Catalina 350 International Association

My 2003 Catalina 350 has an original Charles 5000 charger manufactured in 2002. When I bought my Catalina the charger owners/installation manual was the only literature the original owner did not have. Does anyone have this model charger that was built about 2002? I’m sure this isn’t a “smart” charger since there are no selector switches for different modes and charge profiles. It seems to have a top end charge output of about 13.6 vdc and 30 amps. I’m not confident any of the manuals I find on the internet relate to the technologies Charles might have used around Year 2000. Primarily because much stuff on the internet isn’t dated. Was 2000 so very long ago? Yikes. If anyone has the original manual for a model built around 2002 I would gladly pay the cost of copying and mailing it to me. Or if the info related to it’s charge profile is on one page, perhaps it could be photographed and sent to me as an email attachment.
Thanks for any help you can provide
Rick Parish
Email address below -
seabreeze384@hotmail.com

Hi Rick
Our C350 is a 2003 and we bought it 4 years ago. I thought I would need to up-grade the Charles 5000 charger. But I've found it to be a very good charger even though its a little aged and limited to 30A.

There are switches that allow you to set it up for your batteries, they are on the back of the charger so hard to change once the charger is installed in the boat. You need to unscrew it from its mounted location.

I believe i have the original manual on board. I could scan it and email it to you. I'll be at the boat in a few days so will first check that i do have pertinent docs for you.

I have lead acid batteries and it keeps them in good condition. They're golf cart batteries and were installed in 2007 and still working very well, and I think well beyond their expected years for replacement. I can't complain.

Kirk
Thank you for your offer. I received a dropbox and pdf copy from Bob Murphy yesterday so no need for you to scan and send.
Rick
Sea Breeze

Greetings all:

I am the newest owner of “Sea Breeze” previously owned by Rick. The original Charles 5000 30 amp charger is still in the boat. Like Rick I can not find any manuals.

The Charles does not seem to be able to do an “Equalization Charge”. Which is prescribed maintenance item by other manufacturers. Is there any other method to do an “Equalization Charge” (EC), without changing the charger? How important is it to do an EC?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Dana
Sea Breeze #78

Dana, that charger doesn't have the ability to run an equalization cycle. The only user configurable option is to set battery type - flooded, gel, AGM. I think the most important aspects of battery maintenance and ensuring a long life is to maintain electrolyte at the correct level and to not discharge a battery past 50% of it's capacity ( 12.25 - 12.3 volts).

Ken, I agree with your advice, as far as it goes. But as a retired battery engineer, I replaced the Charles charger with one that has EC capability because "mistakes were made" and sometimes the battery was discharged WELL BELOW 50%. In the end I would run an EC about once a year, and was able to reliably get 6 years from my house batteries in Florida, even after the occasional mistake. I believe it paid for itself over the years, as a charger cost about $250 when a set of batteries cost $500.

Peter Denoncourt
Kite, C350 #72

Peter, I didn’t mean to imply that equalization wasn’t important. My advice was offered to owners who currently have the OEM Charles charger and lack the ability to equalize. When my charger died I specifically looked for one that had that capability. I ended up with a Sterling Procharge and have been very happy with it.