Charging via downrigger socket?

[Da Nag]

I'm sure I'm not the first one to think of this, but I've not seen it mentioned elsewhere. Anyone ever charge their batteries via an existing downrigger socket?

I just replaced both batteries in the 16 Angler, and I'm trying to keep things simple and don't want to spend the $$ on a "proper", dual bank marine charger. I've had great luck with the small, waterproof Battery Tender 800's - anything that doesn't get used routinely in my garage is on one.

However, rather than get one for each of the new batteries - why not simply leave the 1-2-All switch on All, wire up an adaptor that plugs into one of the downrigger sockets and trickle away?

At 800 mA, I'm sure there's no concern about the sockets or wiring. And yes...I'm aware these little guys can take a while to top things off, but I know they get the job done. I use one on my F250 w/dual batteries that are much larger than the boat's, and even when the truck hasn't been used in a while - they never fail to top off within 2-3 days.

 

[rogerbum]

I can't see any reason why that wouldn't work. Just remember to unplug the charger if for some reason you decide to put on earmuffs and start the engines up.

 

[Aurelia]

Right you are and I also use a little 750ma unit for some charging off the boat and it works perfectly well. So long as you are connected to both batteries and they are both the same chemistry and size (less importantly age) you should be just fine. If one is much smaller than the other or one is an AGM or Gel unit and the other is not, you will not be fine for very long.

Greg

 

[Da Nag]

Thanks for the affirmation, guys.

Yes - the new batteries are identical. The originals were both group 24's, one starting one deep cycle. However, rather than replace with the same, or bump the deep cycle to a group 31 as some have done - I stuck with a pair of group 24's, but both are deep cycle. Plenty of CCA's to fire up the little BF50.

 

[TyBoo]

First off, Bill, you nerd you - that's a great idea!

One question for the other nerd, and it is with a genuine quest for learning. Definitely not argumentative.

Just remember to unplug the charger if for some reason you decide to put on earmuffs and start the engines up.

Why? I have started my motor at the dock with shore power connected and the onboard charger on for years and I still can get five years on my three year batteries and so far have sixteen years on the alternator.

Oh, and with my degraded hearing and the motor being a quiet Honda, I don't need ear muffs to do it.

I also leave my switch on All all the time because the huge inverter that runs the Keurig coffee maker needs it, and nobody wants to flip a separate switch before coffee. So with this great new idea of Bill's I can plug one of those trickle chargers into the inverter and put a Scotty plug on the output leads so I can keep the batteries topped off even without shore power. I never could afford one of those wireless shorepower devices that are usually advertised around the first of April, so this is a miracle.

 

[rogerbum]

First off, Bill, you nerd you - that's a great idea!

One question for the other nerd, and it is with a genuine quest for learning. Definitely not argumentative.

Just remember to unplug the charger if for some reason you decide to put on earmuffs and start the engines up.

Why? I have started my motor at the dock with shore power connected and the onboard charger on for years and I still can get five years on my three year batteries and so far have sixteen years on the alternator.

I'm glad to hear that works for you but I'd be more worried about damage to the charger than the batteries. My concern is that the alternator might charge at a high voltage and damage a potentially unprotected charger.

Oh, and with my degraded hearing and the motor being a quiet Honda, I don't need ear muffs to do it.

You should probably at least wear a hat then to protect your scalp from the sun. :lol:

I also leave my switch on All all the time because the huge inverter that runs the Keurig coffee maker needs it, and nobody wants to flip a separate switch before coffee. So with this great new idea of Bill's I can plug one of those trickle chargers into the inverter and put a Scotty plug on the output leads so I can keep the batteries topped off even without shore power. I never could afford one of those wireless shorepower devices that are usually advertised around the first of April, so this is a miracle.

And if you plug a torquedo into the other Scotty outlet, you can motor around at low speed for ever. :wink:

 

[TyBoo]

My concern is that the alternator might charge at a high voltage and damage a potentially unprotected charger.

That should be a welcomed event because the junk charger was going to fail anyway. If either the regulated alternator or the charger is putting out a voltage higher than ~14.5vdc there are bigger problems on the way.

...with a genuine quest for learning. Definitely not argumentative.

 

[T.R. Bauer]

The dealer and Honda will advise against having two outboards on one battery as the rectifiers/alternators somehow get confused and don't charge. I have found that to be complete bull.....They say the same thing about having 2 outboards and 2 batteries connected together acting as one big battery. This is really all your "all" setting does. Anyway, my personal experience for whatever it is worth has found that not to be true at all and it work fines - at least with 1993 Honda 45s. My old powerstroke diesel doesn't seem have to issue with it either with twin batts and twin alternators seemingly all hard wired together. Does anyone know - does Japanese electricity flow differently than American?

BTW, I charge my batt through the pot puller plug......Why not right?

 

[Marco Flamingo]

Good idea. And it gave me a good idea. I have a Minn Kota trolling motor that I was thinking of trying (silent trolling is great). The prior owner installed two electric down rigger sockets and I use an old-school manual rigger. Plugging the Minn Kota in to a down rigger socket might work slick as a kicker motor.

Mark

 

[SGIDave]

Hello Bill,

I'm a little late to the party on this one. If your going to leave your 1-2-OFF-Both switch on BOTH, then simply connect your Battery to ONE of the batteries using the included ring terminals.

When the selector switch is on BOTH, it effectively 'parallels' the batteries, so the charge applied to one is shared between the batteries the same as if you cobbled together a special plug to go in the downrigger socket.

dave

 

[Da Nag]

I'm a little late to the party on this one. If your going to leave your 1-2-OFF-Both switch on BOTH, then simply connect your Battery to ONE of the batteries using the included ring terminals.

Good point, Dave - I'd originally planned on doing something similar. I was going to attach the pigtail to the common on the 1-2-ALL, which would allow me to charge either or both batteries depending on the switch position.

However, while the downrigger socket option doesn't offer that benefit - I can reach over the gunwale on the 16 from outside the boat to plug it in. With the pigtail on the battery or 1-2-ALL under the splashwell, I'd be climbing into the boat to plug it in and disconnect. More importantly, that area seems to attract tons of moisture. It's an annual event pulling everything apart and cleaning corrosion, so the less wire I have on posts carrying current the better.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

Using the down rigger socket would have the same effect on the battery switch, assuming the socket is presently wired to be selectible as 1, 2, or both. Setting the switch would direct the charge back to the selected battery(s). Best price I found for the plug is at Amazon ($14.73 and free shipping for Prime members). $14.73 and I don't need to get on my knees with a flashlight. A bargain.

Mark

 

[Da Nag]

Using the down rigger socket would have the same effect on the battery switch, assuming the socket is presently wired to be selectible as 1, 2, or both.

Uhhh...yeah...I knew that. It was just a test to see if anyone was paying attention.

 

[Da Nag]

Works as expected.

And, while I ordered up the old style bare Scotty plug on Amazon - it occurred to me after doing so that these looked really familiar. Turns out - they are the same plug as used on many motorcycles for hooking up accessories. BMW and Triumph use them for sure, and plenty of other folks have upgraded to "Powerlet" connectors on their bikes which are the same thing.

My original plan was to cut up one of clamp connectors that come with the Battery Tenders, replacing the clamps with the Scotty plug leaving the SAE end on. That would certainly work, but then I went back to Amazon and saw this:

http://www.amazon.com/OptiMate-CABLE-O- ... B008S9LG3U

It's a pre-made cable that should be plug and play, for just a couple bucks more. Were I doing this again (with old style Scotty downrigger sockets), I'd just get this cable and be done with it.