on-board charger?

[Amature Hour]

I have a pro mariner on-board triple bank charger, that I haven't had a problem with. But this is the third charger from them that I've gotten from them. The question that I have is, what brand chargers do you guys run?

The customer service from those guys is good, they maybe hard to get a hold of, but the upgrade from the first one that I bought. To the second one that they gave me. ($20 plus shipping to them for the junk one and free shipping for the new one, for about $100 upgrade).

The thing that I am also afraid of is that they say you can use it for storage of the batteries, but the unit runs pretty hot all the time. And the last one I had did the same thing and one of the chips inside burned out. (Thats what the service guy told me.)

So what brand charger you use to charge your batteries and for storage?

[Rockin Randy]

I have run the Pro Mariner three bank for about 15 years. I am on my third one, my only complaint is that they are not waterproof. All three times they quit, they got wet from the bilge not working or turning it on too late. The customer service is great tho. From what I have heard other brands are not any better. No one has really bragged any others up to me anyway.

Rockin Randy

[tonkapat]

stay away from pro mariner. They are nothing but junk. Went through 2 in a year and 3 in 3 years and they never got wet. Switched brands and no problems since. Just look up reviews of there chargers most have had the experience I did.

[yaggie]

I could get a little over a year with the pro mariner on my former boat. Not even sure what brand is in my Triton but no problems for three years. The economical chargers appear to not be able to take a sustained pounding that many boats endure. I know of several boats running Minnkota chargers and they hold up very well.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

I must have got the one good one going on 4 years and the only thing I have had to do is replace an inline fuse holder because some silly-me who shall be left nameless hooked it up backwards

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

stay away from pro mariner. They are nothing but junk. Went through 2 in a year and 3 in 3 years and they never got wet. Switched brands and no problems since. Just look up reviews of there chargers most have had the experience I did.

What brand do you have now?

[TR21HP]

I've had 4 boats in the last 18 years and had Minn Kota's in all 4 and never had any problem with any of them. It's the only charger I would use.

[WaveWacker]

I've had my Guest for 12 years now and it's been great.

[gunner55]

+1 for Minnkota

[Esox_Magnum]

I also now only use Minn Kotas, both mine are plugged in 24/7/365unless I'm on the water and none have ever failed...My Guest and Pro Mariners all have failed in the past...

[tonkapat]

I've had 4 boats in the last 18 years and had Minn Kota's in all 4 and never had any problem with any of them. It's the only charger I would use.

+1 thats what I use also. They make nice chargers

[JohnMickish]

I have the Ranger charger that is made by Dual Pro. It's the same as the Pro model. When given the opportunity to chose between the MinnKota and the Dual Pro I asked the salesman for his advice, the answer was "they are built in the same factory, take your pick"

[PerchJerker]

Dual Pro and Minn Kota chargers have the best reputation for durability and reliability. On-board chargers are subjected to a lot of heat, a lot of vibration, and a lot of moisture, and it takes quality components and a quality build to earn a good reputation, and keep it. I would go with either of these brands with no hesitation. I have a Dual Pro charger in my own boat.

Years ago Guest had a terrible track record but that has changed and for the last several years they have been putting out good quality chargers.

Those are the only 2 or 3 brands I'd buy for myself.

[SimilarIsland]

I wish I would have put a Dual Pro Charger in my Lund. My three year old Minnkota MK-345 lost a bank this Fall. As I understand it, you can have a Dual Pro repaired. A lost bank on a Minn Kota is not repairable.

[Capt. H (Ret.)]

+1

I've had my Guest for 12 years now and it's been great.

[delmuts]

Similar.

Yes the newer ones are repairable. The people at Dual Pro have always been great for me to deal with. Lost a bank in my older unit. They had me send it back, where they repaired/ updated it, even though it wasn't a repairable one. The new version is.

[SimilarIsland]

Thanks Delmuts,

Dual Pro for me! +$300 for a throw away charger is nuts.

[Sandmannd]

Mine went out last year. Quick trip up to Thorne Bros and got a new Minn-Kota, it's been awesome.

[Down Deep]

I had a Guest on a boat I kept for 9 years and a MinnKota on the replacement which I bought in 2009. I work the heck out of them and never had a problem with either one. I had the dealer install the MinnKota on the wall inside of the driver side console. This solved any problems with water infiltration within the under-floor compartments. I don't use the charger for battery maintenance. I charge them up and yank the cord. I use the boat often enough that my batteries are at full charge without a trickle charge for maintenance. During the winter I yank them and they are stored inside. I put a charger on them about every 6 to 8 weeks and they only require a very 15 to 20 minute short recharge.