Keeping battery charged while in storage.

[NWT Rick]

I live in a cold state, and I just keep the trailer plugged into the house electricity while the batteries installed on the camper, and then when I am done for the winter I take them out and put them in the basement of the house. I use parallel batteries on my unit and I put the battery charger on them about once a month to keep them fully charged.

[Technorick]

My batteries stay in the coach all winter. Stored outside the garage. The MH stays plugged in and the on board charger converter keeps them up.

To keep the chassis battery lively I start the MH every ten days and run it.

I installed a battery tender mini quick disconnect to the chassis battery last year while installing my LED driving lights and never connected it to the charger. I recently disconnected the charger from the motorcycle and connected it to the chassis and discovered that my chassis battery was not fully charged. So now I keep the battery tender for the chassis connected too.

[ScottBrownstein]

Originally Posted by Technorick

My batteries stay in the coach all winter. Stored outside the garage. The MH stays plugged in and the on board charger converter keeps them up.

To keep the chassis battery lively I start the MH every ten days and run it.

I installed a battery tender mini quick disconnect to the chassis battery last year while installing my LED driving lights and never connected it to the charger. I recently disconnected the charger from the motorcycle and connected it to the chassis and discovered that my chassis battery was not fully charged. So now I keep the battery tender for the chassis connected too.

One of these days it would be nice to figure out where Forest River stands on letting the BCC charge the chassis battery when shore power is connected. On my old Fleetwood the BCC would parallel up the chassis battery when the battery voltage went about 13 volts or so.

From looking at other data on this forum it appears that Georgetown also uses the same vendor as Fleetwood did and normally any charge source will find its way to all batteries (apparently with the exception of the MB Sprinter chassis.) As long at the main disconnect switch is on (batteries connected) the converter will charge the chassis and the house, as will the alternator charge the chassis and the house. If you have solar connected to the house bank and your disconnect is on, you will also keep the chassis topped off.

It seems that 15 seconds after the first charged bank goes over 13.2 volts, the banks will be paralleled. It the voltage drops below 12.7, the parallel connection will be severed.

[ScottBrownstein]

Here are the documents that I found that describe the systems. RV custom products is the same vendor.

Even though it says all Georgetowns, I have a 70 amp converter and the 50 amp breaker in the diagram obviously would not work. In addition, I believe that on my coach, the converter goes to the BCC before it goes to the 12 volt distribution panel.

[Urban_FR3]

Originally Posted by trbomax

Take them home and put them on a Battery Tender.

Agreed,

[Technorick]

I'm pretty sure that although my 2014 DS30 has a dash mounted spring loaded jumper switch that temporarily connects the house batts to the engine, my chassis battery only charges from the alternator while the coach is running. And running the engine as I do for short bursts during a New England winter is not really long enough for the alternator to top it off.

My digital volt meter showed 12.1 on the chassis battery before charging with the mini battery tender and is now its at 13.2




2014 FR330 DS

[ScottBrownstein]

Originally Posted by Technorick

I'm pretty sure that although my 2014 DS30 has a dash mounted spring loaded jumper switch that temporarily connects the house batts to the engine...DS

I agree that running the engine for a short period is not the answer. Starting alone in a very cold condition will take more from the battery than running for a few minutes will replace.

The question was whether the converter would charge the chassis battery as well as the house battery. That is what the BCC does when the converter is running, or better yet when there is 100 watts of solar and the disconnect switch is left energized.

Obviously you have a way to plug in the Minder...you could plug in the converter as well and charge everything.

[Technorick]

I guess what I poorly communicated was that despite the coach being plugged in continuously, my coach chassis battery DOES NOT CHARGE unless the coach motor and alternator is running.

I suspect that in the 30Ds FR3 there is an isolator with a diode pack that lets alternator charge reach all motorhome batteries yet does not allow the charger converter reach the engine battery.

Perhaps another higher end difference between the FR3 and the Georgtown with a BCC.

Thanks for the info.


2014 FR330 DS

[mnoland30]

If you boondock, go with a large panel and charge controller. If you don't boondock, then just plug in a 10 watt solar panel. It doesn't need a charge controller, because it can't overcharge your batteries. You must disconnect your batteries from the trailer since it has enough small loads to run them down, even with a small panel attached. With my 100 watt panel, I didn't get enough sun in the winter to keep them charged while connected to the trailer. For a motorhome starting battery, buy a dash solar panel with a cigarette lighter plug. I used one on my pickup which was rarely driven, and the battery lasted 10 years.

[CraigBean7672]

I too like the idea of disconnecting the batteries from the trailer when not in use. The quick disconnect that Cam showed in post #16 is inexpensive and simple. A fully charged battery in good condition should remain charged with only a minimal drop while disconnected. They should be connected to a charger every few months though.

The best maintenance is to keep batteries fully charged and the water level just above the plates or at the bottom of the fill tube when looking down into the hole. Use distilled water. This will help prevent the batteries from sulfating. Letting them stay discharged or run low on water kills them.

Solar panels are great for boodocking and I really like mine but I've heard they will only get the batteries to about 90% charge and batteries last longer if they periodically get a 100% charge - so on a monthly basis or every few months I plug a charger in and let it run for a day or two. I noticed water level tends to drop more with constant charging (boils off).

2015 Rockwood 8289WS
2003 Dodge 2500 Cummings

[camaraderie]

For those with no easy way to keep their START battery charged up when the house batteries are being charged (from any source ...park, home, generator, solar etc)...
There is a simple & cheap device that installs easily and "steals" from your charged house bank to keep the start battery charged. Will NOT steal from house batteries when they are not being charged...kicks on at 13.2 V.
Ultra TRIK-L-START Starting Battery Charger/Maintainer