Onboard charger install questions

[AMarquardt]

I am looking at installing a 2-bank onboard charger on my 2024 Pro-Guide V16SC and I am wondering how best to route the wires into the battery compartments considering how far apart the batteries are located and where the preferred location would be to mount the charger. I have seen them mounted in the rear battery compartment, under the console, and in the rod lockers. Any help would be greatly appreciated, as this will be the first boat I have had that will have an onboard charger.

 

[Cyco]

Generally, mount it by the batteries. I assume they are in the back compartment by the motor?

 

[AMarquardt]

Generally, mount it by the batteries. I assume they are in the back compartment by the motor?

The starting battery is in the back of the boat, the trolling motor battery is up in the front. The charger has 6' leads but the manufacturer stated that they can be extended up to 10' additional provided 14ga wire or thicker is used.

 

[Ltwrangler]

I would mount it in the back that way the power cord is easier to get at when you want to plug it in

 

[Cyco]

I myself would also mount it in the back and run 12g wires to front trolling motor battery.

 

[AMarquardt]

After doing some poking around tonight, I found that I could run 12ga. cable through the rod locker and into an open space between the live well and the front battery compartment. The only hole I would have to drill and grommet would be a small hole in the dividing wall between the rear battery compartment and the rod locker if I were to mount the charger in the rear battery compartment. My question now is what is behind that aluminum plate that makes up the rear of that battery compartment and is it safe to put some short screws through it to hold the charger on. Thank you for everyone's input.

 

[Ltwrangler]

Not sure what’s back behind the plate on that model. From the picture of the boat it looks to be nothing but you may want to contact Tracker to verify. My V19 came with a charger mounted on a plate forward of the battery. Make sure you add an another inline fuse on the trolling battery 12g wire you are running. That way if the wire ever shorts out somewhere in the long run, both the battery and charger are protected.

 

[AMarquardt]

Finally got around to finishing up the install last night. I used a borescope from work to peek through an opening that was at the top of the compartment and found it was hollow behind the inboard plate, so I mounted the charger there. I ran the 12ga extension through a small hole into the rod locker and up between the livewell and front compartment with the trolling motor battery. I added an inline fuse to each lead. I also added a bulkhead plug-in port to it.