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  1. #1
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    Question What brand of battery charger?

    I have to replace my four bank battery charger. I had a Minn Kota 460 and it lasted 10 years. I’m wondering if there are other brands I need to be considering. The new Minn Kota may create a space problem after looking at the dimensions.

  2. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #2
    Dual Pro or MK. The MK PC series is generally smaller.
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  3. Better Lucky Than Good! Casslaw's Avatar
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    #3
    I’m a fan of the 10amp/bank Noco chargers. I really appreciate mine, just plug in when I get home and the batteries are liking being taken care of.

    No one can say anything bad about DualPro, just depends on which series you want.
    2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV

  4. Member
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    #4
    Dual Pro would be my first choice, followed by Minn Kota. If space is an issue, you can take a look at the Powermania Turbo MV2 chargers, which are smaller than both the DP Sportsmen and Pro Series. Although I have no experience with them, I know they are more popular with the saltwater crowd. My contact at Northstar is very keen on them.


    http://www.powermaniausa.com/product.html
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  5. Member
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    #5
    If space requires a smaller footprint but you desire a high amp charger, your only choice is a pulse technology charger like the powermanias, Nocos.

  6. Member DanR's Avatar
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    #6
    I picked up one of those yellow Promariners from Amazon... great price and good charging rates, I picked up the 3 bank one this past spring and so far it's worked great. I don't know how they compare to other brands but I doubt this would be considered smaller than the MK series.

  7. Member Jeff Hahn's Avatar
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    #7
    Dual Pro.
    "The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments

  8. Honda / Raymarine Moderator Hickory Legend's Avatar
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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Lou r Pitcher View Post
    If space requires a smaller footprint but you desire a high amp charger, your only choice is a pulse technology charger like the powermanias, Nocos.
    Or StealthOne

  9. Member Bill Reynolds's Avatar
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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by DanR View Post
    I picked up one of those yellow Promariners from Amazon... great price and good charging rates, I picked up the 3 bank one this past spring and so far it's worked great. I don't know how they compare to other brands but I doubt this would be considered smaller than the MK series.
    I recently bought one of these. One bank of my dual Pro failed, and at the same time, I had to buy two trolling motor batteries so I could not afford another Dual Pro. I researched all the available brands and liked the charging profile of the Pro Mariner better than the others. Too early to tell if it will be durable, but it has a 2 year warranty so worth a try.

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  10. Member
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    #10
    Promariner lasted me 7 years, my NOCO lasted 1.5 years and a bank died. Switched to a MK for the upcoming years. Hoping it will last.

    Dodger123.

  11. Member
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    #11
    I purchased Promariner 3bank for the Distributed on Demand feature. Charges fast and no issues for 3years. Well if you count the Blue AC power LED failed, but did not effect operation, still has two LED's for charge indication. (I think the blue LED stopped working after a power surge at my house, I now keep my boat charger plugged into a surge arrestor).

    Went thru 2 MK chargers (different models), one just failed, the other over charged one battery boiling the battery. Junk IMO. MK was a pain to deal with replacement.

    My buddy went thru 3 NOCO chargers in a year and a half, banks kept failing. I think NOCO had a bad batch that year 2015~2016, as several people had bank failing issue. NOCO was easy for him to deal with for replacement.

    One friend swears by Stealth, he loves his.

  12. Better Lucky Than Good! Casslaw's Avatar
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    #12
    Lou, I’ve seen you reference the pulse charging technology of the Noco chargers in the past. Is there something you like/don’t like about how they charge? Any suggested reading materials so I can understand what you mean? I got the Noco because of the charging profile; seemed like a better alternative than straight 10amps til fully charged.

    Im open to being educated though!
    2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV

  13. Member
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    #13
    The pulse chargers have a few potential drawbacks.....

    One is their dependence on stressed electrical components present in their high current switching. Electrical components at the temps they have to operate to deliver the high charging currents in a very brief time period of the pulse tend to have a low MTBF and upon failure are not servicable.

    Another drawback is that used as an on-board charger, their high frequency pulse outputs are not always healthy for left connected powered electronics, especially for those having sensitive internal power supplies....

    The signals of the pulse charger can damage for example the device's input power filter circuit that is needed to filter out unwanted RFI such as that from an engine ignition's spark. Without the filter, the device may show the effects of RF.

    Damage to the device's filter can compromise the device's designed in ability to hold up its delivered regulated power voltage and continue to operate during a brief voltage sag such as occurs at the start of engine cranking. Without its' power input filter smoothing, the device may shut down or reset.