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02-06-2015, 05:25 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 293
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Battery charging question
Please pardon my ignorance on this... When plugged in to shore power or a generator, does that charge the battery or does the battery need to be charged with a battery charger?
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02-06-2015, 05:28 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Surprise
Posts: 2,623
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Typically when your unit is connected to 120v power, your batteries are charging.
__________________
2011 Toyota Tundra double cab
2015 27RLS
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02-06-2015, 05:31 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wags999
Typically when your unit is connected to 120v power, your batteries are charging.
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Thanks, that's what I thought. So when boondocking about how long typically should a generator be run to bring the batteries up?
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02-06-2015, 06:02 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: FL
Posts: 11,281
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jerdog
Thanks, that's what I thought. So when boondocking about how long typically should a generator be run to bring the batteries up?
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That depends on a number of factors. Foremost would be, how low were/are your batteries in the morning?
There are several folks on this site that pretty much have batteries/boondocking/generators/solar down to a science. If you search, you'll probably find many topics with helpful information. From what I recall reading here, a generator would have to run a couple of hours in the morning and a couple in the afternoon to charge the batteries enough for another evening.
__________________
Sherm & Terry w/rescue Eydie (min Schnauzer) & Charley (std Poodle)
SOLD:2015 Jay Flight 27RLS, GY Endurance (E), Days: 102 '15, 90 '16, 80 '17, 161 '18, 365+ '20
SOLD: 2006 Ford F350 PSD, 4WD, CC, LB, SRW, Camper pkg., 375,000mi
Full timing: Some will think you're crazy, some will be envious, just enjoy the freedom!
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02-06-2015, 06:11 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldmanAZ
That depends on a number of factors. Foremost would be, how low were/are your batteries in the morning?
There are several folks on this site that pretty much have batteries/boondocking/generators/solar down to a science. If you search, you'll probably find many topics with helpful information. From what I recall reading here, a generator would have to run a couple of hours in the morning and a couple in the afternoon to charge the batteries enough for another evening.
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Thanks for the advice. Most likely the only thing we'd use at night are just a few lights for short periods, since we are former tent campers and use electricity very sparingly. I know there is a LOT of info out there, so much that it's a little confusing.
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02-06-2015, 06:54 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Surprise
Posts: 2,623
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jerdog
Thanks, that's what I thought. So when boondocking about how long typically should a generator be run to bring the batteries up?
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You would charge faster with a batter charger plugged into your generator, rather than use the trickle charger in your rig. I would guess maybe a few hours, depending on how low the batteries are..
__________________
2011 Toyota Tundra double cab
2015 27RLS
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02-07-2015, 08:07 AM
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#7
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Clearwater, FL area
Posts: 5,196
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What year and model is your TT?
Don
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02-07-2015, 12:41 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mustang65
What year and model is your TT?
Don
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It's a 2001 Kiwi 17A.
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02-07-2015, 02:35 PM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Clearwater, FL area
Posts: 5,196
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jerdog
It's a 2001 Kiwi 17A.
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I just looked up the little documentation that I could find regarding the type of battery charging capabilities your TT has and it just gives a generalization:
Heat, Power and Water
- Twin 20 lb. LP-gas tanks with auto regulator mounted on frame
- Pre-wired for air conditioning
- 30-amp high efficiency electronic converter
- 28 ft. 30-amp power cord
- Auto-ignition furnace with thermostat
- Pre-wired for air conditioning
- Shurflo demand water pump
- 6-gallon gas water heater
- Monitor panel
- TV antenna w/cable hook-up
My suggestion with only this much information on your TT's battery charging capabilities is to compare the output of your generator's 12 VDC charging capacity to the above TT's unit's output.
Odds are that the TT's unit will give you a higher amp output than the generator's 12VDC output.
Personally, I would plug the TT's shore power plug into the generator and let the TT's electronics charge the batteries. The TT's system will give you a smooth voltage opposed to most generators that their 12VDC output fluctuates with the rpm of the generators motor.
See if you can find the specs to your TT's battery charge controller. I know that it is not going to be as good as the current models, but it will be better than a straight generator connection to the battery.
Just my thoughts,
Don
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02-07-2015, 04:26 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mustang65
I just looked up the little documentation that I could find regarding the type of battery charging capabilities your TT has and it just gives a generalization:
Heat, Power and Water
- Twin 20 lb. LP-gas tanks with auto regulator mounted on frame
- Pre-wired for air conditioning
- 30-amp high efficiency electronic converter
- 28 ft. 30-amp power cord
- Auto-ignition furnace with thermostat
- Pre-wired for air conditioning
- Shurflo demand water pump
- 6-gallon gas water heater
- Monitor panel
- TV antenna w/cable hook-up
My suggestion with only this much information on your TT's battery charging capabilities is to compare the output of your generator's 12 VDC charging capacity to the above TT's unit's output.
Odds are that the TT's unit will give you a higher amp output than the generator's 12VDC output.
Personally, I would plug the TT's shore power plug into the generator and let the TT's electronics charge the batteries. The TT's system will give you a smooth voltage opposed to most generators that their 12VDC output fluctuates with the rpm of the generators motor.
See if you can find the specs to your TT's battery charge controller. I know that it is not going to be as good as the current models, but it will be better than a straight generator connection to the battery.
Just my thoughts,
Don
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Thanks for the info. We had to have a new converter/inverter installed after we bought the trailer since it had been sitting unused for over 7 years.
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02-07-2015, 07:00 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: NW AR (God's Country)
Posts: 2,051
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LED lights will also help reduce your energy consumption. You can get them pretty cheap on EBay and other places. BTW, there are no ignorant questions here. I can attest to that
__________________
Skip
2012 Eagle Super Lite HT 26.5RKS
2005 GMC 2500 SLT HD D/A
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02-07-2015, 10:22 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by troutslayer
LED lights will also help reduce your energy consumption. You can get them pretty cheap on EBay and other places. BTW, there are no ignorant questions here. I can attest to that
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Oh yeah, forgot to mention, got LED lights to replace all the interior lights. Fortunately, this little trailer only needed 8. Got them from M4 Products whom I heard about on this forum.
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