Have you ever wondered about how does outboard motor charge battery? Outboard motors have become a good option for boaters who want to get the most out of their time on the open seas. Even though these units are small and light, they are powerful enough to move boats and provide enough thrust when needed. This is an exceptional combination!
How does outboard motor charge battery? Ways to install the outboard charger
In this article, Scott Ewart will provide you with an introduction to how does a boat motor charge battery. Besides, we give you know way to install the outboard charger. We will explore the basics of how it occurs as well as shed light on some of the causes that could potentially lead to one’s unit becoming depleted.
How does outboard motor charge battery?
How does outboard motor charge battery?
Are you wondering about “how does an outboard motor charge the battery?” There is the main 3 steps to charge the battery for outboard motor:
a boat having an outboard motor, and in particular, to an outboard motor designed to minimize the ingress of water when the motor is submerged, thereby enabling the motor to continue to operate under water.
Source: https://patents.google.com/
At the bulk stage. The charger imparts the greatest feasible amount of charge onto the battery. The charger will continue to charge the battery in bulk mode until the battery has reached between 75% and 80% of its capacity. A smart battery charger will continue to supply the charge until it reaches the predetermined level. At which point, it will transition into the absorption stage in order to extend the life of the battery.
At the absorption stage. This stage is often referred to as the topping-off process, the charger gradually accumulates inside your deep battery. This stage of charging will progress until the battery reaches approximately 90–95% capacity.
At the float stage. You make certain that the battery gets a complete charge without being overcharged. It is possible to leave your marine battery in the float stage for an indefinite period of time until it is required for use on a voyage at sea.
Types of onboard battery charger
Types of onboard battery charger
The onboard charger is what gives life to the battery and recharges it from empty to full. This kind of equipment is usually in compartments of a boat’s electrical system. You need to know how to find and open them if you want to use them while you’re out on the water. They aren’t completely accessible unless you know how to open them!
Before choosing an onboard charger for your boat, carefully look at how it’s made. Make sure it’s watertight and won’t rust, so it can be installed on boats that will be going to places with water, like the coast. Before buying a charger, you note that the voltage match between your battery-powered device and the charger won’t affect how well it works.
For example, You have a 12 volt AGM deep cycle battery and a 12 volt flooded lead-acid starter battery. In this case, you need a charger with separate slots for each battery.
Ways to install the outboard charger
Ways to install the outboard charger
The majority of onboard chargers will come with installation instructions. The process is normally easy and may be finished in a few hours.
Some things to remember you should be careful to leave some space between the charger and the batteries while mounting it. However, you should place it so that the cables can reach the battery terminals. When it’s time to charge, you should also ensure that the socket can be readily attached to an extension cable.
To know how fast your battery can be charged, you need to know both the amp-hour rating of the battery and the amp-hour rating of the charger. These are key elements in determining how fast a charge can occur!
Once you have all this data, it is straightforward to calculate the time required for charging a 75 Ah battery with a 7.5 amp charger. If we take into account that this particular battery has an Ah rating of 75 and if its amperage is identical to 7.5 amps, then 10 hours should suffice!
Method to determine whether your battery is being charged
Method to determine whether your battery is being charged
If all of your boat’s batteries are in the same place, it’s easy and straightforward to check if the engine is charging the battery. The only tool required to accomplish this task will be the voltmeter we examined earlier. Simply place it on top of or adjacent to the battery for accurate readings.
Do outboard engines recharge the battery. Add water to the engine and start it to allow it to operate. While the engine is idle, recheck the voltage. The voltage should be somewhat greater than when the engine was not operating.
Afterwards, you may increase the throttle to around 1,200 RPM. When the RPMs increase, the voltage should also increase. The voltage should peak at around 14 VDC. Don’t worry if it’s somewhat less than that. That is okay. The most significant worry is that the voltage increases as the RPMs increase. This indicates that the engine is indeed charging the batteries as intended.
Not only the outboard motor, but you should also protect your inboard motor for the best performance. Especially, this process is important during the winter months. This is a complete guide to how to winterize an inboard boat motor.
Methods for wiring and using a battery selector switch rightly
Methods for wiring and using a battery selector switch rightly
To prevent your batteries from dying, it’s crucial to install a battery switch correctly. As we have already said, only a few parts should be directly connected to the battery itself.
The battery charger, if you have one, along with a heavy gauge cable that connects to a battery switch. Besides, a wire with an inline fuse connects to the float switch for the bilge pump.
After the battery switch, practically everything else should be on a breaker or a fuse. You to completely switch off all of the electricity while the boat is not in use.
The following step is to add batteries. Many battery switches have two positions. with the options of off, battery 1, battery 2, and both. Either battery 1 or 2 should get electricity from the engine. The common post should therefore become the source of all electricity leaving the switch.
Location of battery switch when operating the engine
Location of battery switch when operating the engine
When the motor is running, such as when traveling to a seashore, beach, or angling spot. The battery switch should ideally be in the “both” position during expeditions. The purpose of this is that both batteries are simultaneously charged by engine power.
Once you arrive at your destination, the switch can be instantly shifted to any one of its battery positions for relaxation. You might take up fishing expeditions or embark on bold adventures—whatever pleases you! All that matters is that when it’s time to travel again, everything will be in prime working order with no hiccups along the way.
Switch to the other battery when it’s time to depart. Upon returning and recharging the other one, return it to both for optimal performance.
FAQs How does outboard motor charge battery?
Are alternators present on boats with outboard motors?
Most contemporary outboard motors with electric starts are equipped with an alternator. Once the engine is running, charges your starting battery. The starting battery is now taken care of, but the alternator won’t charge your deep cycle batteries.
Does an outboard motor need a battery to work?
Despite their name, outboard motors can run without a battery. However, this makes them more susceptible to issues with their alternators and electrical systems. If your motor was designed in such a way that it functions adequately without one, you should be all right! If your outboard motor is unfortunately broken, read here to know “how much does an outboard motor cost for a boat“.
Is it true that all outboard motors self-drain?
Self-draining cooling kits are standard fixtures on all outboards. It eliminates the need to activate the engine only to adequately clean up the water pump housing.
Do outboard motors make their own power?
Outboard motors make electricity by converting the extra mechanical energy they have into electricity. When it comes to electricity, almost all outboard motors work the same way. The engine is used to turn a source of magnetic flux close to a set of coils.
Conclusion
In short, how does an outboard motor charge its battery? Equipping your boat with a battery switch will ensure that your batteries are always in prime condition. If you own an outboard motor, it is important to also install a heavy-gauge cable and an inline fuse wire in order to turn off all power when your boat is unattended. Finally, you should add another set of batteries in order to enable your vessel to operate without the use of the engine. Hopefully, this post from justaddwaterbda.com is helpful for you!
