place for this?
It didn't fit well under the nav desk and shouldn't be mounted flat due to the cooling fins.  
So for now, temporarily, it has been just fine in there.  70C/150F is pretty hot, it barely gets warm.
If the fan ever runs for long periods, I'll have to find another spot.  
The manual states "well ventilated area".  That would be somewhere in the salon in plain sight.
A cardboard box is not a well ventilated area.  But they have to say something to relieve them from a liability or some moron would put it in a cardboard box!
It's up to the user to determine the best place for it under their unique set of circumstances.  So far after 5 months, no ill affect from this mounting location under the conditions aboard this vessel.  

Can't wait to see your article!

[Ralph Masters]

Dan,
I put the charger in the locker because we don't have shelves or even a hanging bar in there.  It's our "stuff" locker.  Wisc broom/dust pan, plastic wrap, aluminum foil locker, mini vac locker.  Oh, and the sewer hose and vacuum breaker locker.  It works for us.

Ralph

And that's where the old one was.

[Indian Falls]

SD,  I agree, I'm sure it's fine.  That one question was aimed at the idea that you must have adequate ventilation, and really no place in the boat within a compartment actually meets that criteria other than in the salon or the aft cabin.  I was not by any means discouraging placement in the wet locker.  By the way, does that unit warm up the interior of your locker at all?  Thanks!

[Ralph Masters]

The battery charger never really gets "warm".  I can touch it and it never feels warm, and I've only heard the fan come on once for about 30 seconds.  I figure the old one was there for 20 some years there can't be a problem with it getting hot, it is only a 20 amp unit.  I have two group 24 batteries for a house bank and one group 27 for a reserve so it's not working real hard, unlike I did routing the #8 wires for the charger.  The locker door does have the louvers in it so there is air circulation too.  The old one was all the way in the back upper corner of the locker, Houdini must have installed the thing.  So far it's all good.

Ralph

[Ken Juul]

It's kind of like real estate...location location location.  Here in the southern Chesapeake, summer water temps routinely get close to 90° with similar air temps.  Putting any heating source in an enclosed space is asking for trouble.  My refrig compressor is in the hanging locker aft of the nav station, when it cuts in you can feel the heat blowing out the door louvers.  The compressor can obviously take it (been there the 11 years I've had the boat) but don't think I would put an electronic device in there.