Best Onboard Charger?

[Ryan]

I ordered two new 12 volt 100 AH LifePO4 batteries that should be here next week. I need to update my onboard charger as well.

Right now I have a 3 bank that also charges my starting battery (that is staying traditional at least for now).

What are the recommendations for a new onboard charger? I am thinking of staying 3 bank, but wondering if I really need to spend twice as much to have a 10 amp vs a 5 amp? Biggest advantage to the 10 amp seems to be a faster recharge time (going from 0 to full charge in 7.5 hours instead of 15), but I really don't know how important that is, as from what I have read I wouldn't use more than 50% at the most in a day trip, so overnight charging even at the slower rate should be sufficient.

My boat is stored in the garage with electric when not in use. I do a couple extended trips a year, one where I wouldn't have power anyway.

Also, is Noco still seen as the way to go? I have one on my wake boat that had a bad bank last year. The positive was that warranty was easy. The negative was that I actually had to use the warranty. Is there something out there that people see as a better option?

 

[Dakota Dude]

I've done this to two boats in the last 2 years. Congrats on the upgrade. You'll love it. I would go with the 10 amp charger. I put 5 amp in the first boat and would be disappointed on my 7-10 day house boat trips at Powell. By the end of the trips, my 100AH LiTimes would drain to 0, even after plugging them in while the generator was running for 3-6 hours a day. I wouldn't have enough battery power to fish the way I like two the last few days of the trip. My new 10 Amp does much better and I can top each battery off every day.

I like to make sure my trolling motor batteries are always topped off because I don't have a kicker motor. If something ever goes wrong with my main motor, I want as much battery as possible for my trolling motor.

Noco is still good and relatively cheap. Minn Kota's new battery chargers are good for lithiums as well. Stick with a 3 bank. The new chargers you select what type of battery you are charging per bank (AGM, Lead-Acid, Lithium) and you can use it for all three batteries regardless of what type they are.

 

[Coho975]

I've had good luck with Dual Pro, NOCO, and Minn Kota. They have all been very reliable. I would absolutely go with a 10 amp. If your charging off a generator or forget to plug it in one night the faster charge time is nice.