Battery disconnect while on shore power

Ole Buzzard · 05-02-2013, 07:45 AM

Have a new 2104s Just brought it home. Should the battery disconnect be pulled out or pushed in while connected to outside power?

TURBS · 05-02-2013, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas flamingo

Have a new 2104s Just brought it home. Should the battery disconnect be pulled out or pushed in while connected to outside power?

Batteries should NOT be disconnected when plugged into shore power.

Only time batteries should be disconnected is when trailer is not in use and not hooked to shore power.

If you don't know which way is which then unplug from shore power and turn lights on.
If there on then battery is connected.
If there off the batery is disconnected.

Turbs

Ole Buzzard · 05-02-2013, 08:37 AM

Was probably a numb brain question but didn't want to screw anything up. Searched for an answer but could not find one. Thanks for your help. As I newbie your threads/replays are a great help. Thanks again.

TURBS · 05-02-2013, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas flamingo

Was probably a numb brain question but didn't want to screw anything up. Searched for an awns ear but could not find one. Thanks for your help. As I newbie your threads/replays are a great hep. Thanks again.

No problem!
Have fun and enjoy!

Taylorgso · 05-08-2013, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas flamingo

Was probably a numb brain question but didn't want to screw anything up. Searched for an answer but could not find one. Thanks for your help. As I newbie your threads/replays are a great help. Thanks again.

Tex: There are NO numb brain questions. Every question you may have is one that most of us had to ask at one time or another when we bought our first RV. I know I've asked questions that I thought were stupid, only to find lots of responses from others who've had the same problems.

**ependydad** · 05-08-2013, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taylorgso

Tex: There are NO numb brain questions. Every question you may have is one that most of us had to ask at one time or another when we bought our first RV. I know I've asked questions that I thought were stupid, only to find lots of responses from others who've had the same problems.

Ditto. I've even tried to start writing down when I had simple questions and posting it to my blog. Hopefully someone finds it and it saves them time.

VTX Al · 05-08-2013, 05:32 PM

Just to expand on Turbo's reply/post - your unit is equipped with a three-stage charger as part of the onboard converter. This converter/charger will maintain your battery(s) at the appropriate level while you are connected to shore power. If you disconnect the battery(s) using the disconnect switch then the converter/charger obviously cannot maintain the battery condition.

...VTX-Al

TURBS · 05-08-2013, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VTX Al

Just to expand on Turbo's reply/post - your unit is equipped with a three-stage charger as part of the onboard converter. This converter/charger will maintain your battery(s) at the appropriate level while you are connected to shore power. If you disconnect the battery(s) using the disconnect switch then the converter/charger obviously cannot maintain the battery condition.

...VTX-Al

Spot on!

garbonz · 05-08-2013, 05:52 PM

And while I don!t have any statistics on it. I don't think it is good for converters to be running without any 12volt battery hooked up especially for 12 sources. I would imagine that that battery provides a 12volt buffer to smooth the load.

Might be my imagination.

TURBS · 05-08-2013, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garbonz

And while I don!t have any statistics on it. I don't think it is good for converters to be running without any 12volt battery hooked up especially for 12 sources. I would imagine that that battery provides a 12volt buffer to smooth the load.

Might be my imagination.

I was told by wfco via email you should not run there converters without a battery.

I was told via email from progressive dynamics that there converter, 9200 series I believe, can and will run perfectly fine without a battery.

garbonz · 05-08-2013, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

I was told by wfco via email you should not run there converters without a battery.

I was told via email from progressive dynamics that there converter, 9200 series I believe, can and will run perfectly fine without a battery.

Figures that the cheap units would have limitations and they would be OEM equipment, and I was right for owners with stock units.

TURBS · 05-08-2013, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garbonz

Figures that the cheap units would have limitations and they would be OEM equipment, and I was right for owners with stock units.

Ol Poopypants · 05-08-2013, 06:52 PM

Hi Everyone,
I've had my 2013 Georgetown 351 since April 1st and the more I read about the battery thing, the more confused I get. This is the first RV, so my experience is next to none.
I'm connected to shore power and I have the battery switch set flipped up to "Battery Storage Control Connect" and the idiot light is on. The other side of the switch reads, "Disconnect Coach".
My questions are; Do I have the battery switch set correctly? and "If I have it set correctly, when do I use the "Disconnect Coach" side of the switch"?

Thanks!

troyray1269 · 07-06-2013, 10:15 PM

Hello, I have a 2013 Stealth 27 foot toy hauler I have had for about three months. When at the house, I keep it connected to shore power, plus I have solar on-board. During my first dry camp experience, the battery died about half way through the night sending my propane gas alarm into alarm mode. I took the trailer into the repair facility today for minor fixes, and the manager told me that I probably fried the battery keeping it connected while attached to shore power. From this discussion, this does not seem right to me. Can someone explain further?

Rrickim63 · 07-07-2013, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troyray1269

Hello, I have a 2013 Stealth 27 foot toy hauler I have had for about three months. When at the house, I keep it connected to shore power, plus I have solar on-board. During my first dry camp experience, the battery died about half way through the night sending my propane gas alarm into alarm mode. I took the trailer into the repair facility today for minor fixes, and the manager told me that I probably fried the battery keeping it connected while attached to shore power. From this discussion, this does not seem right to me. Can someone explain further?

Some here will disagree with me. I had the same problem. I kept tt plugged in thinking it was the right thing to do. Some converters can overcharge some batteries. I replaced battery with a true deep cycle battery and now disconnect battery when not using camper. Your solar charger should keep battery topped up when camper is not in use.

Ol Poopypants · 07-07-2013, 11:10 AM

This past week I had my first outing at the local KOA and talked to 3 full-timers about the battery switch. All 3 told me the only time to disconnect the batteries is when I put it away for the winter.

garbonz · 07-07-2013, 11:38 AM

Unless they dry camp and are very familiar with battery management they may not be the best judges. Even solar systems can over charge a battery.

THERE IS NO REASON TO KEEP A BATTERY CONNECTED AND BEING CHARGED WHEN IT IS NOT IN USE. Better to disconnect and let it rest (after being fully charged) between trip,as long as you plug it in and charge it once a month. However, you should not keep it connected and not charging because of the parasitic draw that will discharge the battery completely.

Many do not agree with this opinion, and that is okay. Most of what I know has been gained over better than 40 years mostly on sailboats where battery management is a potential life or death concern.

Some of the new modern systems are pretty complex and may not hurt your battery with extensive use. There are battery minders that proport to manage or even reverse sulfation. There is also alot of quacky stuff out there also. Everybody is trying to sell something, even Battery University.

IMO

Ol Poopypants · 07-07-2013, 08:49 PM

...which confirms what I said on my first post--the more I read, the more confused I get!! Forty years on sailboats is enough "hands on" experience with batteries for me. Thanks for the responses. Just for the heck of it, I'm thinking I'll shoot the dealership an email.

troyray1269 · 07-07-2013, 11:16 PM

Thanks for the information guys. Since they told me that I was completely stupid to keep the TH plugged in at my house for so long, and that I damaged the battery, I was thinking of getting two 6 volt deep cycle gel batteries and run them in series. Any suggestions about that set up?

garbonz · 07-09-2013, 12:33 PM

Good 6 volt deep cycles have more robust construction, thicker plates and will last longer than typical 12 volters, although it is hard to actually confirm that information in most battery specs. If I had the room for two batteries, I would go with 6 volt deep cycles (trojans are the best) of the largest size and capacity you can fit. BUT, two 12volt GOOD deep cycles would be fine also.

Maintenance is vitally important, check water frequently, keep the discharge to less than 50%.

A large battery bank will tolerate higher discharge rates better due to Peukart's (sp) law also....

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