Charging The Battery Question (Again)

[NWJeeper]

Originally Posted by mtnguy

NWJeeper, does it work like that on travel trailers with removalable tanks? I don't see anything on my system to indicate that would happen.....no wires or anything going to the regulator.

Maybe just on MHs with built-in tanks?

Opps, yeah, forgot about that. I don't know if your system is exactly the same. Do you have the CCI Propane Leak Detector, brown faceplate, blinking LED when on? It's possible that the cut off solenoid could be located away from the tanks but I am not sure if they have it on 5ers and trailers or not. Could test it by lighting up a burner and then turning off the LP detector, if there is a solenoid it closes the line when the detector is turned off and the burner would slowly burn out. My guess is you don't have them. Therefore best to turn off the LP for extended storage.

I know it became mandatory that motorized RVs had them installed but don't know when they started doing this.

[MtnGuy]

I will check it out next time I open up the camper. I know that I can check the propane detector by directing an unlit but triggered butane lighter in the direction of the detector to check for alarm activation.

[Crossfire]

If you have a power awning ; you will find it is directly connected to the battery also. Like what was said previously; there are many items that draw power even though the disconnect switch is in the off position. I pull the negative terminal from my batteries after they are charged; mine will keep a full charge for 3-4 weeks before I recharge them ; even then they are only down to 12.4 volts ( a fully charged battery will read 12.7 volts on a voltmeter) The gauges that come with the camper usually only have a light that shows the battery charge and are not very accurate.
I dry camp most of the time at motorcycle rallies. I exchanged my 2- 12 volt batteries for 2- 6 volt batteries wired in parallel . I also have three solar panels on the roof that put out 260 watts. The solar controller is from AM Solar and has three stage charging as welll as a temperature sensor that regulates the state of charge. I can dry camp indefinitely without running the generator . If you discharge your batteries to below 50% everytime they won't last long. Likewise if you do not charge them correctly they will lose their capacity quickly.

[BENTE]

thanks everyone for answering more questions than i thought i had.. today i cleand her up and charged the batteries. everything looks like it will be in working order when we go in two weeks.. man i can't wait. it just seems like the camper is out there taunting me

oh well thanks again

[KyDan]

Originally Posted by NWJeeper

More importantly the detector will close the valve at the tank and stop the leak

Not so fast.
Many of us lower class trailer owners have plain old
LP tanks and regulators with no auto shutoff.

[acadianbob]

Crossfire, I think you meant to say that your two 6 volt batteries are hooked in series; not parallel.

[NWJeeper]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Not so fast.
Many of us lower class trailer owners have plain old
LP tanks and regulators with no auto shutoff.

Yes that was eluded to in post #20 and responded to in post #21. I had forgotten that not all will have this feature.