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03-08-2016, 05:16 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 657
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Need to equalize batteries?
My neighbor here at the park "equalizes" his chassis batteries twice per year and swears that his batteries require it for long life.
As I understand it, his charger runs up to 14 volts for 8 hours and this boils off any corrosion on the inner plates.
Truth or fiction? Do I have a way to do this built into my coach?
BTW. I have a 378ts with for 12 volt coach batteries.
__________________
2014 Georgetown 378 XL
Toyota Prius on dolly.
Full time since 2014
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03-08-2016, 06:36 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 360true
My neighbor here at the park "equalizes" his chassis batteries twice per year and swears that his batteries require it for long life.
As I understand it, his charger runs up to 14 volts for 8 hours and this boils off any corrosion on the inner plates.
Truth or fiction? Do I have a way to do this built into my coach?
BTW. I have a 378ts with for 12 volt coach batteries.
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No, that is not enough voltage. Equalization voltage is at least 15 volts. Disconnect everything, remove caps and soak it at 15 or 15.5 volts for 3 to 4 hours.
I know of no converter that can do this. They talk about it, but there isn't enough voltage to do it.
Lead acid batteries only. Debatable if you need it. Trojan says only when needed. Needed when the specific gravity of the cells differs.
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03-08-2016, 07:26 PM
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#3
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Cyber Phrenologist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Southern Crescent
Posts: 1,806
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And make sure the compartment is WELL vented!
__________________
KU4OJ
2008 (or is it 2009?) Rockwood 8280SS - 2022 F-250 7.3L
Lot's of mostly Kenwood radios
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03-08-2016, 09:38 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 657
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OK but what is the advantage of the procesd and why do some coaches have an equalizer built in, and some don't? Do GT XLs have the capability?
__________________
2014 Georgetown 378 XL
Toyota Prius on dolly.
Full time since 2014
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03-08-2016, 10:00 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 360true
OK but what is the advantage of the procesd and why do some coaches have an equalizer built in, and some don't? Do GT XLs have the capability?
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Trojan does not recommend equalizing batteries on a specific schedule. The very term "equalizing" means that the charge and chemical composition of the cells is different within a battery. If the specific gravity is something like +/- .015, then you hit all the cells with what amounts to a significant overcharge, allowing the cells to all become fully charged. OF course, the cells are in parallel and when you need to bring a given cell up, you are in fact overcharging the other cells. Equalizing boils a lot of electrolyte and you need a voltage of something like 15.5 volts for a 12 volt lead acid battery. Remember that boost charge from a converter is 14.5 volts. If successful, the specific gravity of all cells, and their state of charge will become equalized after a period of a number of hours. They recommend measuring specific gravity every hour until equalization is achieved.
Of course, equalization helps dissolve sulfate crystals and the boiling will help mix the electrolyte...but boost charging does the same. Personally, I think it is something that we all talk about but few actually do it, but they think that their converter or charger does it. Imagine boiling electrolyte with all of your electronics still connected...and you don't know it.
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2015 335DS
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03-09-2016, 09:19 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 548
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360true ask your neighbor if you can borrow his Hydrometer.
Robot Check
Check YouTube, lots of "equalize RV batteries"
__________________
2012 Georgetown 360
SHE wanted "a new motorhome"
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03-09-2016, 12:10 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
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360true
I have a Progressive Dynamic Battery charger that came with my Georgetown.
IT does have battery equalizer build in but I also have a little button that changes it manually also.
Details
Converter Status Remote Pendant
The Converter Status Remote Pendant PD92201 is designed to plug into the standard accessory port on all models of the Inteli-Power 9200 Series Converters. The Converter Status Remote Pendant shows the charger/converter operating mode and allows for manual mode selection.
Note...
The PD92201 Converter Status Remote Pendant is available for purchase if you don't have one. Click here to Purchase
How it Works The new PD9200 Series RV Converter/Chargers have our patented Charge Wizard built-in to provide you with the most advanced RV battery charging system on the market today. The Charge Wizard is a micro-processor controller that constantly monitors your RV battery voltage and then automatically determines which one of four modes of operation is best suited to recharge or maintain optimum battery condition. The four modes are BOOST, NORMAL, STORAGE and DESULFATION. The Converter Status Remote Pendant will show you which mode the converter is operating in.
The Indicator Light on the Converter Status Remote Pendant will display the mode of operation as follows:
- Light “ON” all of the time – Indicates the unit is in the BOOST MODE and the converter output voltage is 14.4-volts and is in the process of recharging the battery up to 90% of full charge as fast as possible. This mode is usually automatically selected after dry camping
- Light Blinks Rapidly (from once to many times a second) – Indicates the unit is in the NORMAL MODE and the converter output voltage is 13.6-volts. In this mode, the converter is safely completing the charge of the RV battery.
- Light Blinks Slowly (every 6-8 seconds) – Indicates the unit is in the Storage Mode and the converter output voltage has been lowered to 13.2-volts. In this mode the RV battery is fully charged and the converter is maintaining the charge, without causing gassing or water loss.
The Manual Switch...
The Manual Switch allows the operator to check to see if the Charge Wizard is operating properly as follows:
Press and hold the Manual Switch and shortly the Indicator Light will remain “ON” all of the time, indicating the unit went into the BOOST MODE. Continue to hold the switch and shortly the Indicator Light will start blinking rapidly (every 2-3 seconds). This indicates the unit went into the NORMAL MODE. Continue to hold the switch and the unit will go into the STORAGE MODE, and the Indicator Light will start blinking slowly (every 6-8 seconds). Once the switch button is released, the Charge Wizard will again read the RV battery voltage, and after some period of time, automatically select the proper mode of operation.
The Desulfation Mode
The DESULFATION MODE is only active when the Charge Wizard is in the STORAGE MODE. During this mode a timer in the micro-processor automatically switches the Charge Wizard to the BOOST MODE for 15-minutes every 21-hours. This higher voltage causes some slight gassing, and mixes up the battery electrolyte to prevent battery stratification, and the resulting sulfation of the plates, which is the leading cause of loss of battery power.
Note: When no 120 VAC power is applied to the RV through the Shore Power Cord, or Generator, the Indicator Light will remain "ON" at all times. This indicates that the Charge Wizard is monitoring the battery voltage.
Here is a link if you want to buy this little button as a add on for $10.13.
Inteli-power 9200 RV Converter Remote Pendant - $10.13
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03-09-2016, 12:21 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 657
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Iggy and others. Thanks for all this info. Really the best way to get an education about my coach!
__________________
2014 Georgetown 378 XL
Toyota Prius on dolly.
Full time since 2014
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03-09-2016, 12:55 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 360true
Iggy and others. Thanks for all this info. Really the best way to get an education about my coach!
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That's what we are all here to do is help, learn and
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03-09-2016, 01:27 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 312
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottBrownstein
No, that is not enough voltage. Equalization voltage is at least 15 volts. Disconnect everything, remove caps and soak it at 15 or 15.5 volts for 3 to 4 hours.
I know of no converter that can do this. They talk about it, but there isn't enough voltage to do it.
Lead acid batteries only. Debatable if you need it. Trojan says only when needed. Needed when the specific gravity of the cells differs.
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X2. Some standalone battery chargers (Xantrex for one) can perform a desulfation cycle on FLA (maybe other types too) batteries. FLA = Flooded Lead Acid. One caution ... before performing a desulfation cycle, disconnect the battery (battery bank) from the load (that would be the MH or camper). A number of appliances in the load can not tolerate 15+ volts without damage.
__________________
2013 Flagstaff 8528IKWS, 2006 F-350 6.0L
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03-09-2016, 06:55 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
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The charge wizard is great, it will maximize the value of generator time. HOWEVER, it will not equalize since the "boost" voltage is only 14.5. Great for charging, too low for equalizing.
__________________
2015 335DS
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03-10-2016, 03:37 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 312
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottBrownstein
The charge wizard is great, it will maximize the value of generator time. HOWEVER, it will not equalize since the "boost" voltage is only 14.5. Great for charging, too low for equalizing.
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x2
__________________
2013 Flagstaff 8528IKWS, 2006 F-350 6.0L
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03-11-2016, 11:59 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,740
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does the charge wizard switch between these modes automatically?
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03-12-2016, 01:11 AM
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#14
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AbdRahim
does the charge wizard switch between these modes automatically?
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Yes, or you can manually do it.
2015 Columbus 320RS
2008 2500HD Duramax
2015 nights camped "34"
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03-12-2016, 08:20 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 312
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AbdRahim
does the charge wizard switch between these modes automatically?
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Yes. The Charge Wizard automatically switches modes. The Charge Wizard is an optional external pendant on the 9100 series converters, and is included (built in) to the 9200 series converters. More detail here: Charge Wizard RV Battery Charging
__________________
2013 Flagstaff 8528IKWS, 2006 F-350 6.0L
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03-12-2016, 11:33 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DickiedooFlagman
Yes. The Charge Wizard automatically switches modes. The Charge Wizard is an optional external pendant on the 9100 series converters, and is included (built in) to the 9200 series converters. More detail here: Charge Wizard RV Battery Charging
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That is correct. However, on the 9200 series you cannot tell what mode the unit is in or manually override it (like forcing it to boost when boondocking and running the generator) without the $12 accessory pendant. The converter is doing it's thing anyway and switching modes without the pendant.
__________________
2015 335DS
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