Charging camper batteries

[weberml]

Just wanted to see what everyone does to get their RV batteries charged without the use of a generator. What is the best setup for going to my storage space and getting them charged up quickly. I also have no electric available which i guess is the real problem. I just found out that trying to charge the batteries while hooked to the truck is not an option as it will only trickle charge and could take up to 2-3 hours.

[B and B]

Hello,
Not any options other than a Generator with a high output garage type charger. This will be hard on the batteries and may cause some fluid loss.

At 5 to 10 amps thru a truck connection will take a while.

A trickle charge would be all day and night.

[bikendan]

If you had a battery disconnect switch or a solar setup, you wouldn't have to charge them when you got there.

I had a disconnect switch on my batteries and after 4 months of storage, they were still nearly fully charged.

If you don't want to do that, then a generator is your only solution.

[fonzie]

You could use your truck battery with booster cables connected in proper sequence just to get a charge for 15 minutes. Hook with truck off then start your engine. Reverse process to disconnect. Finish proper charging when you get home. Make sure battery is in good order before doing this....or go to your storage space and bring back battery home day before to charge at home.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by fonzie

You could use your truck battery with booster cables connected in proper sequence just to get a charge for 15 minutes. Hook with truck off then start your engine. Reverse process to disconnect. Finish proper charging when you get home. Make sure battery is in good order before doing this....or go to your storage space and bring back battery home day before to charge at home.

You should bold/underline this part. Hooking up a damaged battery with your engine off could damage your starting battery; resulting in you being stranded as well as having a dead camper battery.

[weberml]

Thanks all for your replies and suggestions. I am looking into solar kits to trickle charge the batteries while in storage. I do have a disconnect as bikendan stated and it is always off when in storage, but it seems that I always have to get into the trailer to do something so I have to extend the slides which drains the batteries somewhat.

Solar, here I come...

[Flybob]

Do your research. The small 5-10 watt so called solar battery chargers/maintainers are useless. I would get a good 20-40W panel and a good controller.

[UT_Grandpa]

I have two 50 Watt solar panels that I parallel together with a MPPT charge controller to recharge the batteries. Mine are not on the roof, I have cables to get them where the sun is.

I recently got a 160 watt solar panel that will put out about 10 amps of current into the batteries. A day should get them recharged from nearly dead.

My converter in the trailer floats the batteries at 13.6 Volts so it works well also.

Solar is nice because it is quiet.

[OLDNAVY]

Originally Posted by weberml

Just wanted to see what everyone does to get their RV batteries charged without the use of a generator. What is the best setup for going to my storage space and getting them charged up quickly. I also have no electric available which i guess is the real problem. I just found out that trying to charge the batteries while hooked to the truck is not an option as it will only trickle charge and could take up to 2-3 hours.

I remove the negative cable from battery when I store. Nothing can drain on the battery

[Gealousy]

Pull the batteries and bring them home if it's going to be more than a month in my opinion. Only takes a few minutes. I have dual Interstates and wouldn't want them going bad (or stolen). They need some love. Get a charger for the bench.

[bikendan]

I left my batteries on the trailer when I stored it at a yard, for 4 months in the winter.
Since I had a disconnect switch, the batteries were still nearly full when I went to bring it home.

[kcmusa]

I agree, a small solar setup will work great.