Charger for 252SE

[BeepBeep]

Hello all... I have a new 252SE. The boat will be in storage when not in use, there is no power available at the storage.

I will typically use the boat on 2 or 3-day trips on weekends, remove the batteries when I get home, set them on auto/smart chargers, then reinstall before going out again at the next outing.

For those with the 252SE/SD, etc, with "typical" weekend usage, will the house battery last all weekend without needing a charge? I understand there are many variables that affect battery usage, I'm just looking for general info.

I am thinking I'll get a dual bank charger with alligator clips for now until I find storage with power. Several threads on here say a high-Amp charger is needed for the house battery but the starting battery shouldn't have a high-Amp charger, making it difficult to use a 2 bank charger with the same amp output. With those with a 252, are you using a 5Amp or 10Amp per bank charger and how is it working out for you?

Thank you...

 

[tdonoughue]

I have done it with no problem, but it really will depend heavily on your use profile. Do you tend to cruise around with short stops, or do you run 15 min out to a floating spot and run the stereo at full blast all day and then do 15 min in? These are obviously extremes. The more you run around with the boat, the more it not only charges the battery, but the more time you are having the engines providing the electricity for things rather than your battery. I got a Victron shunt which provides lots of data on battery level and use--something like that would let you monitor and have a good estimate how much sandbar time you have left.

 

[BeepBeep]

Thank you for the info.