I got my charger but.......

[Fisherman02]

hey guys
got me new charger!!!
its a pro user MBC 12A fully automatic and with trickle charge
very pleased until i saw inside the manual. The number only go up to 8 on the indicator where the needle is! Plus it only charges up to 7.5amps!?! But it clearly says 12 amp on the front! What's going on? can anyone tell me bugger
cheers jack

[Maxg]

I take it that you are charging a battery. I'll bet it wasn't flat but had some charge in it. So it only charges at the necessary rate to get it up to full charge. Try a dead flat battery. Max

[caveman]

HI ALL JUST A Q ABOUT CHARGING DEEP C BATTERIES WILL A NORMAL CHARGER DO THE JOB OR DO YOU NEED A PROPER
CHARGER FOR THESE BATTERIES

CHEERS

[WHITTO]

:D :DG'Day Fisherman02, Have the very same charger and have not had any problems,I have 2 Deep C batterys 130ah and a 115ah takes about 15 hrs each to recharge,had no problems, Cheers Whitto :D :D

[Fisherman02]

hey whitto no kidding!
yeh but does it get fully charged?
cheers jack

[aquarius]

Caveman charging deep cycle batteries so they last there life span is not an easy exercise i found out.
Purchase a hydrometer to make sure your not overcharging the battery therefore reducing the life.
I use to charge my deep cycle battery with a 5 amp charger but found it just couldn't get the power to fully charge it...bought a 14 amp charger which does the job nicely.
The ultimate in chargers now on the market is a fully automatic machine that will charge the battery and sensors when it gets too warm so cuts off until the optimum temp is reached again then comes back to life and trickle charges till it finally shuts down..100%charged and the battery lasts for 6 years or so.
The only problem is the price...yes it will set you back $340!!
Speaking to a guy at battery world and he told me that fishermen with trolling motors had this battery charger on order even before it came to Australia.
I suppose given that you spend $200 on a good deep cycle battery it would be great to have your investment last for its full life span.
Cheers #Brent

[SteveCan]

I have been babysitting an 18 amp charger and the manual says 12 amp continuous and 18amp surge. I got the hydrometer too and it is very re-assuring to see how healthy the cells etc are. I got an 85amp/hr battery (any larger and it would be too big for the canoe) and it charged into the green area on the hydrometer in about 16 hours on half charge.

I am still getting to know about this stuff - what would be the effect of leaving the charger on for say 48 hours? Also - I was told to take the plugs out of the battery to charge and I get spots of acid bubbling out on to the top of the battery - should this happen? Oh - anyone know how long an 85amp/hr battery will run a 32lb electric?

Cheers
Steve.

Ps - sorry to hijack your thread Jack - but I need the advice as bad as you do!

[elmo]

Steve,

You will have to check the manufacturer's discharge curve for the battery but as a general rule the lb thrust is equivalent to the amp rating at 12volts. So, allowing for losses in the battery a rough guide would be the electric would run for two hours. (32 amps x 2 = 64 A/H)

The only way to really find out is to try it.

Aquarius,
Granted, the life of the battery can be affected by the rate of charge, but a 5 amp charger will take approx. three times longer to charge the same battery as a 14 amp. If the smaller charger was left on for longer it must charge the battery. The type of battery and the charging characteristics will determine the life of the battery compared to the method of charge.

[aquarius]

Steve i have the same battery as you but my motor is 55lbs thrust.......fully charged my battery will last about 5 hrs at 30% throtle...it depends if you are going with or against the current.
My charger is a 14amp nevada (italian made)...I charge my battery until the needle indicator goes down to 2 amps.
When the battery is cool i test with a hydrometer which as you have said should show EACH CELL to be in the green zone.
If any cell shows red zone after a full charge your battery will not operate normally.
To answer your question about leaving the battery on charge for 48 hrs or so you will cook the battery...time to buy a new one!!!!!!!.
I don't know everthing about batteries but i do know by using a hydrometer you can see for youself the state of the battery at any time....L.E.D Lights to me are not accurate enough to go by.
Cheers #Brent
ps i leave the caps on when charging but losen them slightly.

[sunrise]

Hi Guys
I think this may be a good topic for a follow up article in Bush beach after the excent one on choosing and electric motors in the lastest B/B and a lot more poeple seem to be geting into using eletric's now as the price in geting into the range of the average fisho.I would to also know how to charge and take care of Deep Cell Batteries ete.
cheers Johno

[aquarius]

Great idea Johno after all the electric motor and battery go together and the correct precedure needs to be explained in a way that we can all understand.
Something i read in an article was that if the battery becomes hot,over 43 degrees and starts boiling and spewing the electrolyte you should turn the charger off for awhile or reduce the charging rate.
Always fix the charger leads to the battery before switching power source on....Never move battery cable lead clamps around while charging is in progress as this could cause a spark(BOOM ::) SAY NO MORE!!) TAKE NOTE JACK !!!!!!!!!
Theres countless books written on this subject but they all seem to be really involved...just wish someone would write a simple version for us novices.
Question:a 70 to 100 ampere battery rated at 170 to 250 minutes...I take this to be when the motor is used at 100% throtle ..correct??or not??
figures read state that this size battery will take 23 hrs to charge @6 amps and 7.5 hrs @ 20 amps
Over 100 ampere(above 250 minutes)24hrs @10amps and 6 hrs @40 amps....Slow charge is recomended according to this article i read.
Like Johno said it would make a great topic for the B n B mag.
Cheers #Brent

[Big_Kev]

Brent is right on the money.
Batteries on the charge produce explosive hydrogen gas.
Always remove the plugs from the battery cells.
Always charge in a well ventilated area.
Always wear safety glasses when handling the battery during charging process.
Always turn off the charger before connecting or disconecting the leads.
Always wash off acid from skin and clothing.
Batteries contain corrosive sulphuric acid and should be handled with care.
Transported batteries should be made secure before travel.
I have seen a battery explode on the charge.
Glad I was not the one beside beside it, so stay safe guys.
Kev.

[blaze]

Hi all
Back when I was a hairy arse apprentice seen a tradesman bend over to pick up a battery, 6" shifter fell out of his top pocket, landed on battery, had to flush his eyes, then had 9 stiches to hold his head together, and eye problems for a further 3 months. was a lesson learnt
cheers
blaze

[WHITTO]

G'Day Fisherman02, Mate I get 6hrs out of the 130ah and 4 to 5 on the 115ah thats with a 40T Minn Kota Maxxum at about 70% am very pleased with that result,both Batterys are Trojan batterys,charge up to 13volts or better, Good Luck with it all and good Fishin 2 ya Cheers Whitto ;D ;D

[StuH]

Hi All,
I have a deep cycle for my 55lb electric and use a PROJECTA 3500mA charger. Recharges the battery overnight and then goes into a maintenance mode so you can leave it on all the time and not worry about overcharging, great when the boat is parked up in the shed, you always know it's ready to go. The unit cost me around $90 from one of those auto outlets.
I have easily got a couple of days fishing out of the battery and I give the electric a fair hiding when I am out.
Stu.

[Fisherman02]

hey whitto
thanks mate did go on a trip see fishing reports, and it did last about 3 hours with it being on 100% throttle most of the time, will probaly need to get my 2.2 fixed and use the electric when im specifically targeting bream
cheers jack

[Ron_Collins]

Hi All

Sorry for being a bit tardy responding - been a bit crook for a couple of weeks or so but am now on the up.

I agree that this would make a good educational article for BNB Fishing and have already made contact with a battery specialist who can write in a way we can all understand. All going well, it should be in the June edition.

By the way, it was nice to see some positive feedback on the boards about the article on electric motor buying and selection decisions. That was Travis's first attempt at writing a report like that and I reckon he came up trumps.

Am always happy to receive topic suggestions, so feel quite free to post requests. Ron Collins.