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Old 07-21-2015, 04:34 PM   #1
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Battery charger

Can you hook up a battery charger to you battery while the camper is plugged into a generator? The trailer does not charge the battery quick enough during the day. I am running down the battery at night using the furnace while not on the generator.

i have a small minn kota charger that I would like to use in conjunction with the trailer charging system.
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Old 07-21-2015, 04:47 PM   #2
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I'm not positive, but my background in charging systems says no. You could damage the battery, the charger, or your trailer's charger - or two of the three. I suspect that charging the battery too fast could cause it to overheat, damaging cells, which would cause it to discharge even faster as a result.

But I'm not a charging system expert.
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Old 07-21-2015, 04:49 PM   #3
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As I suspected, the answer is NO. And even worse.

"Charge at a rate that is too large for the battery to accept and all you will do is cause permanent damage to the battery. You boil the acid out of the battery and damage the lead plates. Patience is better."

"The speed of charging depends on the capacity of the charger used. Battery chargers have built in regulators to prevent damage if they're confronted with very flat batteries. If you double-up chargers they will damage each other and this will not help the battery at all."

https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/questio...1092430AAeF2pA
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Old 07-21-2015, 04:56 PM   #4
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As I suspected, the answer is NO. And even worse.

"Charge at a rate that is too large for the battery to accept and all you will do is cause permanent damage to the battery. You boil the acid out of the battery and damage the lead plates. Patience is better."

"The speed of charging depends on the capacity of the charger used. Battery chargers have built in regulators to prevent damage if they're confronted with very flat batteries. If you double-up chargers they will damage each other and this will not help the battery at all."

https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/questio...1092430AAeF2pA
thanks mike, I thought it might be too much. Thanks for the reply.
Does the battery need to be hooked up to run the trailer electrical system on the genny/shore power? If not I can unhook it and use the external charger as it seems to charge faster.

WE are having an unseasonably cold summer and the furnace is nice as it sometimes gets down to 5 -8 degrees Celsius at night
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Old 07-21-2015, 05:11 PM   #5
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thanks mike, I thought it might be too much. Thanks for the reply.
Does the battery need to be hooked up to run the trailer electrical system on the genny/shore power? If not I can unhook it and use the external charger as it seems to charge faster.

WE are having an unseasonably cold summer and the furnace is nice as it sometimes gets down to 5 -8 degrees Celsius at night
Technically, no. You must have 12V DC power to run your furnace, HW heater, and fridge, at a minimum. If you have shore power, you will be running from the 12V inverter AND charging your battery at the same time. If your generator can't charge as fast as the battery is being drained, then I'd say turn down the furnace and pull up the blankets. LOL!
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Old 07-21-2015, 05:19 PM   #6
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Technically, no. You must have 12V DC power to run your furnace, HW heater, and fridge, at a minimum. If you have shore power, you will be running from the 12V inverter AND charging your battery at the same time. If your generator can't charge as fast as the battery is being drained, then I'd say turn down the furnace and pull up the blankets. LOL!
Sorry if i wasn't clear with my earlier question.

Does the battery need to be connected or "in the circuit" in order to use the generator to power the TT electrical system ? If not i can use my external charger to top up the disconnected battery during the day while the genny powers the trailer.
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Old 07-21-2015, 05:25 PM   #7
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I've used a stand alone charger on my batteries when boondocking with a generator. I just removed the fuse at the battery and connected to charger to the battery terminals. That way you don't have two different charging systems fighting it out over the battery.

As far as if it would damage anything with both the charger and the converter connected, I don't think it would. The charger with the higher output would cause the other to go into float mode, because it would detect voltage that it "thinks" means the battery is fully charged.\

But I could be wrong...
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Old 07-23-2015, 06:04 PM   #8
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I've used a stand alone charger on my batteries when boondocking with a generator. I just removed the fuse at the battery and connected to charger to the battery terminals. That way you don't have two different charging systems fighting it out over the battery.

As far as if it would damage anything with both the charger and the converter connected, I don't think it would. The charger with the higher output would cause the other to go into float mode, because it would detect voltage that it "thinks" means the battery is fully charged.\

But I could be wrong...
both charging systems (converter and ext charger) could see a higher output and both could go into float mode.

I pull the fuse when I charge the batteries w/ an external charger.

Most of your trailer circuits (lights/frig/water pump) should run fine with the battery disconnected and your generator powering the trailer. Then plug in an external battery charger and charge your batteries.

Tim
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Old 07-24-2015, 04:05 AM   #9
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Thanks for all of the advice. I'll try this weekend
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Old 07-24-2015, 05:50 AM   #10
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I treat my battery and charger relationships the same as my love life, now.


One-at-a-time, exclusive.


Avoids many complications. (Ask me about the divorce.)
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Old 07-24-2015, 06:52 AM   #11
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I treat my battery and charger relationships the same as my love life, now.


One-at-a-time, exclusive.


Avoids many complications. (Ask me about the divorce.)
Wise man! On both counts.

Note that most answers here saying you can safely use two charges in parallel to charge you battery (house charger and external charger simultaneously) add the disclaimer, "I think," or "IMO." I suppose if you disconnect the battery from the house charger and use the external only, you will be safe, but that's not what you asked. Without knowing exactly how either of these chargers are configured and what features they have, you can't know for sure. But you can learn by experience - which could be costly and/or dangerous.

My advice is use the generator to power your trailer while you use the external charger to charge the battery. That is safe, 100% guaranteed. No guessing.
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Old 07-24-2015, 10:40 AM   #12
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you need more info, batteries have a maximum charge rate depending on the size, and you need to know what the max charge rate of your converter is, if the converter is lower than the max rate of your battery, then yes you could benefit from a bigger charger, otherwise you might just be damaging the battery. are you sure the battery is not fully charged during the day, and just runs out of power during the night because it's on it's last leg and capacity is low? how old is the battery?
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Old 07-24-2015, 10:47 AM   #13
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Thanks, Battery is new, external charger brings it up much quicker than the TT. While charging on TT 13.3 V. While charging on External Charger 13.9 V.
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Old 07-24-2015, 11:05 AM   #14
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Thanks, Battery is new, external charger brings it up much quicker than the TT. While charging on TT 13.3 V. While charging on External Charger 13.9 V.
13.3v seems low,

my WFCO controler has these voltages
13.2V DC “float” mode,
13.6V DC range “absorption” mode,
14.4V DC range “bulk” charge
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Old 07-24-2015, 11:16 AM   #15
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Thanks, Battery is new, external charger brings it up much quicker than the TT. While charging on TT 13.3 V. While charging on External Charger 13.9 V.
13.3V seems kind of low. I'd be thinking more around 14-14.2V. You may have a dead cell in the battery. Also - for a deep cycle or marine battery, the quicker you charge it, the faster it will discharge. That's why a slow, trickle charge is better - the charge lasts longer.
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Old 07-24-2015, 11:23 AM   #16
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Thanks, The values I posted were "while charging" The built-in TT charger does not work as well as the external "cheapy" Minn kota external charger.


Could I have a "ground or other" issue in the camper affecting the TT charger performance? As I'm still a newbie to this TT camping I am wondering about the converter/charger/wiring/ fuse/ breakers etc...


I guess it will come with experience.....
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Old 07-24-2015, 11:32 AM   #17
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It is my experience that the inverter produces as much 12V power as the systems are demanding, while simultaneously, the built in charger maintains/charges your battery. To prove that, plug your trailer into shore power. You should hear the inverter/charger making a slight hum. as you turn on more and more lights and other 12V circuits, the inverter steps up and makes more noise. If it doesn't, that could be your problem.
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Old 07-24-2015, 11:57 AM   #18
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Thanks, Great Suggestion. I'll try that.
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