Charging my Jayco pop up battery?

[trevorj]

Hi all. I recently purchased a 2008 Jayco 1007 pop up. Its in great condition and my family loves it! Question about charging the battery. Please correct me if I am wrong but I am under the impression when plugging the trailer in to my house, this will charge the battery? Is this correct?

What is the best method to charge a battery? I have a battery tender jr that I am using as well but was curious if charging via my house is better than using the battery tender?

I have also heard its best to hook the power to your house the night before going camping so you can turn on the fridge and get it really cold, then unplug right before you leave. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

[marbles]

Check the voltage at the battery with it plugged into the house and with it disconnected. It should change significantly. This is better than wondering if there is a charger and if it works.

[rabalin]

Your idea of plugging in the night before for the fridge is correct. And adding only cold products makes a world of difference when your ready to hit the road. We take a small cooler for our beverages, as we usually pick them up close to the CG, use the fridge for everything else.

[bankr63]

We had the same trailer.


Yes the battery charges when on house power (unless there is a problem with the converter).


I generally kept mine plugged in during the summer because it was parked near an outlet anyway. I removed the battery in the winter and brought it inside where I used a battery tender to maintain charge.


Yes, the fridge should work, but mine never did. Would be interested to hear if yours will work.


For some reason, my fridge was wired through the cutoff switch (located at the rear curbside edge of the camper top). When the top is down, this switch cuts the mains power to most of the trailer devices to prevent operation/overheating. BUT everyone kept telling me that the trailer fridge shouldn't have been wired this way. Possibly could have had it fixed, but could never be bothered.


If yours is wired like mine so that the fridge won't run on electric, you could run the fridge on propane. Personally, I wouldn't like leaving it unattended like that all night while closed up. You could also pop the top about a half inch to disengage the cutoff switch.

[trevorj]

Thanks everyone. Which would charge my battery faster, my battery tender Jr., or hooking up to my house?

[rabalin]

house, as good as battery tenders are, they were meant to maintain a charged battery not charge it. The charging unit in a pop-up probably puts out more amps for a faster charge.