I recently installed a Bluetti Charger One on my boat to charge my Bluetti power station using the alternator. Back in the winter, I reviewed this DC-to-DC charger, testing it with my pickup truck in the desert, but my main plan was to use it on the boat.
The installation was straightforward: I connected the positive wire to the terminal fuse on the starter batteries, where the alternator power comes in, and ran the negative lead to the boat’s negative bus bar. From there, the wires go through a breaker I relocated near the battery for easy access, allowing me to turn the charger on or off as needed.
The wiring path was tidy, thanks to the provided wire loom. I zip-tied the wires along the existing boat wiring, running them through an access panel to the Charger One, which I securely mounted with enough room for airflow. The output cable connects to the Bluetti power station’s DC/PV input port, tucked behind cushions when not in use.
I can control the charging via the Bluetti app, setting it to 56 volts for a max charge of 560 watts or dropping to 28 volts for a slower, gentler charge of about 250 watts to ease the load on the alternator.
During a recent trip, I tested the setup while motoring along at good RPM. Plugging in the Charger One, I saw it kick in at around 570 watts, charging the Elite 100 power station at 54.5 volts. The app indicated the battery was at 69%, with approximately 0.6 hours remaining to reach full charge.
I’ve noticed the alternator heats up when pushing over 500 watts, so I sometimes lower the voltage to give it a break, especially since we’re often on the water for hours. This setup works great, and I’m excited to share a review soon on the new Elite 100 Version 2 from Bluetti, which replaces two older boxes on my boat with a smaller, more versatile unit. Stay tuned!
Charger 1 Boat Installation and Demo Video
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