DC/DC Onboard Ionic Transfer Charger (12V to 36V)

The Ionic Transfer Charger sits between your boat’s 12V engine/starter battery and your 36V trolling motor bank (three 12V batteries wired in series). While your outboard is running and the alternator is producing 30 amps or more, the charger pulls excess current from the 12V starter side, boosts the voltage to 36V, and feeds it into your trolling bank — adding charge during every run between fishing spots. Output is up to 10A at 480W max, with a 43.8V LiFePO4-aware target (3× 14.6V absorption for the three series batteries). It will not charge with the engine off or until your 12V starter battery itself is fully topped up. Think of it as continuously topping off your 36V trolling bank during every run instead of waiting until you’re back at the dock.

No — sleep current is less than 1 mA when idle, which is negligible parasitic draw. The charger sits in standby with the ON/OFF switch on and waits for two conditions before it begins transferring: your 12V starter battery is fully charged, and the alternator is delivering 30A+. If either condition isn’t met, it stays in standby. You can leave it powered on permanently without worrying about waking up to a dead cranking battery — it’s designed for continuous installation on a boat that may sit between trips.

A few install requirements that matter:

Disconnect any battery selector switch on your trolling bank first. This is the most common installation mistake — if a 1/2/Both/Off selector switch is wired between the charger output and your 36V trolling batteries, the charger can sense voltage incorrectly and behave abnormally. Remove or disconnect the selector before wiring the charger in.

Connect to the 12V engine battery first, then to the trolling bank — and reverse the order when uninstalling (disconnect trolling first). The unit uses heavy 8-gauge red (+) and black (–) cables.

Mind reverse polarity. Connecting lithium batteries backwards through this unit causes permanent damage and is not covered under warranty. Double-check terminals before energizing.

All three trolling batteries in the bank must match. Same chemistry, same age, same voltage rating — mixing brands or ages will cause uneven charging across the 36V series bank and shorten battery life. This matters more with 36V banks than 24V because three batteries in series compound any imbalance.

Mount in any orientation in a dry location with at least 2″ clearance top and bottom for ventilation. Don’t mount directly above lead-acid batteries (corrosive gas) or near a fuel tank.

Two LEDs on the unit tell you what’s happening:

Power LED lights up when the ON/OFF switch is in the ON position — confirms the unit is energized.

Charge Status LED indicates what the charger is doing:

• Red Blinking → Fault or error. Most often caused by a bad connection, input voltage outside the 10–18V range, or insufficient alternator output. Check terminals, fuses, and that the engine is running with the alternator above 30A.
• Red Solid → Actively charging. You should see this once the engine is running, the alternator is delivering enough current, and the 36V trolling bank isn’t full.
• Green Solid → Trolling bank is fully charged. The unit is idle but ready.

When you first connect, the status LED may stay solid red for up to 30 seconds while the unit diagnoses the trolling battery state — that’s normal initialization, not a fault.

Match it to your trolling motor system, not your preference — these are not interchangeable.

Get the 36V version (this one) if you run a 36V trolling motor — most commonly the Minn Kota Fortrex, Ultrex, Terrova, or Riptide models in their higher thrust ratings (typically 80lb thrust and up), the Lowrance Ghost, or the Garmin Force. 36V systems are standard on bass boats and larger center consoles where you need the runtime and thrust for serious fishing days.

Get the 24V version if you run a 24V trolling motor — typically 55-70lb thrust Minn Kota or MotorGuide on smaller bass boats, bay boats, and aluminum rigs.

The two units share the same enclosure, but the 36V outputs 10A at 43.8V and the 24V outputs 16A at 29.2V. They’re tuned for different battery configurations and the output specs aren’t field-adjustable — if you put the 24V unit on a 36V system or vice versa, it won’t charge correctly and may damage your batteries.