Battery isolator / voltage regulator / batteries

[rmbrown]

If I'd been replacing something that was even semi-functional, I'd have done that... but my my charger was non-functional and my batteries wouldn't hold a charge overnight so something had to give.  My biggest power expenses will be the instrument and autohelm and the fridge.  Out of the water, I don't think measuring the autohelm would be useful info and the fridge isn't currently functional.  My choices were to replace the 27's already in the box, to replace with 31's or move to GC's.  The latter makes the most sense from an expected cycles standpoint so that meant I could choose between the 12's and the 6's and I opted for the former because it's simpler albeit possibly the more expensive choice.  Good call or bad, it's behind me now.

The charger I'm going with is the ProMariner ProNautic 1250.  It's the same device as the Sterling that Maine Sail likes but my local marine electrician is dealer of the ProMariner version.  I'm replacing a Xantrex Truecharge2 40 A that went belly up way too early and I learned during that ordeal that their tech support is pretty awful.  I chose the 50A version based on the size of the battery bank and the advice of ProMariner Tech Support.

[KWKloeber]

Egg celent choice on the charger. 🐰

[Stu Jackson]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The charger I'm going with is the ProMariner ProNautic 1250.  It's the same device as the Sterling that Maine Sail likes but my local marine electrician is dealer of the ProMariner version.  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Maine Sail regularly points out they are identical, too.

[mainesail]

Good info... I haven't fastened my batteries down yet. :)

I ended up with three GC12's.  I paid 199 each for them so 1.28/Ah.  This is more expensive, I grant you, but I can put three of them in the box so no rewiring... I'm using one as my reserve and two as my house bank.  I figure that gives me 310.  I get 50% (155) of that on a one day trip, but only 35% (108) daily on a multi day trip when I'm charging with alternator.  Since I'm not sure if I'll have my fridge working, or how much juice my instruments and autopilots will use, I'm going to go with that for a bit.  If that's not enough, I'll turn it into a three battery (465 Ah) bank and add a reserve battery elsewhere.    In that event, I'd probably convert to the 4 T105's the next time I have to replace batteries.

Doing a new charger since my Xantrex went belly up since i purchased the boat and and Blue Seas ACR-SI as well while I'm in there.

Right or wrong, I'm one step closer to the water.

You might consider making those one big bank and sticking an Odyssey PC1100 or PC1200 TPPL AGM in as a start/reserve battery. These little things will crank huge engines and they take up minimal to no space. I have quite a few of them out there as start batteries and they fit almost anywhere. I have a PC1200 that I just picked up this morning that will go into a Sabre 32 next week. It will fit into a location where the boat yard told the owner there was no more room. They wanted to build him a new battery tray for only $1800.00...... I was able to more than doubled his Ah capacity on the house side by choosing the right size start battery and no custom woodwork to do... A few crimps, some wire, hold down, straps, some terminal boots, labels and he's done...

They don't have a ton of Ah capacity but can be discharged to 80% DOD in an emergency and they charge insanely fast.

[rmbrown]

Thanks... I'll give that one some thought!

[mainesail]

Just for grins here is the little, but mighty, Odyssey PC1200 next to two Odyssey PCM 2150's (G-31's)..

[rmbrown]

To reask something that's probably been asked and answered... That's an agm, right?  And it's ok to charge with the same profile as the flooded GC12 house bank?