Question about battery and trickle charger

thestrangebrew · 05-11-2017, 10:09 AM

I just bought a trickle charger and have a few questions as I don't really know anything about electrical/batteries etc.

1. If I'm going to use my trickle charger without disconnecting my battery from my Roo, does it matter what setting my battery disconnect switch is to?

2. My trickle charger has a 15A and 3A setting. According to the manual, 15A is for charging batteries used for cars, marine batteries etc. My battery is an interstate OEM battery that says marine on it, so I assume I can leave it trickle charging at the 15A setting?

Thanks for helping a noob!

jeff64 · 05-11-2017, 10:27 AM

15A is not a trickle charge. But, that's probably the one I'd use. But first, since your TT is a 2014, is the battery also that vintage and is the battery any good yet? Terminals clean? Any scum on top of battery? Pull cell caps- any dry ones?( new battery time!). Top off with distilled water hook up charger- after say 1/2 hr do you see all cells gassing ( bubbling slowly) that's a good sign. A hydrometer will tell you when you've reached full charge and if you have bad cells. Google: testing lead acid batteries

**Flybob** · 05-11-2017, 10:34 AM

It sounds like this is not really a trickle charger that you can leave connected all the time. Even at 3A, it can evaporate battery water if left permanently connected. If you want a connect and forget type battery maintainer, I would look a something like at battery Tender or CTEK. These are microcontroller maintainers that manage the charge current based on the state of the battery. I like the CTEK as it has some advanced functions for battery longevity. If you choose to use your charger, you should use it on the low setting and check the battery water levels monthly. If you connect the device directly to the battery terminals, it does not matter what setting you have on the battery disconnect switch. If you connect it to the system in other locations ( ie Bargman) it may not be connected to the battery.

thestrangebrew · 05-11-2017, 11:39 AM

Thanks for the replies. I'll post the model of my charger. As for the battery, yes it's the original and when I come home from a trip, i just leave it unplugged. I have an electric jack and when I try to use it, the battery is usually dead, so I bought the charger to charge the battery. I'll look at the water levels and check the battery for any corrosion etc.

mgarland48 · 05-11-2017, 12:20 PM

If my trailer were going to sit for over a month, I'd pull the battery and bring it home. I got a simple Automatic Battery Float Charger, Cen-Tech, for $9 at Harbor Freight. worked like a champ. I let it charge 24 hrs and check it. If ok I'd disconnect it and check the battery in another couple of weeks with a Cen-Tech 7 functional Digital Meter (got it free with a coupon).

Harkerr · 05-11-2017, 12:32 PM

The critical item for long term battery health is the float voltage. Measured with a digital voltmeter it should be in the range of 13.0 to 13.6. Volts for continuous charge. I have had problems with the Cen Tech units over 14 volts. Best bet is to get a real Battery Tender and a digital voltmeter.

An alternative is to fully charge batteries in Fall and completely disconnect until spring. I have done this as I have no power where rig is stored.

lucky55616 · 05-11-2017, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

It sounds like this is not really a trickle charger that you can leave connected all the time. Even at 3A, it can evaporate battery water if left permanently connected. If you want a connect and forget type battery maintainer, I would look a something like at battery Tender or CTEK. These are microcontroller maintainers that manage the charge current based on the state of the battery. I like the CTEK as it has some advanced functions for battery longevity. If you choose to use your charger, you should use it on the low setting and check the battery water levels monthly. If you connect the device directly to the battery terminals, it does not matter what setting you have on the battery disconnect switch. If you connect it to the system in other locations ( ie Bargman) it may not be connected to the battery.

X2 on the CTEK, it is excellent and has a battery rejuvenation mode that works well to restore batteries that have had a very deep discharge

m35a2 · 05-11-2017, 12:49 PM

I plan to use a Solargizer on my camper. Two 12V or perhaps a 24V one if I can hook it up to two 12V batteries wired in series as I believe mine are.

I use a 24V one on my deuce. Bought it military surplus for about 40 bucks. Works great.

These things trickle charge and desulfate, and they are solar powered. I intend on mounting mine to the front of my pinbox.

I would probably not buy one from Pulsetech (the manufacturer) as they retail for several hundred dollars. they can be found military surplus or on ebay for 50-75, lots of times new in the box.

camaraderie · 05-11-2017, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m35a2

I plan to use a Solargizer on my camper. Two 12V or perhaps a 24V one if I can hook it up to two 12V batteries wired in series as I believe mine are.

I use a 24V one on my deuce. Bought it military surplus for about 40 bucks. Works great.

These things trickle charge and desulfate, and they are solar powered. I intend on mounting mine to the front of my pinbox.

I would probably not buy one from Pulsetech (the manufacturer) as they retail for several hundred dollars. they can be found military surplus or on ebay for 50-75, lots of times new in the box.

For the record....pulse technology is worthless. The claims of studies or performance are never independent and never without the trickle charge component and never compared with trickle charge alonge. University of RI did studies on this a couple of decades ago. Tech friends of mine conducted independent testing on SIX of the best selling models and found no desulfation reduced by pulse technology.
YES your batteries will last longer than if you just let them sit and discharge...but it is due to the trickle charge. There is no substitute for high voltage and amps to bust up sulfation...certainly not some secret frequencies of low amplitude pulses...which are all different based on the seller's magic frequency.
The idea of a solar powered trickle charger works and is a good one...just commenting on the pulse claims.

Bluepill · 05-11-2017, 01:27 PM

If your Roo has a WFCO charger/converter, you should recharge the battery at least once a week during the season when you are camping with an external charger. The WFCO is famous for not fully charging batteries.

An external charger like the one you bought should put out a voltage in the range of 14.2 to 14.5 volts, which is what you need to fully charge a 12 volt battery.

m35a2 · 05-11-2017, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaraderie

For the record....pulse technology is worthless. The claims of studies or performance are never independent and never without the trickle charge component and never compared with trickle charge alonge. University of RI did studies on this a couple of decades ago. Tech friends of mine conducted independent testing on SIX of the best selling models and found no desulfation reduced by pulse technology.
YES your batteries will last longer than if you just let them sit and discharge...but it is due to the trickle charge. There is no substitute for high voltage and amps to bust up sulfation...certainly not some secret frequencies of low amplitude pulses...which are all different based on the seller's magic frequency.
The idea of a solar powered trickle charger works and is a good one...just commenting on the pulse claims.

This is what the military uses. I'm not sure how I can check for sulfation, but my deuce has sat parked for 6 months-8 months at a time and fired right up. I can testify that the trickle charge works.

thestrangebrew · 05-11-2017, 02:40 PM

I'm at work right now so I can't get to my TT but this is similar to the charger I bought. Brand wise it's the same, but the one I have only has the 15A and 3A. Not the 10A and 2A listed on this page:

SSC-1500A - Schumacher Electric

Is this an appropriate charger or do I need to look into something else?

larryandamy · 05-11-2017, 08:23 PM

Flybob gave a good response. You do not have a trickle charger. You have a regular battery charger and you should not leave this charger connected to the battery for more than a day at the 15 Amp setting and for not more than a few days at the 3 Amp setting. Leaving this charger on for extended periods will fry your battery at the 15 Amp setting in several days. At the 3 Amp setting you should be OK for a week or more, but you will have to maintain liquid levels as they will dry out over time.

A trickle charger is typically 1.5 Amps or less and the smart microprocessor controlled chargers are the only type you should leave connected to your battery for extended periods.

I just installed three 100W solar panels with two batteries on a marine battery switch that allows me to switch from Battery 1 to Battery 2 to all batteries and OFF position for no batteries. I am worried about solar overcharging my batteries as with full sunshine I can charge to 13.7 VDC at 15 Amps. If I am going to be storing the rig for an extended time, then I will switch the batteries to OFF and hook up the Battery Tender smart charger. I did this for my boat and now I am always fully charged and ready to go and my batteries which used to last 2 years are now going strong after 4 years.

Robspana · 05-11-2017, 09:45 PM

Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread, but I had a trickle charger on my TT battery. The battery was still connected and it drained. Is that because it was still connected? The only thing running was the LP detector.... unfortunately I don't have a kill switch.

**bikendan** · 05-11-2017, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robspana

Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread, but I had a trickle charger on my TT battery. The battery was still connected and it drained. Is that because it was still connected? The only thing running was the LP detector.... unfortunately I don't have a kill switch.

There are more parasitic power drains than just the LP detector.
How do you know that's the only power drain?

Robspana · 05-11-2017, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

There are more parasitic power drains than just the LP detector.
How do you know that's the only power drain?

I don't necessarily know that, I think the dealer told me that during the walk through, but I could be wrong...

**bikendan** · 05-12-2017, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robspana

I don't necessarily know that, I think the dealer told me that during the walk through, but I could be wrong...

If he said that, he's wrong.
Depending on parasitic power drains, a trickle charger may not keep up with them.

markb422 · 05-12-2017, 07:00 AM

If the battery has Marine on it, it means it is a dual purpose battery. If it has been discharged to dead and is a 2014 battery it is probably done. You might want to get a new deep cycle battery which will allow a deeper discharge.

Jmkjr72 · 05-12-2017, 09:15 AM

I love the battery tender jr. Yes they can be a bit pricy for a battery tender charger but the charge is slow enough you can even use it on motor sport batteries. If you hook it directly to the battery then you don't need to worry about what your disconnect is set to. Be warned some of the cheaper tenders if they come unpluged will actually drain your battery the harbor freight ones are notorious for that

Comanchecreek · 05-12-2017, 09:26 AM

Forget the charger you bought unless you have a dead battery. If you want to "Maintain" your batteries, use a battery "Maintainer", or "float charger". Harbor Freight has them as cheap as 6 bucks on sale. I have used them for years, and my batteries stay in great shape. I don't have to pull them in the winter, or worry that they will freeze, and it gets below zero at times here in Colorado.

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