24 volt battery system charging?

[longshot]

I got a new boat this past weekend. It has a 24 volt trolling motor. I only have a single 12 volt charger.

Here is my ????

Now......several people have told me to just hook the charger up to one battery and charge it till it is charged...then change to the other battery. They said it wont take as long to charge the second battery since it will bleed off the first battery to the second while I am charging???????

It looks like to me that you should unhook the lead that hooks the - of one battery to the + of the other battery before you charge anything???????? Wouldnt it be charging the second battery wrong if the - to + wire is still hooked up??????

Am I overthinking it or what.

thanks
longshot

[Vince Gray]

hey they make 3 bank chargers, you conect a set of wires to each battery, when you park at night simply plug in charger and it automaticaly charges each battery just the amount that they need. all you have to do is check water before you vcharge and be sure compartment is open to vent gases from charging. these chargers charge slowly the way deep cycle batteries need, so the last maximum life. hope this helps

[CatFan]

Now......several people have told me to just hook the charger up to one battery and charge it till it is charged...then change to the other battery. They said it wont take as long to charge the second battery since it will bleed off the first battery to the second while I am charging??????

The part about the second battery bleeding off the first is totally wrong for a 24V system. Bite the bullet and buy a 3-bank onboard charger. It will pay for itself in longer battery life pretty quickly. Just plug it in when you get home and unplug when you go fishing. You can charge with a single charger, and no unhooking is required.

[Barnacle Bill]

You must charge them one at a time. The second battery will get nothing as you charge the first because both posts will not be connected to the charger.
An on-board charger is the way to go. Plug it in and forget it until time to go fishing again.

[longshot]

I totally agree with you.......I am going to buy the onboard 3 bank charger this summer. But at the moment things are kinda tight with all the other stuff that goes along with a new boat.....LOL

What would be the correct way to charge the batteries with what I have now....a single 12 volt charger???

thanks
longshot

[beenfishin?]

Hi. I am in the same situation. I have been connecting to one battery without disconecting the batteries. After the first is charged, just switch the charger leads to the other. You can't charge both batteries at once. They do not bleed off of each other. I found out the hard way.

[kc outdoorsman]

Heres what I have been doing for 8 years on my 24 volt system. I have two batteries wired in unison to power the trolling motor. When I get back from a trip, I un-plug my t. motor and plug in a Schauer 24 volt charger into my flash panel where my plug goes for the t. motor. Its simple and very effective. I got my 24 volt charger from Wholesale Batteries in Mo. They have shops in KC and St. Louis. # 913-342-0113,. Really good guys who are fishermen and know our needs.

[TapOut64]

You must charge them one at a time. The second battery will get nothing as you charge the first because both posts will not be connected to the charger.

IBNFSHN B Right.

[Anythingthatpulls]

Charge each battery, separately; they will equalize when you connect the load in series with the batteries.

This will take twice as long; as with a two or three bank charger; but; they charge each battery independently.

[longshot]

OK....charge them seperate....but do you disconnect the jump wire that goes from + on one to the - on the other before you charge em????

thanks
longshot