Battery Charger Review

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 Since the installation of my new 12v system, I’ve tried out a few battery chargers. Here’s my review of all 3 devices. 

Photonic Universe Fully Automatic “Domestic” Charger £99

Firstly, I started with a Photonic Universe 7 stage fully automatic charger rated at 20 amps. The issue with this style of charger is it’s designed for domestic use and really needs to be left on overnight so it’s not really suitable for off-grid marine applications. It spent a lot of time “massaging” the batteries @ 10 Amps, instead of giving them a good thumping high output charge @ 20 Amps from the outset. It didn’t work too well with my solar controller so I had to ensure it was switched off prior to switching on the charger. 

One annoying design flaw of this unit is that the output charge connectors are located at the top of the unit. A power switch turns the unit on/off. 

Not delivering the charge/rate I was expecting I purchased another with a higher amperage output rating. 

No Brand Import from China (via Ebay) £88

This one was advertised as producing up to 40 amps but alas my tests showed that it failed to produce even 15 amps. When I complained, the company offered me a full refund and I didn’t even have to return the unit. In their response the (Chinese) company indicated that “it does not test well”. Like WTF? Did they bother to test it at all? It’s beggars belief how these companies stay in business. Yeah, let’s produce things that don’t work, so we can lose money. I’ve since donated the device to another boating friend and decided to bite the bullet, not compromise on quality this time and buy a Victron. So glad I did. 

Victron IP22 30A Automatic Charger with Free App £199

I’ve only used it a few times but already it’s proved to be the best unit. It does exactly what it says on the tin. Even the look and feel inspires confidence. This charger is a 5 stage automatic charger with an output of up to 30 amps, a much more suitable charger for my dual 130Ah Lead Carbon AGM batteries. As I write, the charger is on and just switched into the bulk phase, producing around 28 amps @ 14.42 volts. It complements my MPPT solar controller, delivering a combined total of between 30 and 40 amps into my battery bank in full sunlight with the portable generator running. 

The feature that impressed me the most is the free App which logs into the charger so I can fully customise the settings to suit my battery type, view detailed information and share stats with ease. The Victron IP22 cost an extra £100 over the price of the other two units but it was worth every penny. 

The one downside of this unit is the lack of an On/Off switch. 

Conclusion

My advice is simple. Don’t waste your money buying “domestic” chargers or cheapies from China on Ebay. Go with reputable suppliers like Victron who have a name and reputation for building quality components. Sure they may cost a bit more but as the old saying goes “You gets what you pays for” and marine equipment is no different. It comes as no surprise why they’re the preferred electrics supplier for most narrowboat builds these days. 



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