Battery charger install question

[SteelNinja]

Well with this ice storm winter issue Im finally getting a chance to sit and read ... I bought a 24 volt maintainer/ charger and want to wire it in ( I'd like to leave it under the hood ), My question is where would you suggest I wire the lead into? the second battery?? I think I will mount the charger on the fender next to the battery ( the hood hinge seems like it will clear) and suggestions?
Thanks Guys

 

[48cj2a]

Well with this ice storm winter issue Im finally getting a chance to sit and read ... I bought a 24 volt maintainer/ charger and want to wire it in ( I'd like to leave it under the hood ), My question is where would you suggest I wire the lead into? the second battery?? I think I will mount the charger on the fender next to the battery ( the hood hinge seems like it will clear) and suggestions?
Thanks Guys

Can you post the brand and model or a picture?

 

[SteelNinja]

I got it on amazon
Unocho 24V 5A Automatic Battery Charger Trickle
I was wanting to mount it on some rubber mounts to help with any vibration etc

 

[48cj2a]

I wonder if you could mount it with these on the side of the battery bracket or under it:

 

[SteelNinja]

thanks I like options

 

[TechnoWeenie]

That's not weather resistant, and not designed to mount in the engine compartment.

In order to use that safely, you'll need to mount it in the cab, like behind the seat, then run wires to the batteries.


5A@24V is = 120W
The same 12V charger equivalent is 10A. But, that means you can get a 5A charger, and use one on each battery.

The problem with a 24V charger, is an imbalance. This is why there are 2 alternators in the CUCV. The front battery gets all the use. The rear battery is only used for starting and glow plugs..

The best way would be a 2 bank charger, and you don't need a huge charger on the rear battery.

Something like this... https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-Genius-GENM2-Battery-Charger/dp/B00CBTRMZ4/

or https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-Genius-GEN2-Battery-Charger/dp/B003JSJS5I/

Mounting this on the outside, on the fender, or on the bumper, will make hooking up and disconnecting very easy. It's what I use...

Amazon.com

and there's an alternative....

Amazon.com

The other advantage to having a plug on the outside, is it makes it easy to integrate a block heater as well. Plug it in, tops off batteries and keeps block warm. BUT, if you're not in WI or some area that gets -20 routinely, it might be better to have 2 separate plugs for charger and block heater.

 

[SteelNinja]

I totally Like your set up ! and having 2 plugs .. Thanks I'll probably go that direction

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

I bought a 24 volt maintainer/ charger and want to wire it in ( I'd like to leave it under the hood ), My question is where would you suggest I wire the lead into? the second battery??

I like the suggestion to mount it in the cab and run the wires forward. Maybe through some watertight conduit?

Anyway, as for the connection, I think the ground buss bar and the 24v buss bar at the back of the engine bay would be excellent connection points. Electrically speaking, those are the same as the battery terminals, but it would be a lot cleaner installation than connecting to the battery terminals, and will keep your connections away from any corrosion that might develop there.


I am not really sure about using a 24v charger across two 12v batteries that are discharged differently, though. I'm just not sure that's the best way. Might be better to use two 12v chargers, one for each battery. That way the brains of each charger is reacting to the individual batteries actual condition.

 

[48cj2a]

Had an idea for you if you want to stay semi-mil spec on your maintainer install in the cab behind the seat.

I sold my M1009 and had bought a spare Radio Feed Harness from the firewall to M1009 passenger bedside. (I was planning to make a NATO jumper plug for the rear of the vehicle with it). I was going to list this for sale at some point.

You could mount a terminal to the back of the cab and run this factory CUCV cable their for termination which would be plenty big for amperage.
See figure 38 (pdf page 94) of the TM9-2320-289-20P for a picture of the cable. $50 shipped Can't remember if I had the terminal too but if so it would be included. May take me a bit to find it since we are at about 0* in Illinois right now with nearly a foot of snow on the ground so the unattached garage is a deep freeze.

 

[SteelNinja]

I bought this and it seems very well made ( heavy for what it is) , whats you opinion on attaching the less ? Id like to attach the unit under the hood , My real question is if it feeds 2- 12 volt batteries and 1 positive is going to 1 negative to make 24 is it still ok to hook the leads o those terminals? Thanks Guys I appreciate any info

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Hard to tell from the picture, but it seems that is a 12v charger.

If it is, there is NO WAY POSSIBLE to use it to charge both batteries at the same time. Don't try it. You'll fry something, and probably more than one thing. There's no problem with swapping one charger between the batteries. It would be a pain, but it works electrically.

If you have TWO chargers, no problem. Just connect one to the front battery and one to the rear battery.

The rear battery charger MUST NOT be connected to the vehicle body anywhere.


There are probably two good ways to connect to the rear (24v) battery:

1. Charger + terminal to the 24v buss bar at the back of the engine compartment, and the charger - terminal to the 12v terminal block over near the GP relay. (Yes, that's what I said.)
2. Charger + terminal to the 24v buss bar at the + terminal of the rear battery, and the charger - terminal to the - terminal of the rear battery.

Holler if you have questions.

 

[Keith_J]

Most dual battery chargers are isolated. But the only way to tell is to hook it up and measure both voltage and resistance between the two banks when connected to isolated batteries. Should be no voltage and open circuit when charging.

 

[SteelNinja]

I believe they are isolated, I was thinking about a disconnect between the 2 batteries, while charging ( I was wanting to leave the charger connected o the batteries permanent.) but then when I close the disconnect and driving - Id have 24 volts and the 12 volt charger still connected. RRRRRrrrrr

 

[TechnoWeenie]

Hard to tell from the picture, but it seems that is a 12v charger.

If it is, there is NO WAY POSSIBLE to use it to charge both batteries at the same time. Don't try it. You'll fry something, and probably more than one thing. There's no problem with swapping one charger between the batteries. It would be a pain, but it works electrically.

If you have TWO chargers, no problem. Just connect one to the front battery and one to the rear battery.

The rear battery charger MUST NOT be connected to the vehicle body anywhere.


There are probably two good ways to connect to the rear (24v) battery:

1. Charger + terminal to the 24v buss bar at the back of the engine compartment, and the charger - terminal to the 12v terminal block over near the GP relay. (Yes, that's what I said.)
2. Charger + terminal to the 24v buss bar at the + terminal of the rear battery, and the charger - terminal to the - terminal of the rear battery.

Holler if you have questions.

He got a dual bank charger. They isolate the banks. He should have no issue connecting them. They should NOT have a common ground. The last one I used, from that manufacturer, and that configuration, had isolated banks, and charged them with no issue.

 

[Keith_J]

If the charger is marine rated, most likely it is fine for two 12 volt batteries in series. Higher power trolling motors are 24 volt.

You can always read customer comments on Amazon, along with the Q&A, they offer loads of info.

 

[SteelNinja]

The reply from NOCO battery charging Co.
Thank you for contacting NOCO Support. The batteries being wired together in series will not cause an issue. Each 12V battery just needs to be connected to its own bank of the charger as though they were charging separately. The batteries do not have to be disconnected from each other.

 

[Keith_J]

Eye toad ewe sew...

 

[Bill Nutting]

So this two bank charger is the right one for your application. The CUCV is different than the rest of our M series trucks. I installed a 24 volt battery tender in my 934. It was easy To mount in the cab because that’s where the batteries are. When I park my truck for more than a few days, I plug it in to “shore” power and the batteries are kept fully charged. It‘s ok to leave the tender connected to the batteries while disconnected from 120 v. I use the Battery Tender brand on my 934, M37 and M151. I use a NOCO 12 volt unit in the barn to keep a few loose batteries charged and ready for use. I like both brands. It’s important to use a multi stage tender for extended use.