80s Onboard Battery Charger questions

[230weekenderUSC]

I have a 1988 Sea Ray 230 weekender with the factory onboard battery charger/converter. I'm not at the boat and forget the exact brand, but it is blue and has an analog voltmeter. My question is: can I leave the boat hooked up to shore power to utilize the onboard charger/converter and keep my batteries charged (optima AGM Gr27 Blue-tops). Is the charger smart enough to float charge and keep them topped off? Or is there a risk of overcharging and harming my batteries? I'm worried that I don't let the batteries recharge fully via the alternator after nights on the hook.

Thanks for the help!

Also has anyone installed a sine inverter in an 80's 230 weekender? Or a water heater?

 

[bbwhitejr]

Two things...
1) You need to find out what kind of charger it is and google it to learn about it. If it is an "up to date Smart Charger," yes you can leave it plugged in 24/7.
2) Make sure it is set and capable of charging AGM batteries.
I would be very skeptical that it will handlle the AGMs as that technology was not around in 1988 I don't believe.

Bennett

 

[230weekenderUSC]

Thanks for the reply. I figured someone with a similar boat would know what kind of charger it is, since I'm away from the boat until the weekend. It has been charging my AGMs just fine for the past 3 years, I'm just not sure how fully or effectively....

Two things...
1) You need to find out what kind of charger it is and google it to learn about it. If it is an "up to date Smart Charger," yes you can leave it plugged in 24/7.
2) Make sure it is set and capable of charging AGM batteries.
I would be very skeptical that it will handlle the AGMs as that technology was not around in 1988 I don't believe.

Bennett

 

[Ten Years Gone]

edit

 

[dwna1a]

I changed all of batteries to AGM over two years ago. Most of the time I leave them on when I leave the boat. I've never had any issues with my old charger and the AGM's

 

[230weekenderUSC]

I believe you are right that it is a premariner. I understand that it will charge them fine, but the real question was will it OVERCHARGE if left hooked up to shore power for weeks at a time?

Based on your description...it is a Pro Mariner Pro-Mite converter/charger.

It will work just fine with an AGM battery, as will any standard battery charger.

You DO NOT need a "smart" charger to maintain AGM batteries.



Bennett...AGM's have been in production since the early 80's. They were not installed on our boats at that time, but the design was certainly in production and use long before 1988.

 

[dwna1a]

This is what I found in my Owners Man.

" The Converter is fully automatic, it is self-regulating and self adjusting. The converter operates off dockside or Genset. The converter will not over-charge the batteries; it is designed to cycle on and off as charge is needed"

 

[230weekenderUSC]

Thats what what I needed to know, thank you!,

This is what I found in my Owners Man.

" The Converter is fully automatic, it is self-regulating and self adjusting. The converter operates off dockside or Genset. The converter will not over-charge the batteries; it is designed to cycle on and off as charge is needed"