What are the pros and cons to use a 1-bank 2 Amp onboard charger to charge cranking battery? It's not the cost, it's the space I'm considering. Granted it will charge slower than the normal 10 or 5 amp one-bank charger (then it goes into the auto maintain mode when the charge is full), most of us leave the charger plugged in all the time till next trip anyway. Thanks.
I have personally always thought a slow trickle was better for regular wet cell batteries. I could be wrong but I believe deep cycles are better equipped to take the 15 amp charges. As long as you have the time for the 2 amp charger to do it’s job I think it’s a good idea.
Just be careful of one that you leave
plugged in all the time. My experience
and it could have been a faulty charger,
it never completely cut off and boiled
my battery dry over a long period. It was
a 2amp and was called the Battery Tender.
It ruined the battery. LDS
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I kinda think so too. The onboard alternator charges the cranking battery while the engine is running anyway. So it seems that the cranking battery doesn't always need all that much charging after a trip. The trolling motor batteries on the other hand...Originally Posted by glock-19
Used one for years with no problem.
Since you are discussing a "one bank" charger I presume you are charging only one battery. If space is at a premium, you could attach a quick disconnect polarized cable to the battery and the other half of the connector to a charger cables. Then you could plug the two together and remove it when you go fishing. That way it would take up no room.
They have been used on motorcycles for decades with no issues.
I'm installing a 2 amp Noco in my little aluminum boat. The Noco is very lite in weight. I don't leave mine plugged in but I do plug it in the day before I go out. Like said I figure the starting battery is mostly charged by the boats alternator anyway so it won't need much. I'm going lithium for trolling motor so that will be a different charger.
Been using one on my starting battery for years. It doesn't stay in my boat either. No issues and I'll continue using it.
Agree...was told this by an engineer at a battery manufacturer near to me years ago. It is a good practice to sometimes not to use your higher amp on-board charger if you are not going fishing for several days and to hook up a 2 AMP manual charger to get a long, deep charge into them occasionally.
So my question is...what are you using for the other batteries??
I have a Cabela's 3 bank charger for my 3 trolling batteries. The 1 bank stand alone for the cranking battery just died. As I looked around for a replacement I came across a 2-amp one. Besides the benefit of the size, I don't know enough of the pros and cons if I were to go with a 2-amp, hence the question.
what he said....I leave a 1 amp tender on my starting battery year round. But I also use my boat year round when possible. No brainer for me....
for the trolling motor batteries...use a 10 amp (dual) minnkota charger thats in the boat. Take it off as soon as the lights show charged.
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I connect a Battery Tender to mine when it's parked for a while or in the winter. Most Battery Tenders come with 2 sets of connections that quick connect to the charger. One set has alligator clips and the other has eyes that you put connect directly to the posts. I use the one with eyes and route the wire up along with the motor controls and zip tie it. Just connect the tender to it when needed.
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I have the Minn Kota 1 bank 10amp charger i use to keep the cranking battery charged up, i want to make sure it gets a complete charge.
Noco makes some very small 1-bank 5a and 10a on board chargers. I just got the 10a for a 5th electronics battery in my Skeeter.
https://no.co/gen5x1
https://no.co/genpro10x1
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Not an onboard 2 amp but I keep 3 of these in the boat year round since 2015.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Schumach...1248/207123536
I connect them as soon as I park after a trip and have had zero issues. One of my trolling batteries is a 2009 agm and it's still in service. The other 2 are from Wal Mart and I average 5 years on each of them.
Since you dont draw the start battery down much you would be fine with a 2a charger/maintainer. No reason to over think it.
FWIW, years ago i had a guest 3 bank that was 5/5/2.5a The two 5a legs got hooked to the trolling batteries and the 2.5 to the starting. I never once had an issue with any of the batteries. Everything was always fully charged the next day after plugging it in.
I always have a Battery Tender hooked to the cranking battery. Once trolling motor battery's are done from Dual Pro charge they go to battery tender also.
I would not consider having a 2 amp charger to charge the battery, if you want one to maintain it after charge then ok. If you use your pumps and graphs a lot during the day your big motor probably want completely charge the battery, that's why i would want a 10 amp to fully charge it.
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