3-Bank Onboard Marine Charger: Best 6 Models (2021 Reviews)

Guest ChargePro 10/10/10 Review:

The 2021 Guest ChargePro 10/10/10 onboard battery charger is the easiest to use charger out of all the models in this article. Redesigned last year, it includes a low profile flange-less body made of extruded aluminum. Combined with sealed gaskets and heavy-duty end caps it has a marine waterproof rating of IP67. Plus it’s shock resistant for all fresh and saltwater uses. The new exterior design delivers an increase in charging and thermal management performance.

Internal Features

Likewise, this onboard marine chargers comes with all the leading technology. Including digital automatic 5-stage performance charging. As well as all the built-in safety you need to set and forget while charging. Boaters will like the easy-to-read LED indicators for charge status.

Installing it is simple as everything has a label and the unit is lightweight. Keep in mind though, marketing materials state you can install horizontal and vertical. Whereas the instructions, state a vertical install only, which is confusing.

Once in use the charger is easy to use and takes care of the guess work. You can hook up and charge without any concerns, something we can all appreciate.

Downsides of the Guest ChargePro 10/10/10:

The first negative about this battery charger is that it’s only capable of charging Wet cell and AGM batteries. Which is fine if you have these two types of battery chemistry on your boat. But if you like to mix and match other types this charger won’t work for you. The second negative is that Guest provides a short warranty period compared to other brands. I would like to see them provide a bit longer period for peace of mind.

Verdict:

Buy the Guest 10/10/10 if you are looking for a perfect replacement of a Guest GU2631A or Marinco 28330 unit. Or if you want a simple to use and tough designed 30 amp onboard charger.

Other protections to look for are short circuit, over-charging, reverse polarity, and anti-spark.

Smart Absorption Charging For Wet Cell Batteries

For boaters using Wet cell batteries, you need to pick a charger with a precise equalization charge stage. A Wet cell that gets left unused for a long period of time has a risk of electrolyte stratification.

Stratification is when the acid sinks to the bottom and the water rises to the top of the battery case. Allowing sulfates to crystallize on the lead plates. This leads to premature death of the battery.

A smart equalization charge will revert to short bursts of the absorption voltage. This helps to get the electrolyte moving to mix with the water. Resulting in less sulfation and extended battery life.

How long does it take to charge a marine battery?

The simple answer to this is it depends on two ratings. First, the amp hours of capacity that a battery stores. Second, the amp rating of the charger you are using. Below is a basic formula:

(battery’s capacity) divided by (amp rating of the charger) = basic charging time

Say for example: You have a deep cycle battery bank that has a capacity rating of 240 amp hours. In this instance, the current discharge rate of this battery is about 50 percent. As a result, this battery needs around 120 amp hours to charge it in full.

Next, to do this, you use a charger that can output 10 amps per hour (10 amp hour charger). This means that it will take 12 hours to refill the needed 120 amp hours of the battery in my example.

This is a long time, and many active boaters don’t luxury of charging a battery for half a day. These boaters prefer a 20 amp hour charger, which cuts the example charging time by half, around 6 hours.

Can I use an automotive charger on a marine battery?

No! I recommend to never use automotive or non-marine chargers on boats. The intended use of a typical car charger is to revive a dead battery, it isn’t for maintaining it. What’s critical is, the design of a marine smart charger is for unattended use. Whereas if you use a car charger, you need to track the voltage during charging.

Plus car chargers can increase stray battery corrosion. This is due to the fact many don’t isolate their AC & DC sides, like a UL stamped Marine charger will. Likewise, a car charger is prone to reverse polarity issues which creates shock hazards.

It’s in your best interest to stay away from car chargers for marine environments.

Can you overcharge a marine battery?

Yes! Overcharging is common and can do more damage than under discharging your battery. If you overcharge your battery, you cause the acid inside to boil off. Resulting in your battery to crack or explode, ruining the battery and possibly your boat.

In Conclusion:

By now you should be able to make an informed choice for which 3-bank onboard marine battery charger is right for you. Using the right marine charger ensures enhanced battery performance and life expectancy.

Outdoors Informed loves to help you research so that you can spend more time out on the water.