plug in

[Carl Pa]

Hi, i have a new 16` scamp, all new to me. I was wondering how often you should keep it plugged into house power while it sets in its parking place at home. All the time , or a couple hours a day, every other day, couple times a week ? I had it plugged in for about 6 hours yesterday, no appliances jut the coach lights once in awhile. I had the camper for two weeks now. Had home for about a week. Carl

[Byron Kinnaman]

People do a lot of different things. I leave mine plugged in all the time mainly to keep the refrigerator running. I've turned off the converter and have a Battery Minder connected to the battery which is connected 24/7 when the trailer is in it's nest.
I do have to level the trailer when I put it away so the refrigerator runs properly.

I like the trailer to be ready to go at a moments notice, for a number of reasons, mostly so we can take off for who know where without a lot of fuss.

[Carol H]

I only plug mine in for a day before leaving on a trip to cool the fridge down. I clean out the fridge after each trip - live in an area with bears so worry I might forget something that might get smelly in time in there if I didn't clean it out! LOL If I know for sure I am not going to be using the trailer for several weeks it stays unplugged. If its sitting for a long time I do go in an check the battery level and every so often & will plug it in for a day to keep the battery charged up. Leaving it plugged in for extended periods and not using any lights etc, if you don't have a real good smart charger on it could do more warm than good to the battery.

[Mike Magee]

Are there any devices in a Scamp (such as a CO detector) that will put a drain on the battery? If so, it's best to leave the trailer plugged in all the time and let the converter keep the battery topped off. I know the stickies I've owned all had detectors that would suck a battery dry in 2-3 weeks. My former Burro didn't have one, but then it was a homemade rebuild. Not sure what Scamp does.

[mary and bob]

I have a battery disconnect switch in my camper, but there is nothing in there that would drain the battery while it is parked. I don't like the idea of a battery tender because I don't want something like that plugged in while I'm not around. Read in a car magazine where one was blamed for starting a fire but that was probably an odd occurrence. Any of my vehicles that don't get used in the winter I remove the batteries and store them in my basement. I'll put a charger on them about once a month.

[Byron Kinnaman]

As to safety detectors, I have a propane detector that the manufacture said to connect to the house battery so that it is on all the time. Sounds like a good idea to me. I have an objection to battery disconnect switches. A small propane leak could cause a build up of propane inside the trailer, turning on the switch could cause a small spark inside the trailer resulting in a loud noise. And I don't like loud noises.

Some of the older converters didn't have a very good charging system. They would boil a battery out. (overcharge). Hence I use a Battery Minder.

I have little faith in those that examine vehicle type of fires. When they say something caused the fire they're usually wrong, at least that what my experience has shown. I've come in after a determination several times and not once were the original investigators right. Besides that my Battery minder is NOT inside the trailer, no reason for it to be inside since the battery is outside. If I was really concerned I'd put a metal bucket over it.

[mary and bob]

Our trailer has no propane, so no worry there. So as not to give anyone a bad idea I'll delete that post.

[papa-t]

Congrats on the new Scamp and welcome. I usually unplug from house power and remove the battery fuse. I will replace the fuse, check water in battery, plug up to 30amp power at the house and turn on the fridge several days before a trip. Don't forget to winterize. That is the one that will cause you serious problems.

[TomK]

Carl, if you plan to winterize your new baby, and leave it parked in the cold until Spring; I'd advise you to bring your battery into your home or other heated area. Place it on a board, or other insulation if the floor is concrete. Your battery will last longer kept indoors for the winter. I advise trickle charging it at least once each winter in a well ventilated area.

Tom

[Perry J]

I have Solar on my trailer so I don't have a problem with keeping the battery charged.
Prior to solar I used a Harbor Freight battery tender on my trailer.
I also have 5 ATVs sitting unused for months at a time that I have for my grand kids and they all have HF battery tenders on them.

I have not had a dead ATV battery since I started using the battery tenders.

John

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Perry J

I have Solar on my trailer so I don't have a problem with keeping the battery charged.

LOL living California also helps you John! I have solar as well but in the dark rainy days of winter here it doesnt do well.... even worse when covered in snow

[Perry J]

Originally Posted by Carol H

LOL living California also helps you John! I have solar as well but in the dark rainy days of winter here it doesnt do well.... even worse when covered in snow

Hi Carol,
I wish we had some of your rain and snow hear.
I think we have had maybe 2 inches of rain this year.
For the last 2 years my favorite ATV riding area which is normally closed around Thanksgiving because of snow was never locked up.
At an elevation of about 8500' where there is normally a minimum of 5 feet of snow there was about 6 inches for only several days after the storm.
Lake Isabella which is about 3 miles from my home is about 20% of it's normal capacity and going down even further
It's so bad I have had to start watering some of the cactus in my front yard.

Before Solar I used a HF Battery tender on my trailer.

John

[Carol H]

Yup a Battery tender will do the trick as well.

Well John Vancouver has also had a real dry spring, summer, fall this year - open fire ban was in effect for most of the prime camping season. Actually just turned off my sprinkler system this week. As far as snow goes it can't always be counted on it either .. some years we get none but generally we might get at least one day of it and it may only be an inch but it could be a foot but it mostly washes away in the rain in a day or two.... but then every 4 years or so we get a good dump of a few feet that could last on the ground for a week or two or..... never know around here! A few people find it hard to believe that way up here in the North, the city of Vancouver doesn't actually own any snow plows LOL Its mostly due to the dark over cast rainy days that the solar doesnt work so well in the winter months.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Carol H

......A few people find it hard to believe that way up here in the North, the city of Vancouver doesn't actually own any snow plows LOL

And NEITHER does Portland, Oregon. And we don't WANT them As the few years (consecutively) as we get snow, we don't want our city to pay for the investment.

ANYWAY... you need to "winterize" for your domicle. It can be different 750-1,000 miles any direction. OR, what you feel comfortable doing and are willing to pay the consequences, if there are any. Frankly, I think we should ALL head south and forget winterizing.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

And NEITHER does Portland, Oregon. And we don't WANT them As the few years (consecutively) as we get snow, we don't want our city to pay for the investment.

ANYWAY... you need to "winterize" for your domicle. It can be different 750-1,000 miles any direction. OR, what you feel comfortable doing and are willing to pay the consequences, if there are any. Frankly, I think we should ALL head south and forget winterizing.

I agree with that. Time to leave is coming up.

[Bob Miller]

You didn't mention what converter your SCAMP has. If it has the later Progressive Dynamics converter with a smart charger it's fine to leave it plugged in 24/7 as I have mine for several years.

Most of the concern about leaving the power on and the battery connected comes from old-school charging systems that can boil the water out of the battery and permanently damage both the battery as well as the camper.

[Jared J]

I put a new smart converter in, mine stays plugged in.


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