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Old 07-21-2011, 09:42 PM   #1
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converter charging RV battery

If I have this correct. We have a 2011 5th wheel, Rockwood 8244S. When the RV is plugged in to shore power the converter charges the battery. I have read where people are installing battery disconnects.

I am wondering then, if the converter is charging the battery and you open the battery disconnect what; happens to the converter trying to charge the battery on an open circuit? I understand the purpose of disconnecting the battery to keep it from over-charging, but will this not in turn blow the converter which will be operating on an open circuit? Does the converter not regulate the charge going into the battery so when the battery is fully charged the converter will stop the charge??
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Old 07-21-2011, 10:40 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill_C View Post
If I have this correct. We have a 2011 5th wheel, Rockwood 8244S. When the RV is plugged in to shore power the converter charges the battery. I have read where people are installing battery disconnects.

I am wondering then, if the converter is charging the battery and you open the battery disconnect what; happens to the converter trying to charge the battery on an open circuit? I understand the purpose of disconnecting the battery to keep it from over-charging, but will this not in turn blow the converter which will be operating on an open circuit? Does the converter not regulate the charge going into the battery so when the battery is fully charged the converter will stop the charge??
The battery disconnect is only used when the unit is NOT hooked up to either shore power or the tow vehicle.

It's purpose is to prevent battery drain by all the small things in the RV that use minute power but in a few weeks will drain the batteries anyway.

Under no circumstance should the battery be disconnected when the RV is
either connected to shore power or the tow vehicle.

Take care,
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Old 07-21-2011, 10:57 PM   #3
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A good charger regulates the charge, the "float" charges the battery. Some of the factory original chargers do this (my current one does). In my previous HTT, the charger was "capable" of this, but I had to locate and purchase a plug-in module (shipping was as much as the module!) that turned the charger into a multi-stage charger. Some factory original charges arn't at all capable of multi-stage charging. Your only option in that case is to replace it, or turn yours off, and plug a portable float charger into the system.
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Old 07-21-2011, 11:27 PM   #4
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as the others have said, the battery disconnect is to be used when there IS NO shore power hookup.
when you have shore power, you have no need for a disconnect, since the converter will keep the battery charged, even with the parasitic power drains.

the disconnect switch allows the battery to be cut off from these drains, when not hooked up.
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Old 07-22-2011, 06:39 AM   #5
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the only schematic i've been able to lay my hands on shows the disconnect as separating the converter and battery. what is left on the battery side is the slide outs and the vehicle connection. on the converter side, all the other dc electrical: lighting, frig, etc.
going by that schematic, i would say everything except the slides would work (although the slide outs would still work off the battery) with bat disconnect open and connected to shore power. battery would not charge.
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Old 08-05-2011, 11:05 AM   #6
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Another battery question...
I just purchased a 2012 Cedar Creek 36B4 with the new 18 cu ft frig with inverter. I understand that, unlike the 8 cu ft frig it replaces that runs off of electricity OR gas, this larger unit only runs off of electricity. I asked my dealer if my truck would power the frig while driving down the road via the 7-way plug since the 5th wheel comes with a 12V deep cycle battery. He stated that, although I have the 12V, I would need to purchase and hook up at least two 6V batteries to power the frig if the unit is not connected to shore power. Is this right? Also, if I make a two hour stop at Cracker Barrel on the way to the campsite, will the 12V keep the frig running with the truck turned off?
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