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08-28-2010, 01:11 PM
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#1
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Where should we go next!
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Chicago,IL.
Posts: 122
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Don't make the same mistake.
Let me start by saying I'm fortunate enough to be able to park my Surveyor SV291 on the side of the house on a pad I had made for it. I like to go out there often to "putz" around with it regularly so I always leave It plugged in.
Yesterday I happened to unplug it for whatever reason and had to go back inside of it to get something. It was now dark out so I figured no biggie, it has a battery I'll have lights ,right? Wrong! I couldn't figure it out. It has a three stage charger on the camper, so what gives?
Well I couldn't go in for the night now, I had to figure this out. First thing I checked was the battery connection and water. Much to my dismay there was absolutely no water in it. I ended up putting in a whole gallon of water to top it off. Last time I checked it was in the spring and it was fine. It's holding a charge as of today but it hasn't been 24 hours and it seems a little shaky. Lesson learned. CHECK YOUR BATTERY OFTEN!
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08-28-2010, 04:49 PM
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#2
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Offagain
It has a three stage charger on the camper, so what gives? Much to my dismay there was absolutely no water in it. I ended up putting in a whole gallon of water to top it off. Last time I checked it was in the spring and it was fine. It's holding a charge as of today but it hasn't been 24 hours and it seems a little shaky. Lesson learned. CHECK YOUR BATTERY OFTEN!
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Sounds like a bad converter. It should not boil your battery dry. Yes it will use water while charging, but should not empty it while on trickle.
Any other folks got an idea?
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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08-28-2010, 06:21 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 168
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the batteries or the convertor is bad. i leave my trailer plugged in year round parked beside my garage and i have never added any water to the batteries in 4 years. i did the same with my last trailer for years and never ever added water or had any troubles. have your batteries tested and check your convertor voltage or have your dealer look at it.
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08-28-2010, 06:32 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Hill, Wa
Posts: 264
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Our last Fleetwood trailer had explicit instructions not to leave it plugged in as it would boil the batteries dry. So yes some converter/charger brands out there will do it. Of course when we bought that trailer the batteries were bone dry. There went another 175 bucks.
I have never made a habit of leaving a trailer plugged into shorepower. I prefer to use a float charger like the battery tender brand. Even try not to use a traditional trickle charger as they can still boil water off albeit at a much slower rate.
__________________
Steve 1999 Ford Superduty F250 PSD CC SB 6spd 4x4. B&W goosneck/companion hitch, Airlift 5000 airbags. 2006 Sierra F28 Rear Kitchen 5th Wheel, 31' = 10k pounds. Nights camped in 09-14, 2010-23
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08-29-2010, 03:56 PM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 10,505
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I also agree-- it's hard to beat a battery tender.
(I have 2)
Also Harbor Freight has a similar knock off that I also own 2 of
and they work fine.
Occasionally those are one sale for a measly $4.
__________________
Peace!
Dan & Rita D
2017 Nissan Titan 5.6L King cab 4wd
2016 Evergreen Everlite 242RBS
29' empty nest model. Blue Ox WD hitch
(1 queen bed, large main cabin and huge bathroom)
Camping days 2010-53, 2011-47, 2012-41, 2013-41, 2014-31, 2015-40, 2016-44, 2017-63, 2018-75, 2019-32, 2020-41, 2021-49, 2022-43, 2023-66
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08-30-2010, 08:46 AM
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#6
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Where should we go next!
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Chicago,IL.
Posts: 122
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Well 48 hours after filling the battery up with water and plugging the camper back in, everything seems to be working fine. The battery has not lost any water, the lights are bright and the camper is showing the battery as fully charged. I'll see if it holds the charge, but so far everything looks good. I'll definitely be keeping a closer eye on this. Good thing we never dry camp.
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08-30-2010, 10:52 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: IL
Posts: 167
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We too keep ours plugged in all the time. We have our frig running with food in it so don't want to shut that off. Also when we want to run out and add things to it or just clean it or do mods it is ready. We had the AC on yesterday and cleaned it and reloaded part of it. We have done it this way for many years and hope this new HTT will be the same. Even in the winter we have kept it plugged in and just go out every now and then and run the slide in and out a few times and turn on the lights to keep the battery being used.
__________________
Donna=Me Tom=DH
2 DD's-grown, 1 DS grown, 1 SIL
4 DGD's, 2 DGS, 1 Shorkie-Gidget 4 and 1 Pekingese-Mia 3
2011 Shamrock 23ss
2010 Ford F150 super cab 4 X 4
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08-30-2010, 11:15 AM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 10,505
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ilovecamping
We too keep ours plugged in all the time. We have our frig running with food in it so don't want to shut that off. .
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Since that has worked well for you over the years keep it up.
My opinion is that these ammonia RV refrigerators have
a definite use life. They cost a fortune to replace when they
die. We shut ours off and prop the doors open between
trips. Sure we leave it cold when we're going out on consecutive
weekends but if we're home for more than 2 weeks we shut
it off.
I have no hard research to back my choice but we shut ours off between trips.
The same goes for our power center/charger.
We unplug at home and I use a battery tender to keep
the batteries topped up. If we have a near lightning strike
or a spike, the battery tender will be LOTS cheaper (and
easier) to replace than the entire power center.
My 2˘
__________________
Peace!
Dan & Rita D
2017 Nissan Titan 5.6L King cab 4wd
2016 Evergreen Everlite 242RBS
29' empty nest model. Blue Ox WD hitch
(1 queen bed, large main cabin and huge bathroom)
Camping days 2010-53, 2011-47, 2012-41, 2013-41, 2014-31, 2015-40, 2016-44, 2017-63, 2018-75, 2019-32, 2020-41, 2021-49, 2022-43, 2023-66
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