Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 12-09-2014, 12:22   #1
Registered User

Join Date: May 2011
Location: Currently in Spain
Boat: Hanse 385
Posts: 674
When on shore power why do I always see charge going in?

I sometimes wonder if buying this battery monitor was a good thing. It's opened up so many holes in my knowledge it almost scares me.

The latest one that popped up was this.

After three days on shore power why do I constantly see a charge of 2 or so amps going into the batteries? Is that normal? Shouldn't they get 'full' at some point?

Regards,
Simon



Please visit my blog:
Sailing-Interlude | Sailing the Med… and beyond
__________________
Please check out our blog if you have a few spare moments:

www.sailing-interlude.com
simonpickard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2014, 12:29   #2
Registered User
 
ontherocks83's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Warwick RI
Boat: Catalina 30
Posts: 1,873
Re: When on shore power why do I always see charge going in?

Quote:
Originally Posted by simonpickard View Post
I sometimes wonder if buying this battery monitor was a good thing. It's opened up so many holes in my knowledge it almost scares me.

The latest one that popped up was this.

After three days on shore power why do I constantly see a charge of 2 or so amps going into the batteries? Is that normal? Shouldn't they get 'full' at some point?

Regards,
Simon



Please visit my blog:
Sailing-Interlude | Sailing the Med… and beyond
There will always be a float charge going in to keep the batteries maintained and to compensate for self discharge. It's perfectly normal and needed to keep your batteries from self discharging.
__________________
-Si Vis Pacem Parabellum
-Molon Labe
ontherocks83 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2014, 13:03   #3
Registered User

Join Date: May 2011
Location: Currently in Spain
Boat: Hanse 385
Posts: 674
Re: When on shore power why do I always see charge going in?

Thank goodness for that. One thing to tick off the list of 50 or so things I don't understand!

Thanks for the reply.
__________________
Please check out our blog if you have a few spare moments:

www.sailing-interlude.com
simonpickard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2014, 14:16   #4
Moderator Emeritus
 
nigel1's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Manchester, UK
Boat: Beneteau 473
Posts: 5,589
Re: When on shore power why do I always see charge going in?

When I shore power, I have never seen less than 2 amps charging, but also take note that the voltage showing on the BM is the float voltage setting of the charger.
If you have 2 Amps but at say 14.8 volts, you might have a problem.

On the bright side, only 49 or so things to get to grips with
__________________
Nigel
Beneteau 473
Manchester, UK
nigel1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2014, 09:10   #5
Registered User

Join Date: May 2011
Location: Currently in Spain
Boat: Hanse 385
Posts: 674
Re: When on shore power why do I always see charge going in?

We never see more than 14.5v



Please visit my blog:
www.sailing-interlude.com
__________________
Please check out our blog if you have a few spare moments:

www.sailing-interlude.com
simonpickard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2014, 09:17   #6
Marine Service Provider
 
Maine Sail's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Maine
Boat: CS-36T - Cupecoy
Posts: 3,197
Re: When on shore power why do I always see charge going in?

Quote:
Originally Posted by simonpickard View Post
I sometimes wonder if buying this battery monitor was a good thing. It's opened up so many holes in my knowledge it almost scares me.

The latest one that popped up was this.

After three days on shore power why do I constantly see a charge of 2 or so amps going into the batteries? Is that normal? Shouldn't they get 'full' at some point?

Regards,
Simon



Please visit my blog:
Sailing-Interlude | Sailing the Med… and beyond

How big is the bank?

How old is the bank?

Is it possible you have a load bypassing the shunt?

Even when "full" batteries will take some current. Healthy batteries will drop into the tenth or hundredth of an amp acceptance rate but sulfated batteries can take more for longer...

It is also possible your chargers power supply is simply switching on and off to maintain voltage and not over shoot it. Many chargers have rather poor low current resolution. Watch the ammeter and see if it occasionally blips off then back on..
__________________
Marine How To Articles
Maine Sail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2014, 23:17   #7
Registered User

Join Date: May 2011
Location: Currently in Spain
Boat: Hanse 385
Posts: 674
Re: When on shore power why do I always see charge going in?

The bank is 2 x 150 amp
It was a new boat in March
Can't see any load before the shunt



Please visit my blog:
www.sailing-interlude.com
__________________
Please check out our blog if you have a few spare moments:

www.sailing-interlude.com
simonpickard is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
shore power

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Why Do Cheap Boats Always Seem To Have Ford Lehman Engines? charliehows Engines and Propulsion Systems 12 06-09-2014 03:07
Question: why are fiberglass sailboat hulls always white? Rohan Construction, Maintenance & Refit 30 14-06-2013 16:04
Fairly Urgent: Batteries Are Dead, Shore Power Won't Charge, Bilge Pump Runs On 12v Punx Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 14 30-08-2011 08:35
Do Power Boats Always Cut Across Your Bow, Too ? Opie91 Flotsam & Sailing Miscellany 28 11-07-2010 19:50
To Charge or Not to Charge... alexleclainche Engines and Propulsion Systems 2 12-06-2007 21:31

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 22:34.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.