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Old 08-04-2015, 05:53 PM   #41
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My old motor home would cook the batteries if left plugged in full time, on board charger would not cut back on charging amps. Put it on a timer, only ran 2 hrs a day to keep batteries charged. Don't know if on board charger was defective or not, but timer solved the problem.
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Old 08-04-2015, 06:06 PM   #42
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Ours stays pluged in 24/7 but frigge/TV/TV Stereo not activated breaker(s) off
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Old 08-04-2015, 08:42 PM   #43
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I've had 4 different campers plugged-in for more than 15 years and never had an issue yet.
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Old 08-04-2015, 10:30 PM   #44
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Originally Posted by Evereddie View Post
Because almost all trailers don't have a total battery disconnect switch people leave them plugged in to keep the battery from running down. Because the LP gas detector is hooked straight to the battery it will drain the battery down to nothing if the trailer is left un-plugged. Unhooking the battery will solve this but that's a lot of hassle,. easier to leave it plugged in. It will also keep the battery totally charged.

Some people leave their trailer plugged in because they might be running something inside like a dehumidifier or heater in the winter.
Okay, I think I see some of the reasoning. We've been RV camping for over 20 years and I keep it unplugged, pull the battery out and cover it. Never had a problem, so I was just curious about hearing so many keep it plugged in. THANKS
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Old 08-05-2015, 07:05 AM   #45
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Not sure why you would leave the fridge on ???
Unless you are using it !!!
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Old 08-05-2015, 07:17 AM   #46
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Okay, I think I see some of the reasoning. We've been RV camping for over 20 years and I keep it unplugged, pull the battery out and cover it. Never had a problem, so I was just curious about hearing so many keep it plugged in. THANKS
We always did that for years with our TT,,, removed battery,,, covered unplugged !!! This last winter was our first winter with MH,,, left it unplugged for about 5 months,,, started the motor a couple of times,,, but when I went out in the early spring,,, every thing was Dead,,, took days to get the batteries charged back up !!! I then put a battery maintainer on the truck battery !!! Thinking I may leave it plugged in this winter,,, with surge protector !!!
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Old 08-05-2015, 07:53 AM   #47
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I agree. If you run it long term, and want stuff to last, good surge suppressor and a four stage converter charger would be best.

I would hate to run that little frig 24/7 unnecessarily. Especially not in heat, as it makes plenty of heat by itself, and probably will not last forever like a residential, compressor type.
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Old 08-05-2015, 08:06 AM   #48
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Take a volt meter....place neg. Lead on batt. post, take pos. lead and touch to battery case over by/around the pos. pos . If batt. dirty, it will surprise you .
Right on Bob,,,
I found that to be very interesting on my tractor Batters !!!
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Old 08-05-2015, 08:08 AM   #49
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I really do not see any reason to leave a TT plugged in all winter here,,,
Remove battery,,, place it in the basement until Spring !!!
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Old 08-05-2015, 10:25 AM   #50
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Thinking I may leave it plugged in this winter,,, with surge protector !!!
A protector typically used in campers (ie Progressive) are for electrical anomalies completely different from the completely different transient (called a surge) that exists in homes. Meanwhile plug-in protectors do not claim to protect from either of those anomalies.

The word 'surge' is subjective. It can even describe a high voltage, a high current, a low voltage, noise, or a low current. Each and completely different device (all called surge protectors) must be defined by which anomaly is a concern. That means numbers.
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Old 08-05-2015, 10:43 AM   #51
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We have a dedicated circuit for ours, along with a satellite/cable line in a box we installed right beside of our parking spot. We use ours as a guest house, man cave, Momma's nook, get away spot when it is parked at home.
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Old 08-05-2015, 11:42 AM   #52
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A protector typically used in campers (ie Progressive) are for electrical anomalies completely different from the completely different transient (called a surge) that exists in homes. Meanwhile plug-in protectors do not claim to protect from either of those anomalies.

The word 'surge' is subjective. It can even describe a high voltage, a high current, a low voltage, noise, or a low current. Each and completely different device (all called surge protectors) must be defined by which anomaly is a concern. That means numbers.
There was a time when the phrase surge protector only meant one type of abnormality. It meant a surge or spike in voltage on the power line, like you would get when lightning strikes. That's all it meant. It did not mean low voltage or otherwise. I watched through the years as it was bastardized in it's meaning. A lot of that bastardization came from marketing people who decided to rename an outlet strip a surge protector. Look at one at the store next time, no where on the box will it say outlet strip, (or says outlet strip in very small letters) it now says surge protector. Suddenly I had people tell me they needed a surge protector and when I showed up with a real surge protector they thought I was stupid. So the phrase surge protector is completely wrong now as used by most people.
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Old 08-06-2015, 01:30 PM   #53
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We have a dedicated circuit for ours, along with a satellite/cable line in a box we installed right beside of our parking spot.
If a dedicated wire does not enter where AC electric also enters, then an item that actually does surge protection is missing or compromised.

Remember, destructive surges are electricity. That means it must have both an incomng path and a completely different outgoing path to earth. Typical incoming path is AC electric (ie due to lightning striking highest wires on poles far down the street). Outgoing path can be that dedicated satellite/cable line. Damage is often on an outgoing path. Naive consumers, only using speculation, assume a satellite/cable was the surge incomng path. Because damage was on the coax or HDMI port - the outgoing path.

Protection is never about a protector. Protection (from a type of surge being discussed here) is always about what harmlessly absorbs hundreds of thousands of joules. The critical term (and what shuold have everyone's attention) is single point earth ground (all four words have electrical significance).

'Dedicated wire' is mostly irrelevant to protecting electrical and electronic devices. Only useful recommendation comes with numbers. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground. Relevant numbers - where do hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate?
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