www.iFourWinns.com

The Guest 2620 onboard battery charger has failed on our 268. Second time, ( first was covered under warranty ) I don't want to replace it with another since I am fast losing faith in this unit.

Am considering a Prosport 20 from Promarine.

Has anyone used this unit or maybe suggest a different one?

9BALL

_________________
2005 V268

I had a 2 bank ProSport Charger from Bass Pro on my H200SS...never any issues with it. Every weekend, the boat was backed into the garage and plugged in. It always kept my batteries topped off and maintained over the winter.

_________________
Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

My '99 258V had a factory-installed dual-output Guest 2815 dry-mount that failed after three or four years. I replaced it with a Guest 2620, which failed and was replaced under warranty; the second 2620 also failed and boiled two batteries. I switched to ProMariner ProSports - which both failed.

I subsequently realized that the charger in a cruiser needs to both maintain batteries and supply continuous power to 12v loads when docked and occupied. The Guest and ProMariner models I tried can't do that. I settled on an Iota DLS45 dry-mount.

If you run 12v loads when docked very much, consider that most chargers just aren't designed to do that; choose one that is intended for the service you subject it to.

_________________
Tom
Cape Coral

'99 Four Winns 258 Vista
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bowcam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cape-coral-marine-radio VHF
http://67.207.143.181/vlf9.m3u VLF: Lightning, spherics

I switched over from wet-cells to AGM. In going so I went with 2 Promariner chargers, for my 3 AGMs. Both did fail after one year, BUT they replaced both at no charge. One of which was a 12amp & the upgraded me to a 20amp. One has been in the boat for 2 years now and the other just one. There customer service is great and there based in N.H. and they do walk in service, just call ahead.

OH, Promariners can be set to AGM batteries. My Guest a "07" dual charger, don't know the model#, can not. I still have it down my basement. I pulled it out of the boat with 11hrs on it. I will sell it for $25.00 plus shipping, just let me know.

I am not sure on "and supply continuous power". But, I did question Promariner when my two chargers failed. I wanted to know, if it was something I did!! Basicly they told me, never power the boat on the charger only!! As long as the battery is hooked up, it will take on the load and not the charger. The charger will not put out pure D.C., there will be a small amount of A.C. being outputed. If your battery was to fail, and the charger was on and you turned on a dome light. You would see it flicker from the 12v AC from the charger. If you are right, than we should buy, the biggest charger we could.

> ... supply continuous power...

I'll try to rephrase.

Most chargers are designed to charge and maintain a battery. They are not designed to charge batteries and continuously illuminate cabin lighting, run freshwater pumps or power electronics. Those loads will cause most chargers to misinterpret the battery charge condition; the battery appears to be drawing more current than it actually is so it appears to be undercharged. The result can be overcharged batteries and an overworked charger.

Consider that while you are on shore power it is the charger that is powering the boat, not the engine or the batteries. If you live aboard or spend much time on board and on shore power, the charger might not be up to the task.

My 258v was supplied with a Guest dry-mount which I replaced with a lesser, waterproof, model. That was a mistake and lead to its failure and several failed batteries.

_________________
Tom
Cape Coral

'99 Four Winns 258 Vista
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bowcam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cape-coral-marine-radio VHF
http://67.207.143.181/vlf9.m3u VLF: Lightning, spherics

I see were you are coming from now! On that note, than it would not be a bad thing to put a bigger charger in. If nothing else, in can only help.

The larger boats use the Progressive Dynamics chargers and this unit seems to work very well.

http://www.progressivedyn.com/prod_deta ... d2000.html
http://www.progressivedyn.com/prod_deta ... d2100.html

It does maintain the batteries as well as have several charging modes to maximize the charging. Just wish it had a remote display since it is buried in the engine compartment and hard to see.

Maybe a bit of overkill but better than dead or cooked batteries.

_________________
Jnizi

2007 Vista 338 "Better Yet"
Previously:
2007 Vista 258 " Just Right"
2005 Horizon 230

The Promariners have the same charging modes, but these are very heavy duty chargers.

I've had both Guest and Charles chargers in our 348. One died at the dealer (taking three batteries with it) and the replacement been working fine. Can't recall which is in there now though, sorry.

_________________
-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I replaced the Guest charger on our 258 a couple of years ago. It fried a couple of batteries when it went too. One thing I did discover is that Guest suggests you have inline fuses between the charger and the batteries. There were none on my factory install. I think my second Guest is on the fritz and on its way out. Any idea what they want for one of those Progressive Dynamics 20 amp chargers?

_________________
2006 Vista 258
2007 Yukon Denali

Mine had inline 15A fuses between the charger and battery, they were located behind the panel that holds the battery selector switch.

I blew them both when the batteries were low and I had the charger plugged in and went to start the boat, I thought I blew the charger since it quit charging and the 'ready' light was on both sides but the batteries were not charging. I read there were internal fuses on the Guest, there wasnt any on mine, I checked the output at the charger and it was putting out 14v, had to trace the wires down to those 15A fuses.

Been fine ever since.

_________________
2006 Vista 248 5.7DP - SOLD
2011 Crownline E6 - SOLD
2007 Sea Ray 260 Sundancer

That's interesting. It was always my understanding that the chargers went directly to the batteries and that the "1/2, On-Off" switch" was later in the circuit. As such, I always thought that when the charger is on, both batteries are charging regardless of what position the switch is in. I always thought the switch governed only which battery the boat's systems were drawing from. I say all this with a relatively limited understanding of electrical circuitry, so somebody fill me in if I'm incorrect (which I readily admit is entirely possible).

_________________
2006 Vista 258
2007 Yukon Denali

There is almost always a fuse or circuit breaker between thw charger outputs and the batteries. My boat has circuit breakers mounted in the battery panel. The smaller Vistas have blade fuses mounted near the battery switch. They should be connected to the battery side of the battery switch, so the batteries charge even with the switch off.

_________________
2008 V358 Two-tone Blue V/P Dual Prop 320 HP
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

It charges both batteries with the switch in any position, the charger output is hooked to the cable that goes to the battery and not after.

It would have been easier to just hook them up directly to the battery where you could see the fuses but they probably didnt want the extra wires hanging off the positive battery terminal and/or possible spark issues.