Does anyone have any experience with this specific product?
Automatic Battery Charger - 12V (http://www.harborfreight.com/merchandising-promotions/merchandising/2011-holiday-gift-guide/2011-holiday-gift-guide-10/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html)

They are dirt cheap, and I would love to buy a couple and hook them up to my batteries sitting in my basement over the winter.

Pros/Cons?

Zacs,

I would not waist my time with those. I would invest in one good charger that can adapt to various battery types (lead/acid, Gel, AGM, ect) and have it the rest of your life.

I don't know what kind of battery you have but this can not put much of a charge into a battery with those lame wires and probably cannot adapt it's charging profile to different batteries. Could do more harm then good.

After reading the description...I suppose for winter storage it might be OK if you have an old lead acid battery that you want to keep topped off. Not a big fan otherwise. Those LED lights are worthless IMO.

If you are running standard flooded batteries practically anything works well.. And for the $$, provided you've got reasonable space for mounting, flooded is all you need.

What I find preferable is installing an onboard charger that's got a maintenance cycle (practically all of them do). Leave the batteries in the boat, then just plug it in for a cycle here and there. Removing them from the boat is just extra work and with an onboard charger you never need to mess around with alligator clips again.

Jon

doh, should have looked more closely. I have optima D34Ms... agm

batteries are already off the boat, so much for avoiding the work this year...

but RR, you are saying you use something like this? GUEST ChargePro Weather-Resistant Battery Chargers at West Marine (http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=431374&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=50523&subdeptNum=50529&classNum=50536)

I am nervous about putting anything on my boat that says "weather resistant" as opposed to waterproof...

I,m with R/R /
I have one on board . when I screw up ......leaving s #$%^& on for a couple of days & its stone dead . I just pull the extension cord out of the console , plug it in ,
go to breakfeast ,come back & good to go ............ works the same in the winter .BUt I try not lettting them die ..

do you know what brand you have mike?

The Guest is fine if stuck in the console up high.

Exactly whats going in my Mako. (2 bank version)

this one likwid?
6 Amp Dual Battery ChargePro Charger | Marinco (http://www.marinco.com/product/6-amp-dual-battery-chargepro-charger)

this one likwid?
6 Amp Dual Battery ChargePro Charger | Marinco (http://www.marinco.com/product/6-amp-dual-battery-chargepro-charger)

2614A

15 Amp Dual Battery Cruising Charger | Marinco (http://www.marinco.com/product/15-amp-dual-battery-cruising-charger)

Only reason I don't like the others is the built in cables. I have one battery forward of the engine, one behind (inboard)

You know me Zac ????????? its yellow & it works ><><><

doh, should have looked more closely. I have optima D34Ms... agm

batteries are already off the boat, so much for avoiding the work this year...

but RR, you are saying you use something like this? GUEST ChargePro Weather-Resistant Battery Chargers at West Marine (http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=431374&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=50523&subdeptNum=50529&classNum=50536)

I am nervous about putting anything on my boat that says "weather resistant" as opposed to waterproof...

One boat has a Guest 3 bank X 4 amp, about 9 years old, no issues aside from needing to re-crimp the battery connections. It maintains 3 deep cycles on a small CC with an older engine that in all practical terms doesn't charge them on it's own. I plug it in during the summer when not in use..

Other boat has a Cabelas brand, "pro" something, 2 bank X 10 AMP. 6 or 7 years old no issues. It's charging 4 batteries via auto charging relays (each set of starting and house batteries have an auto charging relay in between, two sets, two engines, so either each engine charges one starting and one house or the charger does the same)..

Both are tucked away, one in a console, the other in the cabinet under the drivers seat so they never get wet directly, passively maybe.

If there's concern with safety I'd just plug it into something ground fault protected. The most dangerous thing is definitely messing around with alligator clips around batteries & gasoline fumes, especially in low light conditions like sub-deck areas of a boat.

I think Cabelas is a place to go looking for them, definitely cheaper than West Marine.. Maybe they even do make waterproof or submersible models..

At one point I was pulling 7 batteries a year, even with the chargers, then realized it was just a chit-ton of backbreaking work. Realized it's easier to run an extension cord!

Not to mention it requires removing the cables, cleaning, and re-installing again and again. Simpler to clean them up nice once, cover the terminals with liquid electrical tape, and to leave them installed until the battery actually needs to be replaced.

Jon

I think Cabelas is a place to go looking for them, definitely cheaper than West Marine.. Maybe they even do make waterproof or submersible models..

Cabelas doesn't make a damn thing, they're relabeled Guest.

And if you shop West without a Defender catalogue you deserve to pay full price. :hihi:

I use the ProMariner 8, dual battery. I plug in anytime the boat is not in the water (trailer in the yard) and throughout the winter without removing batteries from the boat. Picked up @Defender for $89 during annual warehouse sale. Pair of Sears marine deep cycle batteries D34 agm. Haven't had any issues yet but batteries are only 2 years old.

Zac...one more thing. If you plug in while in the water...make sure everything is zinc'ed up well. Esp the enging and the drain plug on the boat.

Cabelas doesn't make a damn thing, they're relabeled Guest.

And if you shop West without a Defender catalogue you deserve to pay full price. :hihi:

Only way I shop at West is with someone else catalog (hamilton is good too) or a port supply card ;)..

Well if they are re-labeled guest then that's OK, guest was my recommendation.

Jon