Hi all,

 My current onboard charger is a Promariner and it's gotten so Quirky I don't really trust it and want to replace it. So I'm looking for advise on what you all are using and trust. The batteries I need to charge are two lead acid deep cycle marine batteries.

          Thanks

I’ve never had issues with my MinnKota chargers. There’s several good ones on the market. 

For years I used ProMariner, Protournament three bank chargers but the last two I bought, both failed a few months out of warranty and both times they said they were not repairable and would only give me a small credit toward a new replacement.  Very nice chargers while they work, but $400 every couple of years was more than I was willing to pay so I would not recommend you replacing it with another ProMariner.  

 

I tried one Minn Kota 3 bank 15 amp per bank and that one over charged the batteries.  

 

Stayed with Dual Pro after those.  It is a good charger and hard to beat. Their Pro series is still made in the USA, I'm not sure about the cheaper models.

 

There are a lot of them and I'm sure there are some OK cheap ones but I decided to stick with Dual Pro.   

My NOCO Genius hasn't given me issues in 4 years.

I also had a Promariner fail after 2 years.

Went with a Noco which will charge lead acid or lithium.

I've run this Dual Pro since May 2018. If it's not on the water, it's plugged in. Zero problems. 

I have had 2 NOCOs go bad in my boat.  They quit bringing the batteries to full charge which ruined them.  My electronics tech said they are seeing several NOCO issues.

 I switched to the new Minn Kota so far it is doing a great job.  One of my regular fishing buddies has a MK in his boat that’s 14 years old and going strong.

One issue with boat electronics is water, condensation, etc.

 

This gets on the leads of transistors, IC's, capacitors, resistors, coils, transformers, etc.

 

Over time those leads to components develop corrosion. That corrosion creeps up the lead and right into sealed parts eventually destroying them.

 

Advances in Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Energy

Volume 1, 2021, 100016

The detrimental effects of water on electronic devices

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772671121000152

The ultimate guide to PCB corrosion : causes, prevention, and cleaning methods

https://www.pcbaaa.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-pcb-corrosion-causes-prevention-and-cleaning-methods/

 

Some brands try and mitigate this by burying their electronics in epoxy, but this does not always work.

 

One thing all brands do not do is protect the electronics using various products to prevent water and moisture from ever making contact with the leads of electronics components.

 

This same issue our military and NASA and other agencies have to deal with.

 

So today there are products that can be used on things like trolling motor electronics to prevent the corrosion process thereby protecting the electronics for a longer period of time.

 

The old saying an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? Never truer here!

 

For years I have used one product on all my boat electronics and rarely if ever have any issues thanks to it. I use it on connectors, sonar connectors, power connections, trolling motors, even my audio electronics in the boat is protected from water and moisture.

 

It is simply a product you spray directly onto the electronics and once it is on the metal leads, water cannot get past it and corrosion is stopped dead in its tracks.

 

Quite often with trolling motors it is the electronics that goes first. But it can be protected and mitigated somewhat for those who know... and can do.

 

Without mentioning any names or brands and breaking any forum rules, because there are a number of products out there that all claim to do the same thing, there is only one product I can think of that rises above all the others simply because it is so good and military approved and it works and works long term.

 

"Safe On Electronics

Water and electronics don't mix. Until now, there haven't been many options for protecting or restoring electronics from moisture intrusion. ?????????? unique Polar Bonding Fluid Thin Film Coating (FTFC) technology displaces moisture and seals it out with a self-healing high dielectric coating. Even though ????????????? has a dielectric property in excess of 39,000 volts, because it forms an ultra-thin film it does not interfere with electronics or heat dissipation. A must for all marine battery terminals, and a mission critical product for drones and all Remote Control hobbyists."

 

"?????????? is the only product readily available to the public that meets the U.S. Navy's tough new corrosion prevention and control performance requirement MIL-PRF-81309H."

 

If you are in saltwater, then this stuff is a must because trolling motor electronics can corrode into nothing in months rather than years. Keep in mind the trolling motor brands do not make the small components soldered to circuit boards. So they have nothing to do with the metal that actually corrodes and is behind many of the electronics failures. You gotta aim for those tiny small parts soldered on the circuit boards. The transistors, IC's, capacitors, resistors, etc. and protect that metal from corroding. That's where its at!

 

On Navy ships and planes around the world they do the same thing to protect their electronics in demanding circumstances.

 

You would be amazed at how fast corrosion can creep up the leads of circuit board components.

 

But how many of us actually go inside and protect it at that level? Not many of us for sure.

 

The same holds true for onboard chargers as well. I can't tell you how many of them I have seen come out of boats here in Florida eaten up with unchecked corrosion. Boat owner just kept using it until it failed and blew up in spectacular fashion. Smoke, sparks, and flames coming out of some of them.

 

I must be lucky. I never have issues like this. I kind of hope it is from being proactive in the prevention dept that 99.9999999999% of others ignore, overlook, or don't bother with or don't have the skills to do it. Just one product used correctly can save boat owners a ton of headaches and down time and money.

 

This comment is for informational purposes only to hopefully help others, and in no way trying to advertise or promote any specific product by name or brand in violation of any rules. I am just trying to suggest and promote the idea of electronics protection same as our military does.

 

I think it is sorely overlooked by the masses, many of whom may not even be aware of this issue.

 

And for the record, I not only treat marine electronics, but I also treat home and mobile electronics the same. And I also use it on fishing reels too. It keeps them from corroding as well. I live in Florida and yet after more than 50 years of fishing here I am one of the few who never has rusty bearings in any reels- ever.

 

----------------------------------ADDED:

 

One of the errors of human thought that allows for marine electronics to corrode away unprotected is that many of us think and believe that we are placing our marine electronics in safe, dry locations. And while this may be true for the water the boat is in, it is NOT true for water in the air.

 

Temperature kills electronics because as temperature drops, the metal leads on transistors, IC's, capacitors, resistors, etc. get cold and then condensation moisture condenses onto those metal leads while all of us are out here thinking and believing our electronics is safe and dry, they are not.

 

This is why it is important that before any electronics is installed into a boat, it might be a good idea to protect the electronics ahead of installation so that the process of condensation can't start the electronics-destruction process out of sight and out of mind.

 

I don't know if I am allowed to say this, but if anyone wants to learn of this one product I successfully use here in Florida, just send me a message in private. I am trying to follow the rules of this forum. I am one of those who has to read them at least once a week so I don't break any rules- because its so easy to do. I'm really trying hard to stay within the rules concerning brands, advertising, promoting products, etc.

 

I know we are allowed to tell what we use so long as it don't sound like an advertisement. So if my comment sounds like an advertisement to me, then I know I am breaking the rules, so I leave brand names and product names out as much as possible.

 

So in this comment I am trying to promote an idea, not the single one product I use.

My Dualpro is going on 12 years without an issue. 

3 hours ago, ElGuapo928 said:

My Dualpro is going on 12 years without an issue. 

Nice ~

My Quad Pro unit is pushing 10 years.

Solid.

A-Jay 

 

14 minutes ago, ElGuapo928 said:

My Dualpro is going on 12 years without an issue. 

You are in Arizona? And the other member is in northern Michigan?

 

Both are fairly dry and have low salt content in the air.

 

Florida is another story. Most boat owners in this state would never get 12 years out of an onboard charger without some electronics protection prevention.

 

You guys are doing good. No, great! 12 years is amazing. Both of you might want to knock on some wood!

 

------------------------------------------ADDED

 

I gotta add in another thing to think about and consider.

 

Lead acid batteries emits corrosive fumes while charging. It is not a good idea to put electronics into the same compartments as the batteries are located.

 

Even if ventilated, the lead acid fumes are still present until ventilated and can cause accelerated issues to nearby electronics.

 

The lead acid fumes can accelerate the corrosion process. I found this out the hard way myself losing one trolling motor variable drive electronics I placed right next to the batteries. Won't do that again. I also did not protect the circuit boards on that one either.

 

Every little preventative step we can take can prolong the useful life of electronics.

2 hours ago, FloridaFishinFool said:

You are in Arizona? And the other member is in northern Michigan?

 

Both are fairly dry and have low salt content in the air.

 

Florida is another story. Most boat owners in this state would never get 12 years out of an onboard charger without some electronics protection prevention.

 

You guys are doing good. No, great! 12 years is amazing. Both of you might want to knock on some wood!

I’ve actually thought about the dry air contributing to the lifespan of electronics and boats in general around here.

 

Another thing I have noticed is that the scoop type vents on my old Ranger allow the bilge to be completely dried out between leaving the ramp and backing the trailer in the driveway. Don’t know why these have gone away in boat design.
 

Condensation is pretty much only a thing for 3-4 weeks during the winter, which I am sure helps.

What ever charger you buy be sure it's lithium battery capable. That's what your next batteries are probably going to be.

I use dual pro too.

 

I had the recreation series that came with my boat that I bought in 2015 finally go bad last season. I replaced with with the exact same model. Same drill holes as before too.

 

Should you choose to use lithium batteries, make sure the charger is compatible with them. Not every charger is.

For all 12v and a two bank?  Noco genius and call it a day. And it is lithium and agm compatible for the future. 

8 years and counting on my Dual Pro.

11 hours ago, GreenPig said:

I've run this Dual Pro since May 2018. If it's not on the water, it's plugged in. Zero problems. 

I had that same charger in a 4 bank;  problem after problem.  Mfg replaced it once, maybe twice, and it was sent in for warrantee repair 4 times.  Had it 5 years.  When it failed again only 3 months after the last repair, I gave it away to someone who needed only 2 of the remaining 3 banks.  After talking with 3 marina mechanics I bought the one they all recommended.  Maybe I was jinxed, as I know others who have never had a problem with the one I gave away.

Dual Pro 3-bank Professional Series came with my 2016 Ranger.  If the boat isn't on the water, it's in my garage with the charger plugged in.  Zero issues.  When my current Diehard TM batteries finally wear out (it's been four years and they are still going strong) I'll be switching to lithium TM with an AGM starting battery so I'll have to change the charger.  I'm not thrilled about that.  

31 minutes ago, BigAngus752 said:

Dual Pro 3-bank Professional Series came with my 2016 Ranger.  If the boat isn't on the water, it's in my garage with the charger plugged in.  Zero issues.  When my current Diehard TM batteries finally wear out (it's been four years and they are still going strong) I'll be switching to lithium TM with an AGM starting battery so I'll have to change the charger.  I'm not thrilled about that.  

Newest Dual Pro might still be an option . . 

https://dualpro.com/products/rs3-realpro-series

A-Jay

Thanks everyone, I'll look into these.

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Newest Dual Pro might still be an option . . 

https://dualpro.com/products/rs3-realpro-series

A-Jay

That’s the one I bought last year, albeit a single bank version.

4 hours ago, jbmaine said:

Thanks everyone, I'll look into these.

Think seriously changing from lead acid to AGM’s, no outgassing issues that can kill your Onboard charger and longer battery life. lifeP04 lithium prices are getting reasonable price zero charging issues.

Tom

AGM's are lead acid, they just are not flooded cell.  The three most common types are Flooded cell which come in Serviceable and Maintenance free; AGM's which come in stacked cell and spiral cell and then the gel cell.  The flooded cell has to be stored top up, the AGM and gel can be stored on their sides or ends.  The high end serviceable flooded cell batteries can provide the most AH/RC over the others.