Replacing a 1986 inverter/charger with new or different...?

[Parrot Adventure]

Hi -- I am a contributor to the AOG forum and am very much a DIYer, and now have a dilemma I hope others can provide insight and experience on...

We own a 1981 Albin 36 aft cabin trawler which has a 1996 model year Heart Interface "Freedom 20" 2000 watt inverter/100 amp battery charger and a Link 2000-R inverter controller. The boat has two battery banks (one for house loads, one for engine starting) as follows:

-Bank #1, two, Trojan T-105 6 volt batteries in series for 12 VDC and 225 Amp hour capacity.
-Bank #2, one West Marine 1050 CCA deep cycle marine start battery.

The boat also has a NextGen 2500 watt one cylinder diesel generator which we use with the Freedom 20 charger to charge the batteries at anchor, and we use shore power and the Freedom 20 charger to charge the batteries when in port. There is a West Marine 130 watt battery combiner which combines both battery banks when recharging if necessary.

We owned the boat for the past five years and the Link 2000-R control pad and Heart Freedom 20 inverter/charger has seemed to work fine until recently. I now notice erroneous/low voltage readings on the Link 2000-R unit as compared to multimeter readings on the house battery bank itself. Also, the battery charger has turned itself on even when house batteries voltage and specific gravity indicates full charge (specific gravity = 1.270 in each of the 6 volt bank's cells).

Ideally, I am looking to replace the outdated (1996 technology) inverter/charger system with a modern Xantrex 458 2000 watt inverter/100 amp charger unit, as well as a compatible control pad which monitors house bank voltage, amperage draw, amp hours, as well as has the ability to "Equalize" our house batteries as necessary on occasion. I am considering purchasing a Xantrex 458 inverter/charger and a Xantrex LinkPRO Battery Monitor OR a Xantrex Heart FDM-12-25 Remote Panel. Ideally, I am looking to replace my existing Heart 2000 watt inverter/100 amp charger and Link 2000-R unit with comparable, modern replacements using existing wiring and connectors already installed aboard our boat.

I am also strongly considering instead purchasing and installing a Magnum ME2012, ME-RC50 and a ME-BMK units as replacements. I am by no means a marine electrical engineer, but in reviewing the owner's manuals for these products, I suspect I can replace my existing Heart 20 unit with new Magnum equipment. The issue I face is it would neither be convenient nor easy to essentially remove the Xantrex wiring to then install a new (although probably superior) inverter/charger system. I like the concept and convenience of the "plug and play" by merely replacing the 30-year old Xantrex unit with the modern equivalent, but understand from other on line boating forums Xantrex is an inferior product as compared to Magnum. I would prefer not to hire a marine electrician for the job, primarily because I want to personally understand how the system works.

For now, I am able to charge the boat's batteries dockside using a "smart" car charger and monitoring the voltage and amp uptake through the Link 2000-R control panel display and measure battery specific gravity at every opportunity to determine when batteries are charged and when to recharge them. Obviously this is not a long term nor practical solution.

What have others done and what do you suggest -- replace the Xantrex with the same for convenience or attempt to entirely upgrade the system to a Magnum system, recognizing the inherent risk of encountering issues from that transition...? (Sigh)...

Thanks.

PARROT ADVENTURE
Southwest Florida

[jleonard]

I replaced mine with xantrex 3 years ago and I have no regrets or complaints. I monitor with a link lite.
I also installed a balmar alternator and regulator.
By the way I took my old inverter apart and scrapped out the copper and aluminum. There was close to $40 worth

[Parrot Adventure]

Thank you, jleonard! I'm now buying the new Xantrex 458 2000W inverter/100 amp charger. I still have a functioning Link 2000-R (regulator control) control pad I'm using to turn on the Xantrex charger unit as well as to equalize the batteries. I'm curious -- what do you have for your house and start batteries? I have a 1050 CCA West Marine start battery for one bank and two, 6 volt Trojan T-105s with 225 amp hours for house batts. Do you charge your batteries simultaneously off the Xantrex? I have a 130 amp battery combiner which seems to work fine to charge both banks whether using the engine alternator, Xantrex charger via shore power, or Xantrex charger while running the generator at anchor.

Thanks again for the recycling scrap metals tip!

[jleonard]

One bank is 3 group 31s the other bank ( inverter bank) is 4 golf carts.
Normally I leave the batt switch on both.
I can easily sit anchored for a couple of days without starting the gen as the fridge (120 v only) is the only big user.

[Nepidae]

I did the research on a charger/inverter and while Xantrex had a bad rap for a while I am very happy with my SW3012 purchase. It came with a control panel which gives me visual thermometer readings on our bank and other important battery statistics.
I feel that support is very important with any product I buy for the boat and Xantrex has supported my C/I to the extent that surprises me.
It took 3 electricians to install it properly and with the first 2 the installation had a feedback which blew an internal fuse and board.
The Xantrex shop took it back, fixed it and SHIPPED IT BACK (have any idea how much that thing weighs) FREE.
The Xantrex has options the Magnum doesn't have and with the better price break, I think Xantrex is the way to go.
Any specific questions, email me.
BTW, any wiring, whether for the Xantrex or any other should be checked and replaced if necessary. I've got thumb size cables coming from mine.
Good luck.
Almost forgot, we have 2-4D wetcell and 6-L16 AGM batteries in our mix. Charging comes from dock pedestal or 2-125A Balmar alternators to regulators to a center fielder. The way it is wired we never touch anything, we just use it.