4A Battery Charger of for TM batteries?

[Raycaster]

I have 2 Group 27 Deep Cycle batteries for my Terrova 80 that I purchased last year.

The batteries were great last year but something is a little funky this year.

 

I have a MotoMaster Eliminator Smart charger 12/8/2A that seems to be taking too long to charge now.

Last year the batteries took 4-8 hrs to recharge to FULL depending on how low they were.

The batteries look fine with proper fluid levels etc. They were stored inside during the winter.

This year the firs weekend they are taking over 12hrs +.

Its a smart charger and eventually does finish the FULLcharge.

 

I think you could spend a year on the net researching battery chargers. I've read and read but looking for real life suggestions.

The batteries and charger are probably 100% working and just need a normal charging schedual again during the summer but a new charger might be nice...

 

I've been looking at the NOCO Genius GEN Mini 2 On-board Battery Charger and wondering if it would be ok even though its only 4A per bank.

The unit above it is 20A (10A per bank) but its also $100 more.

 

I know the answer is probably to grab the 20A but hoping to get away with the 8A model.

 

 

[grimsbylander]

Honestly, 4A per bank is not going to charge your batteries very well. If you run them down and plug them in the evening, you'll be lucky if they're ready in the morning. Definitely get the 20A (10A per bank).

[G.mech]

Your size 27 Deep Cycle batteries will each have about 90 amp-hours capacity so the pair will have 180 AH. Divide this by the total amperage output of the charger and it will tell you how long they would take to charge from 0% to 100%. If they are fully discharged, it would take 180amp-hours/4 amps = 45 hours. If they are starting at 50% charge, it would take half as long (i.e 180/2 = 90amp-hrs/4amps = 22.5 hours.

[Raycaster]

Thx guys. Yup, time to open the wallet...

[Raycaster]

Thx guys. Yup, time to open the wallet...

[Terry]

Your size 27 Deep Cycle batteries will each have about 90 amp-hours capacity so the pair will have 180 AH. Divide this by the total amperage output of the charger and it will tell you how long they would take to charge from 0% to 100%. If they are fully discharged, it would take 180amp-hours/4 amps = 45 hours. If they are starting at 50% charge, it would take half as long (i.e 180/2 = 90amp-hrs/4amps = 22.5 hours.

yup

[Sinker]

I charge mine at 10A. I'd go for the best charger you can afford. I think the charger is more important than the batteries myself....

 

S.

[NANUK]

Your size 27 Deep Cycle batteries will each have about 90 amp-hours capacity so the pair will have 180 AH. Divide this by the total amperage output of the charger and it will tell you how long they would take to charge from 0% to 100%. If they are fully discharged, it would take 180amp-hours/4 amps = 45 hours. If they are starting at 50% charge, it would take half as long (i.e 180/2 = 90amp-hrs/4amps = 22.5 hours.

 

^ Good advice !

Ideally, a deep cycle battery should be charged at a rate no more than 20% of its amp hour rating, so a 100 Ah battery should be charged at 15 - 20 amps,

It is best to charge a deep cycle battery at max recommended rate to 80% full and then charge to 100% at a much slower rate, a good automatic charger is designed to do that.

[G.mech]

These are pretty decent units for the money and would do a good job, I have a 3 bank model and it's been stellar:

 

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/offer-listing/B00F5EBS66/ref=olp_f_primeEligible?ie=UTF8&f_new=true&f_primeEligible=true&qid=1496260552&sr=8-1

[boombap]

Pretty happy with my minn kota 10amp 3 bank, it's been plugged in for the past year and no problems.

 

Only reason I chose it over anything else was the reviews.. costs a bit more compared to some other brands mentioned.

Edited May 31, 2017 by hsousa

[porkpie]

I have a noco gen 1 mini in my old boat. It charges at 4amps and is slow as molasses. It does work well, but if I am fishing back to back I need to throw the charger on the battery. Still, for $50 on sale I wasnt disappointed and it was nice to just plug in. My new boat came with a monster charger And the terrova batteries are charged very quickly. I'd open the wallet!

[206]

Does it matter how fast you charge the battery/batteries...I was always under the impression lower amps were better on the battery than a higher faster charging?

[Terry]

no, batteries want to be charged at the highest amps possible,short of boiling the battery

till about 85% charged then you want the amps to drop way down till full and you battery will last for years

[Mister G]

These are pretty decent units for the money and would do a good job, I have a 3 bank model and it's been stellar:

 

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/offer-listing/B00F5EBS66/ref=olp_f_primeEligible?ie=UTF8&f_new=true&f_primeEligible=true&qid=1496260552&sr=8-1

X2 on this unit........I have it on my new boat as well as my old boat and so do 2 fishing partners.......All VERY happy with it.

[Sinker]

no, batteries want to be charged at the highest amps possible,short of boiling the battery

till about 85% charged then you want the amps to drop way down till full and you battery will last for years

Yes, this ^

 

If I drain my batteries I charge them on the full 10A, then my charger will automatically switch over to 2A once they are almost fully charged. I keep a maintainer on them if Im not using them for a long period, but I don't think It does much.

 

S.