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Old 09-29-2016, 11:28 AM   #1
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Name: Jennifer
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Total Newbie Question: Battery Charging?

Hi. It seems there is a lot to know about batteries and electrical systems. I had no idea. I'm told that if I don't want my battery to fail, I need a device to keep it charged at home. What do I need?
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Old 09-29-2016, 11:42 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jennifer in Denver View Post
Hi. It seems there is a lot to know about batteries and electrical systems. I had no idea. I'm told that if I don't want my battery to fail, I need a device to keep it charged at home. What do I need?

There's several brands of battery maintainers, Battery Tender, Battery Maintainer, Battery Keeper. All work quite well in my experience. They're not very expensive.
You also need to check the liquid level in your battery once in a while. I check my once a year and top each cell off as necessary with distilled water.
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Old 09-29-2016, 12:59 PM   #3
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I've been using the one I've had for years to charge car batteries. One day, I'll install the other type in the trailer.

I also have a solar setup, rarely use it though.

This book will tell you everything you need to know and more.
https://www.amazon.com/Managing-12-V.../dp/0964738627
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Old 09-30-2016, 11:44 AM   #4
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Hi, Jennifer;
I, too, am a battery novice. Bought a battery tender jr, which has worked well for me. I take the battery out of trailer before winter storage, put it in the garage and hook it up to the battery tender junior. That's as easy as it gets. Ordered it from Amazon.
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Old 09-30-2016, 01:56 PM   #5
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Battery Maintenance

Depending on your situation, you may not need to remove battery from Scamp.
A clean and fully charged Lead/Acid battery can be left outside all winter.
To make sure there are no parasitic loads to drain the charge, disconnect the negative (ground) wire from its post.
Wash off any dirt around the terminals, dry well.
Check fluid levels in each cell. it should cover the plates but not be too full.
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Old 09-30-2016, 08:42 PM   #6
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Keeping the battery charged.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wayne Collins View Post
Depending on your situation, you may not need to remove battery from Scamp.
A clean and fully charged Lead/Acid battery can be left outside all winter.
To make sure there are no parasitic loads to drain the charge, disconnect the negative (ground) wire from its post.
Wash off any dirt around the terminals, dry well.
Check fluid levels in each cell. it should cover the plates but not be too full.
:in the old days and our old 6&12V batteries we were always told to make sure we stick them on a board and hook up the 2AMP trickle charger, if put on concrete floor the battery would die sooner than expected. I have no idea if today's batteries still have this problem.
Also when driving from different sites we have hooked up the MH to the Toad to keep the Toad's battery charged so when we hop in and go for a drive it starts right up, instead of just a Klick.
stude
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Old 10-01-2016, 03:31 AM   #7
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I keep mine out all the time, I plug into a garage outlet 15amp, with a RV ext. cord, about a day or two every month throughout winter and summer. Seems to work. Carl
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Old 10-02-2016, 03:19 PM   #8
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Paul put the trickle charger inside the trailer by the breaker box to keep the batteries, permanently on the tongue, constantly charged. He sits in Peanut often to read by himself, so uses the 12V lights in there and the microwave (110). Might as well keep the batteries going.


In case you're having trouble with the "inverter/converter" thing:


Converter: battery Charger, that is, 110/120 to 12V
(A trickle-charger is a type of converter, plug it into a normal
110/120 outlet and it will make 12V power in your battery)


InVerter: 12V to 110/120
(this will run, say, an LED TV with a "regular" 110 plug by 12V battery power)




These are my mnemonic devices; hope I've got them right! (Pretty sure.)




PS: Peanut = our 73 amerigo: One shell with two nuts in it.
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Old 01-24-2017, 10:30 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kai in Seattle View Post
Paul put the trickle charger inside the trailer by the breaker box to keep the batteries, permanently on the tongue, constantly charged. He sits in Peanut often to read by himself, so uses the 12V lights in there and the microwave (110). Might as well keep the batteries going.


In case you're having trouble with the "inverter/converter" thing:


Converter: battery Charger, that is, 110/120 to 12V
(A trickle-charger is a type of converter, plug it into a normal
110/120 outlet and it will make 12V power in your battery)


InVerter: 12V to 110/120
(this will run, say, an LED TV with a "regular" 110 plug by 12V battery power)




These are my mnemonic devices; hope I've got them right! (Pretty sure.)




PS: Peanut = our 73 amerigo: One shell with two nuts in it.
A belated thank you. This is very helpful.
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Old 01-24-2017, 06:29 PM   #10
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You're most welcome! Cute dog, by the way!


BEST
Kai
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Old 01-24-2017, 07:01 PM   #11
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Jennifer in Denver, if your Scamp winters in front of your house, plug the 120VAC power in, maybe every two months for an overnight re-charge and it should be fine. The converter will take care of it. Make sure there is no parasitic load (smoke alarm, or such, or a light left on). You can measure the battery no load voltage with a cheap voltmeter every once in a while to see how it is holding up.
Is the winter over in Denver? Or not yet.
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Old 02-05-2017, 08:56 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by stude View Post
:in the old days and our old 6&12V batteries we were always told to make sure we stick them on a board and hook up the 2AMP trickle charger, if put on concrete floor the battery would die sooner than expected. I have no idea if today's batteries still have this problem.

stude
In the Old days when battery cases were made of rubber and had soft, maybe tar covers on the top, they would discharge sitting on a concrete floor.
But since they switched to plastic cases, some time in the late 1950's to the early 1960's, that's no longer been the case.

Us olden day fellows must somehow keep up with the times

Joe
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Old 02-05-2017, 06:03 PM   #13
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If your trailer has a converter (device that takes 120V shore power and converts it to 12V, to run 12V items and charge the battery), all you'd need to do is plug it in at home and leave it plugged in. The converter will do a passable job of maintaining the battery. Or you could do what I did, buy a small solar panel and controller and leave that hooked to the battery. Well, actually my trailer had a 7-pin plug for the tow vehicle which includes a charge line, so I wired the solar controller to a receptacle for that plug.
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Old 02-06-2017, 12:03 PM   #14
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When I changed my distribution panel it came with a smart charge wizard. I leave my trailer plugged in at home and it takes care of its self. Check the water just before the camping season starts. in the 4 years or so I have added about a teaspoon of water. Works great for me. If I didn't have that option I would go with a permanently mounted solar panel.

Charge Wizard RV Battery Charging
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Old 02-06-2017, 12:31 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by Mike Magee View Post
If your trailer has a converter (device that takes 120V shore power and converts it to 12V, to run 12V items and charge the battery), all you'd need to do is plug it in at home and leave it plugged in. The converter will do a passable job of maintaining the battery. Or you could do what I did, buy a small solar panel and controller and leave that hooked to the battery. Well, actually my trailer had a 7-pin plug for the tow vehicle which includes a charge line, so I wired the solar controller to a receptacle for that plug.
Mike my old original converter out of my 79 boler did not charge the battery.
I did replace it a few years back with a new one which did have a charger built in. and have also replaced 4 pin connector with a 7 pin to utilize the charging wire from tow vehicle when traveling.
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Old 02-06-2017, 01:09 PM   #16
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:in the old days ......told to make sure we stick them on a board ..................., if put on concrete floor the battery would die sooner than expected. I have no idea if today's batteries still have this problem.stude
That was definitely in the old days, back when battery cases were tar covered wood boxes. Modern batteries with thermoplastic cases don't have that problem.

First, the tar covered boxes were not perfectly sealed, so any electrolyte that made a connection to the outside of the case could drain the battery, especially if placed on a concrete floor in the winter. When the floor sweated, as they were wont to do in winter, there was a perfect conductor to drain to ground.

I would recommend however, that you make sure there is no acid leakage from around the caps and down the sides of the case, as happens when a battery is overcharged or charged too hard. A quick bath with baking soda and water will take care of that.
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Old 02-07-2017, 07:27 AM   #17
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At last I read a good explanation of the reason for not storing the battery on concrete floor. Thanks!
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Old 02-07-2017, 09:51 AM   #18
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What would draining to ground do?
Any discharge would have to be from + to - to affect the battery.
Any discharge would be across the acid path across the top.
Wouldn't the steel mounting in a vehicle cause more discharge?
Personally I think that disuse and neglect over the winter does the trick.
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