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chardynz avatar image
chardynz asked

Charger update

Hi I am updating our boats batteries to Lead Carbon 800 amps and its charging system.

We have a Centaur 12/60 charger and a Phoenix 12/3000 both 2014. We also have 910 w of solar with Victron mppt, there is a have a diesel generator on board.

We need more charging.

So should I add a Multiplus-2 12/3000 and parallel its charger with my 60 amp charger? This would give me some redundancy, I would also keep the old Phoenix.

Or just add a new charger.

We will be sailing from the Mediterranean back to New Zealand in the next couple of years.

Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated as I keep flip-flopping between the two or any other suggestions but not lithium batteries please.

Cheers.

Multiplus-II
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2 Answers
uguraladag avatar image
uguraladag answered ·

When the 12 V /Max 30 amp Victron Blue Smart IP22 charger is connected to the battery busbars and the AC 220V input is turned off, there will be a very low energy consumption due to the internal resistance of the charger. How much this consumption can drain our battery. Can you give this value in watt hours?

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JohnC avatar image
JohnC answered ·

Hi @chardynz

The Multi is a far better addition than another charger. It will pass through to ac loads as well as charge at the same time, so there's an efficiency gain there too. And less charge needed overall.

I could suggest things like a GX (Cerbo) and Smartshunt for the full treatment, but how far you go is up to you.

Where I do cringe a little is seeing 800Ah of 12V batts, suggesting multiple parallel strings. Just the recipe for batt imbalance at high charge rates, and eventual failure. A higher V system such as 24 or even 48V would help deal with that. Now's the time to lock in your future, the Multi isn't adjustable for that. 12V loads via Orion dc>dc converter/charger(s).

I started off myself with similar to what you have now, rolled to a 48/5000 Multi with the trimmings mentioned (& solar), and couldn't be happier. Up to you, but mine is now a better boat for it.

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chardynz avatar image chardynz commented ·

Thank you for your input I will read up on 12 V versus 24 v / 48v to be fair it's not something I had considered, and yes I do want to keep on building the system up as funds permit.


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