Battery charger E34

[EGregerson]

I picked up a charger that i plan to mount near the battery compartment. I found a cable led from the panel back thru the lazeratte; looks like it's pre-wired ok, but I'd like to know exactly where the factory mounted their chargers; (ie where's the hole drilled?) does anyone have a photo of the chargers set up in a mid 80's E34? I've attached pics of what I've got.

 

[treilley]

I have an '85 35-3 and I have a factory battery charger mounted on a shelf in the lazarette. The yellow shielded wiring looks very similar to mine.

 

[Shadowfax]

I have a '88 E34 with the same set up. Beware! This line, on my boat, was AC hot when turned on at the panel on Battery Charger ! Found this out the hard way. Yes, I installed my charger off this line and mounted it on the aft head bulkhead inside the lazzertte [sp]. I simply took the line that you have and installed an AC outlet off it, then plugged in the charger a

 

[Tom Metzger]

No Pics until the ice goes out.

The factory installation was against the forward bulkhead of the sail locker. [To me, the lazarette is at the stern, under the stern seats.] The 12 volt leads go down through the opening that all of the other wires and hoses go through.

I replaced the original ferro resonant charger with a Statpower (Xantrex) Truecharge 20 in the same spot a few years ago. Piece of cake. I also added a starting battery on the shelf outboard of the charger.

 

[Loren Beach]

Since my boat has a late 80's E-34 AC/DC panel, there is an AC breaker for the battery charger. If that breaker is switched off, no power goes to my charger.
As noted previously, I also replaced the factory ferro-rez charger (aka the "battery killer") with a Statpower 20. That was in '95, as I remember.
My charger was AC wired with Ancor Boatcable, white cable jacket.

Loren

 

[Shadowfax]

Battery Charger questions

I have the same Statpower (Xantrex) Truecharge 20 that Tom has. On the face of the charger there is a setting for the temperature of the battery that I think effects the charging rate. I have mine set in the middle setting, not hot or cold, simply because I didn't know what would be best, so I figured the average would suffice. I'd be interested to know what setting you use and why.

I also notice that the charger seems to shut itself off and immediately restart itself now and then. I notice this because I have the charger monitor option mounted at the nav station. I also seem to be adding water to the batteries [3 house] more then I would expect with a smart charger, but confess to not know what is normal. I wonder if all of this is somehow related to each other.

Comments welcomed

 

[Tom Metzger]

I'm annoyed.

Paul - After all of the sweat I put into your monitor I would expect you to look at the voltage now and then. It should be about 13.5 volts normally, after being plugged in for several hours. The charger shouldn't be resetting itself. Loose ac input leads?

FWIW, I didn't need to add water at all last summer.

 

[Shadowfax]

Tom,
I added a lot of water last summer. My voltage is fine. I suspect a problem with the charger via its shutting down and staring up again. When it does that it starts charging at 20 amps and works itself down from there. Connection [a plug] appears fine. I think the charger might be malfunctioning and is cooking the batteries. The starting battery, which I never use is always charging at well beyond float levels. Could the temperatures setting have anything to do with this? Is there a way to test the charger? Might I have a bad battery that the charger is trying to charge, but can't?

 

[Tom Metzger]

Being the new kid on the block I am reluctant to say anything, but it seems to me that if the voltage is good, you are not cooking the batteries.

You could have a bad battery, check them.

 

[Loren Beach]

Speculation

For a decade, we have been topping up our house bank about 2 or 3 times a year. It takes a little distilled water, but not very much.

I wonder if that charger has a thermal breaker in it, and some other internal component or part on the pc board gets overheated or distressed in some way and trips it. Startup Process then starts over.
This is only a guess... but I notice that if I power down the charger and then back up again it charges at a high rate for a short time while it senses what load that battery bank can accept.

Oh wait... another random thought.... These chargers have a mode where they apply high amps to desulphate a battery, if I remember right. That might be a pc board or chip that is timing on and off when it should not.
How about a call to the parent company, Xantrex?
Several years ago I had occasion to call and one of their engineers was quite helpful on the phone.

Wild guesses and speculation provided while U wait! Operators are (not) standing by!

Loren

 

[ted_reshetiloff]

Not sure I can add anything usefull about the resetting of the charer in question but I have a Truecharge 20 myself and I added the temp sensor to eliminate the need to set that switch we are talking about. I also have one of the remote panels for the charger. It stopped working altogther about a year into service and I have not had a chance to pull it and send it to Xantrex. I have a link 10 that I rely on for info. I guess my only point here is that the temp sensors are the way to go IMHO. I want to get one for the alternator itself and another one for the batteries since my programmable regulator for the alternator has the capability. These sensors allow the charger/alternator to charge at the most optimal rate.

 

[Shadowfax]

Ted,

Any idea on how much these sensors are? Will one do a bank, or do you need one for each battery in the bank? How are they installed?

Thanks

 

[ted_reshetiloff]

I just bought the one for the truecharge and it was not much. Look here:

http://www.jackrabbitmarine.com/Detail.bok?no=3296

The sensor bolts to the battery post and has a phone jack looking plug that goes to the charger. Now the ones for the alternator I have not looked into yet. There are 2 for the alternator. One goes on the battery post and tells the regulator how hot or cold the batteries are. The other one goes on the alternator itself and tells the regulator how hot the alternator is so as to avoid over stressing the alternator. I have not looked into getting these but I suspect Jack Rabbit has them too.

 

[Kim Schoedel]

Paul, I believe I have the same or similar Zantrex 20. New last spring. Mine has 2 controls on the face, one for the temp (I keep in the middle) and the other control is for the "type" of battery. I however, do not leave the charger turned on all the time as we use the boat quite often. Last year (fall) I added about a shot glass of distilled water to each cell. Batts are only 2 years old. I would need to take a look at the manual, but it seems to me that the charger is designed to bring things up to snuff, and then come back on every now and then for a top off charge. I know this is vague info. The manual is on the boat.

 

[Tom Metzger]

Truecharge 20+ manual

While the manual may be on the boat, it's also right here:

http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/462/docserve.asp.

 

[Shadowfax]

Tom,

Yeah I checked it out. Also shopped out the battery temp sensor for the charger and bought one. I'll see if that makes a difference. Do you have the heat sensors for the alternator? Will also check the system for loose wires, etc.

Ahhh spring.