Marine battery charger requirement.

pstew96

pstew96

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12527
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If my boat has 3 batteries and two, the starter and deep discharge are connected in series, do I need a 2 bank or 3 bank charger? Thanks!
 
Two batteries in series is one bank. your other separate battery is another bank. You have two banks and therefore a two bank is fine unless you also have a genny battery you want to charge.

A bank is an independent battery or connection of batteries. e.g. ten 12V all in parallel is one bank. Likewise ten 6v all in series is one bank.
 
I don't think the OP knows the difference between in series vs parallel.
2, 12 volt batteries in series will give you 24 volts.
2, 12 volt batteries in parallel will still give you 12 volts, but the amps will be doubled.
 
How can a “starter battery and a deep discharge” be connected in series??? Different type and size batteries should never be combined, whether in series or parallel
 
To expand on the above replies, you have 3 batteries. You need a 3 bank charger. BUT! The most important thing you need is someone to actually see what you have and then what you really need or get the proper information to the crew here so that we can give better advice.
 
I. Disagree how the batteries are connected determines the number of banks.
 
pdecat is correct. So is Pascal. The OP describes two banks. He also describes two different types of batteries combined into one bank.

A picture or diagram of the wiring would be helpful here.
 
I used a 3 bank charger for the 3 batteries even though they were all the same type. Each engine had its own battery. Both Crusaders and the genny.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Bruce Herrington

I used a 3 bank charger for the 3 batteries even though they were all the same type. Each engine had its own battery. Both Crusaders and the genny.

Click to expand...


I ageee but builders try to save a buck. Three banks doesn’t just mean three batteries and a bigger charger but more complex wiring to charge three banks with two alternators.
 
The wiring in this 35 y/o boat is a hot mess, there is no panel and there are breaker switches all over the place, they have a starter battery and a deep discharge connected to each other and the other engine has a deep discharge for starting. He has a external 2000 watt genny that he hooks up to the shore power cable. I think the logic was that the starboard motor will also recharge the deep discharge battery as well as the starter battery. So I think a 2 bank will do it! Thanks folks!
 
Is this your boat or someone else's boat? If my boat, I would want to get the batteries hooked up properly. You do not want a deep cycle and starte hooked together. That is just inviting the day when the load on the deep cycle also draws down the starter battery.

George
 
No, not my boat, but then I suppose the charger should be a 3 band and the items the deep discharge serves should be separated from the two connected batteries, but he needs to get that charger!...
 
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