Promariner Pronautic charger

[Riptide III]

I have a 5 year old 12 20 3 bank charger. Today I arrived at the boat only to find the port batteries (starting batteries) dead. 0 volts. They were 3to 5 years old so I bought new ones. After install I turned on the charger and observed the port bank was 12.4 (not charging and the stbd (house) was charging at 15+ volts.
I shut it off. I was afraid it would cook the batteries. It seems like the port bank isn’t charging and the stbd is overcharging. Is it possible the port side overcharged, fried the batteries and that bank of the charger? And now the stbd bank of the charger is getting ready to do the same to the starboard battery bank. Or maybe there is an internal fuse in the charger that blew. That would explain lack of charging on the port.but would not explain overcharge issue????

 

[dtfeld]

That sucks. Certainly sounds like a bad charger. 5 years is kinda short.

However, why a 20A charger? A 40’ with CATs probably needs a 40A due to battery capacity. There are other newer entrants to the charger market that are good options and offer N2K network and other tech to keep tabs on the bats, maybe identify problems before you show up to a dead battery.

 

[ranger58sb]

Is it possible the port side overcharged, fried the batteries and that bank of the charger? And now the stbd bank of the charger is getting ready to do the same to the starboard battery bank. Or maybe there is an internal fuse in the charger that blew. That would explain lack of charging on the port.but would not explain overcharge issue????

Call ProMariner.

-Chris

 

[Stee6043]

Call ProMariner.

-Chris

+1.

I'd also double check your sizing if/when you replace it. My 40 has a 40A. Maybe you overworked it for 5 years and it decided to retire

 

[Riptide III]

+1.

I'd also double check your sizing if/when you replace it. My 40 has a 40A. Maybe you overworked it for 5 years and it decided to retire


View attachment 146440

It may be a 40. I will check today. Calling the company is also a good idea

 

[Lazy Daze]

I think there's a diagnosis procedure you can follow in the manual... but if you call, they'll walk you through it, as well.

I agree that 5 years is an awful short shelf life for a Pro Mariner - they generally last a lot longer. But I suppose anything can happen to anything.

 

[mrsrobinson]

Ugh, anxiety level increases every time I read threads like this, "something else that will break"

 

[Lazy Daze]

Oh, forgot to actually try and answer your actual questions

Yes, there should be fuses. They may be inline with the individual charging wires.

PM can tell you for sure, but I don't believe it's too abnormal for the voltage to start high for a short period of time before stepping down. Certainly, though, charging at 15V for a short period of time will NOT harm the battery... only if it stays there for a long time.

 

[Skybolt]

Oh, forgot to actually try and answer your actual questions

Yes, there should be fuses. They may be inline with the individual charging wires. ...

I took a look in my manual (1250P) and the only fuses stated are, or should be, external and inline with the each battery.

I've had mine for almost 10years now and still going strong. Dam I put that in writing now I'm doomed ...

 

[Lazy Daze]

I took a look in my manual (1250P) and the only fuses stated are, or should be, external and inline with the each battery.

I've had mine for almost 10years now and still going strong. Dam I put that in writing now I'm doomed ...

Thanks for confirming that, Orlando. I "thought" they were inline but wasn't sure if some models had interior fuses. It wouldn't really make sense for them to be internal... but you know how "sense" and "marine" aren't always in the same sentence

I see nothing regarding you stating how long your charger has been lasting....

 

[ttmott]

@Riptide III - If you pull the battery switch panel in the back of the cockpit and look behind that you will find three circuit breakers mounted on the side of the hull. Those are the charger circuit breakers.

 

[Riptide III]

Oh, forgot to actually try and answer your actual questions

Yes, there should be fuses. They may be inline with the individual charging wires.

PM can tell you for sure, but I don't believe it's too abnormal for the voltage to start high for a short period of time before stepping down. Certainly, though, charging at 15V for a short period of time will NOT harm the battery... only if it stays there for a long time.

I shut it off after an hour of 15.5 so update, when I leave the charger off, start the engines, the engines charge the new bank(port) at the 13+ voltage I would expect. Remember previously the ac charger does nothing. Also with ac charger off and engines running the stbd bank is charging at 14 volts. Never seen that before with engines. I don’t want to burn out eng generator

 

[Lazy Daze]

I shut it off after an hour of 15.5

I'd let PM give the final word, but that seems too long to me, as well. I probably would have done the same thing, too.

 

[Riptide III]

@Riptide III - If you pull the battery switch panel in the back of the cockpit and look behind that you will find three circuit breakers mounted on the side of the hull. Those are the charger circuit breakers.
View attachment 146475

That was the problem. For years Water leaked onto the box and rusted the fuse it the point of no connectivity swapped it out and everything is fine. As far as the high voltage. I will get into the manual and adjust the charging profile.
Thank you

 

[my3sons]

I don’t know if this is relevant or not but I have the Promariner promatic 21-3 24v charger for the bow thruster bank. About 8 or so years ago? It quit charging and there was a 25 amp automotive type blade fuse inside the charger that was blown. I replaced it and that was that. I’m not that familiar with the chargers, both the 24v and the 12v are original 20 years old so I haven’t had to go down that road yet.

 

[Riptide III]

Problem solved. In-line resettable fuse behind panel was rusted. No continuity. Everything charging now. 14.8 seems very high for a charge voltage. I never really noticed before. I’ll monitor

 

[my3sons]

That sounds about right. It’ll settle down in 24 or 36 hrs. Can’t remember the timeline from charge to float to storage.

 

[b_arrington]

That sounds about right. It’ll settle down in 24 or 36 hrs. Can’t remember the timeline from charge to float to storage.

Agree sounds right. Should float around 13.4 (AGM).