Batteries and upkeep

[wingsofprey]

Hey all just picked up our camper yesterday. I forgot to ask about the battery and if and how it charges. Should I keep a trickle charger on it when it's not in use? Thanks in advance!

[Triguy]

Welcome to the forums.

First thing to know with batteries is that they like to stay charged. I can point your to some indepth stuff if you want, but here are some pointers to help you keep your battery healthy.

1. Proper charging is necessary.
   1. Do not allow to discharge more than 50%.
   2. Keeping your battery charged through the camper's converter is ok as long as it is a 3-stage converter, which most new campers have.
   3. Your trickle-charger should work fine as well.
   4. Batteries should be fully charged after use.
   5. If you plan to store the camper for more than a few days without charging, than disconnect the battery from the camper.
2. Wear old clothes and goggles when working on your battery. Acid hurts.
3. Keep an eye on the water levels. Flooded/wet batteries need to be watered periodically and the plates must not be exposed. Use distilled water and water only up to the marks.

Its a little more than you asked, but it will help you to keep your battery healthy.

[SchafferFamily]

Originally Posted by Triguy

Welcome to the forums.

First thing to know with batteries is that they like to stay charged. I can point your to some indepth stuff if you want, but here are some pointers to help you keep your battery healthy.

1. Proper charging is necessary.
   1. Do not allow to discharge more than 50%.
   2. Keeping your battery charged through the camper's converter is ok as long as it is a 3-stage converter, which most new campers have.
   3. Your trickle-charger should work fine as well.
   4. Batteries should be fully charged after use.
   5. If you plan to store the camper for more than a few days without charging, than disconnect the battery from the camper.
2. Wear old clothes and goggles when working on your battery. Acid hurts.
3. Keep an eye on the water levels. Flooded/wet batteries need to be watered periodically and the plates must not be exposed. Use distilled water and water only up to the marks.

Its a little more than you asked, but it will help you to keep your battery healthy.

To add to this advice, 50% of charge is not 6V,.. like many may think. Here is the scale of charge:
State of Charge / Specific Gravity / Voltage 12V
100% 1.265 12.7
75% 1.225 12.4
50% 1.190 12.2
25% 1.155 12.0
Discharged 1.120 11.9

I have a Battery Tender that I use on my Deep Cycle battery when taken off the camper for storage in the Winter. Once a month, connect it and leave it on for the full cycle of charge and float.

During camping season, if you are at a campground every 2-3 weeks, you may not have to disconnect the positive terminal. You may have a CO/LP detector as a slow draw, but you may be fine still. If going to be parking the camper for 3-4 weeks between trips and you cannot plug the camper in a few days before you go, then I would disconnect the positive terminal between these trips.

Your PUP likely has a converter for when you are plugged into the campsite shore power (30A or 15A) or at home to a 15A circuit. When plugged in, this converter will charge your battery and maintain it. See your owners manual for information.

Welcome! It is also helpful to post your camper info in your posts, or add it to your signature line so we know which model you may have.

[wingsofprey]

Haven't been able to find the hard copy of the owners manual yet. Our walk through was thorough but I forgot to ask about the battery. We have a Rockwood 1920BH 2011.

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by SchafferFamily

To add to this advice, 50% of charge is not 6V,.. like many may think.

VERY good point there. Here's a table that also demonstrates that...

[Triguy]

I should also add that the "dummy" lights on our panels showing state of charge are not exactly how you think they should be. I am not sure if you have one of these panels, but assuming you do, this is important (borrowed from Herk...)



So, basically, if your charge panel goes from the second light (Good) to the third light (Fair), your batteries need to be charged.

[checca]

Originally Posted by wingsofprey

Hey all just picked up our camper yesterday. I forgot to ask about the battery and if and how it charges. Should I keep a trickle charger on it when it's not in use? Thanks in advance!

I added a battery disconnect and then directly wired

Batteryminders Specials | BatteryMinders.com

this to the battery ... we keep it plugged in all the time.

This is by far the best battery charger I've used ... I now have six of them, RV, ATV, car, truck , airplane, and tractor.

[Renosky]

Im new to pop ups and I was told that on my Flagstaff 625D when we bought that the battery will charge when we are plugged into our truck while we tow it. Is this true or false?

[SchafferFamily]

Originally Posted by Renosky

Im new to pop ups and I was told that on my Flagstaff 625D when we bought that the battery will charge when we are plugged into our truck while we tow it. Is this true or false?

It can be. We have our battery fed from our TV while we tow using the axillary pin on the 7-pin connector. This also allows us to have the fridge running on 12V power to chill or keep the fridge cold while traveling.

One way to check would be to place a meter on the terminals and read the voltage at the battery before connecting the TV. Check again with the TV running and see if you read a higher voltage.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Renosky

Im new to pop ups and I was told that on my Flagstaff 625D when we bought that the battery will charge when we are plugged into our truck while we tow it. Is this true or false?

on the vast majority of tow vehicles, it will only be a trickle charge.
on a near dead battery, you'd have to drive for hours to recharge it with your tow vehicle.
many of us install a battery disconnect switch. i can leave my two batteries disconnected for months and they lose very little of their charge.

[garbonz]

Originally Posted by Renosky

Im new to pop ups and I was told that on my Flagstaff 625D when we bought that the battery will charge when we are plugged into our truck while we tow it. Is this true or false?

Should charge if it is wired right, BUT I'd check it.