Alternator DC Trolling Battery Charging

[Sportfish1850]

I'm considering getting an on board DC Alternator battery charger for my 24v trolling system. Too often when I go to a remote location to fish I have no access to 120v so I can't plug in my on board AC charging unit and after 3 days my batteries are dead.

I'm looking at the Minn Kota MK-2-DC Dual Bank DC Alternator Charger as an option. When I go to Voyageurs this summer I want my 24v system to work the full 6 days not just 3 days.

Anyone have any experience with this ?

How about the solar panel trickle chargers as an alternative ? Do they work or are they too slow ?

Any ideas or input would be appreciated.

[311Hemi]

Can't help you with the charger, but I am curious what outboard you are running on your 1850?

[katoguy]

The DC alternator chargers are dependent upon your alternator. After the alternator tops of the crank battery it will then overflow to the trolling motor batteries. Good in theory, not so practical in actual use. (Unless you are driving for a couple hours with your outboard to partially recharge your trolling batteries.)

Solar chargers would be large (and expensive) to charge trolling motor batteries. It is also dependent on sunshine.

Your best bet is a gas generator and the use of a regular on-board battery charger.

[PerchJerker]

The DC alternator chargers are dependent upon your alternator. After the alternator tops of the crank battery it will then overflow to the trolling motor batteries. Good in theory, not so practical in actual use. (Unless you are driving for a couple hours with your outboard to partially recharge your trolling batteries.)

I agree. Unless your alternator puts out a lot of amps and you're doing a lot of high-speed running you're probably not going to get a lot of benefit. A generator or a 2nd set of batteries might serve you better????

[Whoaru99]

Yup, even the small Honda 1000 generator should more than run a battery charger.

I agree with the rest on alternator charger and solar. They have their places, but probably not what is going to work for your situation.

The generator cost is sorta high, but perhaps one could be rented for the week for much less?

[GBPackerNut]

I have a Honda EU2000 that I plan on using this summer on a couple of my extended trips without power.

[Phred52]

Quite honestly, and not meaning to offend, I don't believe it will work! IMO, you'll get back the charge in your starter battery and maybe, if your lucky some into your trolling batteries,but I don't think you'll get more than another day's use from the trollers. I'd suggest a Honda 2000, parked a distance away from your campsite and a LONG extention cord to the boat. Get what charge you can, WHEN you can. BUT... That's just my opinion. Good luck, Phred52

[propster]

The Honda 2000 worked for us last year on a 9 day trip. There's another alternative though, check out the All Charge by StaynCharge. Might be just the ticket. I use the StaynCharge unit now and don't need the generator. But if you are leaving the boat in the water the whole time, the All Charge uses your outboard's alternator to charge the tm batteries.

[tonkapat]

just go to one of the resorts or bars up there and plug in your onboard charger for a few hours. Your never all that far from power up there. Bring an extension cord or two and have a couple cold ones while u wait. Hopefully u have a 20 or 30 amp charger to make it go a faster

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

The Honda 2000 worked for us last year on a 9 day trip. There's another alternative though, check out the All Charge by StaynCharge. Might be just the ticket. I use the StaynCharge unit now and don't need the generator. But if you are leaving the boat in the water the whole time, the All Charge uses your outboard's alternator to charge the tm batteries.

Is this unit different than the other alternator chargers? If so, how?

BTW, somebody should make an alternator charger that ups the juice. Now there is a great idea for someone

[jeffreyd]

One thing to remember that if you have 2 batteries, they will receive the same charge as one, so if the alternator is putting out 10 amps it is going to put as much as it can into both batteries. If one battery is in worse condition than the other that one will get more or all of the charge. However if you have two equal batteries, they will split the charge it is not like there is a switch or something that trips when one is full. You can get an alternator not sure if they work in marine application or not that will put out 190 amps at idle and 220 at 1200 rpm, you will pay dearly for it but they work.

[Whoaru99]

I used to have a nice, custom wound alternator when I was into car audio. That alternator wouldn't fit under the cowling of any outboard engine I've ever seen.

We use some fairly powerful Leece-Neville (200A??) and Bosch (135A) alternators where I work. They wouldn't fit either.

[jeffreyd]

If i guy could get a powerline in a case for a marine app it would work. The 190 at idle is in a ford pick up application, lots of power out of a small case. We used leece and neihoff 370 and 420 on our fire applications they make a 500 for that app too but you need 2 men and a small boy to move it around.

[GBPackerNut]

yeah, 300 amp alternator, just add another 100pounds to that motor, and then realize that you can plane out anymore because it takes 10HP to just turn the alternator over...

Ill stick with the Honda EU and my 'Kota 3 bank charger...

[marine_man]

I agree with everyone's sentiments here, unless you have an IO. Then you might have a shot.

What brand and HP motor do you have? I'll look up the rectifier output.

marine_man