Battery Chargers: Newmar Earns Best Buy Status

Mastervolt's 12/25-3 has it all, but Newmar's PT-25 is the best value. Charles Industries' 2000SP is well-suited for lead-acid batteries, while models from Guest and Promariner have shortcomings.

Practical Sailor put seven readily available battery chargers to the test. The specimens included (clockwise from top left): Xantrex TC20+, Newmar PT-25, Guest 2632A, ProMariner 1220, Mastervolt 12/25-3, and the Charles Industries 2000SP (identical in appearance to the 5000SP, which PS also tested).

Fifteen years ago battery technology for vessels whose house battery banks had large load requirements started to slowly shift from automotive based, lead-acid designs to absorbed-glass-mat (AGM) and gel-based batteries (found in the aviation field). It was only a matter of time before the battery charger designers caught up with the advances in battery technology and replaced their low-tech ferroresonant, transformer-based battery chargers with something smarter. Now, these chargers can handle not only lead-acid batteries—still the most popular and inexpensive type of battery aboard recreational boats—but also gel and AGM batteries.…