Quote:
Originally Posted by clearsea  Let me try asking this another way. What is it about "cruising" shore power battery chargers that allows them to smart-charge battery banks but also supply additional amperage to run DC appliances connected to the house battery distribution panel? What circuitry do they have that cheaper chargers do not?
The charger I got (aimed at trolling boat market) apparently does not have that capability, and merely floats the batteries with minimal amperage once the initial charging stage is done. When I flip on more than a couple of incandescent lights, the charger switches back to a higher charging mode from float, and flips back when I turn off all but one light. |
Assuming we are talking specifically about smart/switch mode chargers of the same voltage, all that sets your trolling charger apart from chargers used on cruising boats is their power output. This is best defined as the current (amps) they can supply continuously.
If your maximum onboard amperage drain exceeds the output of the charger then clearly you need a more powerful one.
As mentioned elsewhere it seems your charger is working as it should, but from your comments may not be powerful enough. All the smart charger is interested in is achieving or maintaining a specific battery voltage relevant to the mode it is in at the time. When you take power from your batteries by switching on onboard devices, the charger needs to have the reserve of power to compensate. If it can't cover this additional load, the batteries discharge to the point where the charger is obliged to go into bulk/boost mode.
Putting another smart charger in parallel with it will do no harm but working this way they may not give their individual full performance unless perfectly matched. A better solution would be a single charger capable of supplying all your needs.
Regards