Best way to charge 2005 40 PC batteries on land


N

nsgy11

New member
My 2005 40 PC is on land and I want to charge batteries before putting boat in water. Each time I try the 20 AMP GFI outlet near my boat, the outlet unit trips or the main AC switches on the boat trips. Dockside 30 AMP would work but too far away; but I need to be able to power the engines to leave the loading dock. What is the best way to charge batteries? Would a portable automobile charger unit (such as ones used by AAA) work?
How do I get around preventing GFI from tripping? Is there a breaker I need to turn off on board the boat?
 
Make sure all your other breakers are off and that your source of power doesnt have any other load on it. I would use your shore power cord with an adapther at the receptacle to avoid voltage drop. The receptacle should handle the battery charger , if not GFI should be checked. I run 100ft of standard extension cord and connect to my shore power cord at boat and have no issues running the onboard charger with seven batteries charging.
 
On my 37PC if you have the boat on land, which I do over the winter, and want to charge the batteries, its essential to turn off the Galvanic isolator switch. Its located under the cockpit sink on that secondary panel. If I leave it on and connect to a GCFI, then it trips. Possibly the same system on your boat.
 
Thanks all for your advice. Will the batteries charge if I keep both battery switches in the OFF position? I will turn off all breakers and try charging with an external cable and adapter.
 
Yes, the batteries will charge if the 12 volt switches and breakers are in the off position. The A/C main breaker and the battery charger breaker must be on.
 
Thanks for the post. Will try this when the snow melts. A poll - How many of us take AGM batteries off the boat each season? In the past I had always broke my back and stored wet batteries on land and placed them on a trickle charger in my garage. With the 40 PC, pulling out 5 AGM batteries from the boat and lugging them home did not make sense and I left these on the boat over the winter. Do you all disconnect the ground terminals or just turn of the main battery switches?
 
I've also left my Deka batteries on the boat for six harsh winters and NO problems. I finally replaced them, figuring 7 years life span might be pushing it a little.
 
A fully charged battery will not freeze as a discharged one will. If you leave them in the boat and cannot trickle charge them. disconnect all positive or negative terminals after they are fully charged. They should be ready for spring just by re-connecting them and charging.
 
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