Factory Converter and Charger-Stay or Go!!!!

[Fairenatic]

Would like some clean power for my electronics, have a charger that is good to my batteries, no matter what they may be, and integrate some solar for topping off the batteries.

Are the factory offerings up to the chore now a days or should one invest a little up front to get these features?

Does the factory solution do well enough?

Particularly interested if there has been any improvements in this area in the last few years?

I do not want to keep buying poor quality batteries. I would like to adds some amp hours but not if the factory equipment is going to toast them in short order.
I ask now because the battery provided, in my experience, is not going to last very long.

[Grumpy]

You should have the power panel with the smart charger/converter and my experience is they work great. Had the 9200 stand alone in our SENECA and left it plugged in 24/7 365 and had to add very little water to the batteries. Still had the original batteries when we traded.

This is what should be in your EAGLE

All-in-One 240V, 50 Amp AC/DC Power Distribution Panel

[Fairenatic]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

You should have the power panel with the smart charger/converter and my experience is they work great. Had the 9200 stand alone in our SENECA and left it plugged in 24/7 365 and had to add very little water to the batteries. Still had the original batteries when we traded.

This is what should be in your EAGLE

All-in-One 240V, 50 Amp AC/DC Power Distribution Panel

Not a bad piece of kit for factory. Wish it had more than a manual override of the charging mode or be able to pre-select what type of battery you are using. Also makes no allowances for solar panel charge control.

I also assume there is no inverter to get 110VAC while off the grid from your batteries.

Guess I still have more homework to do and some improvements to make. I also assume that power from the tow vehicle goes through this box and then to the batteries.

Would like to see more options from the factory. Help save the end user some coin. Better batteries and charging systems.

[3'senough]

I have been happy with the chargers on both my 2011 and the current 2014. I opted to upgrade my batteries at pick up and the dealer charged me the difference between the stock and upgraded 2 x 6V GCart batteries. The battery is dealer provided so ask.

They had to move one of my trays up to allow for the posts on the 6V. I have only added about 2 cups of water to both in 2 years.

I too have it plugged in 24/7 365.

[Mustang65]

Originally Posted by Fairenatic

I do not want to keep buying poor quality batteries. I would like to adds some amp hours but not if the factory equipment is going to toast them in short order.
I ask now because the battery provided, in my experience, is not going to last very long.

I would think that your dealer installed Interstate a 85Ah battery in your TT. That is the most common inexpensive (but GOOD QUALITY) battery used in TT's. Why, because when properly maintained they will last years. It is not the battery that because it is an inexpensive type, it is the LACK of REGULAR owner/maintenance that kills them. Lead plates and acid are common in all the flooded batteries.. but when you discharge them below 12VDC, if you put a deep discharge on them more than a few times, or you do not insure that the water level NEVER dropped below the tops of the plates, are the causes of a short battery life. Add to that battery terminals/connectors and loose/corroded frame/ground connections, you eventually have cut your battery life to only a year or less. Most people look at their batteries after they have been neglected, still see 12VDC and assume something else is causing the problem, TT's battery charger, an unknown load, but that 85Ah battery now only produces maybe 40 or less Ah.

I still have the original (2) 12VDC Interstate batteries that I used originally on the TT in 2012, still hold a GREAT charge and I use them with my HOME office UPS external battery supply.

The chargers that come with the new trailers (2012 and up) are capable of handling 2 6VDC batteries in series with no problems at all. Just keep a good BATTERY maintenance program going, check water level, check ALL connections for oxidizing (30 amp main fuse by battery, battery terminals, ground connections..)

In 2012 I added SOLAR to our TT and rewired my TT's battery charge controller to its own AC 110VAC breaker. It has been in the OFF position since installing my SOLAR, but before that it worked PERFECTLY with the 2 6volt T145 (260Ah) Trojan batteries.

Don

Tale a look at the "RVing with SOLAR" Social Group in the Comunity (above).

[Fairenatic]

Originally Posted by Mustang65

I would think that your dealer installed Interstate a 85Ah battery in your TT. That is the most common inexpensive (but GOOD QUALITY) battery used in TT's. Why, because when properly maintained they will last years. It is not the battery that because it is an inexpensive type, it is the LACK of REGULAR owner/maintenance that kills them. Lead plates and acid are common in all the flooded batteries.. but when you discharge them below 12VDC, if you put a deep discharge on them more than a few times, or you do not insure that the water level NEVER dropped below the tops of the plates, are the causes of a short battery life. Add to that battery terminals/connectors and loose/corroded frame/ground connections, you eventually have cut your battery life to only a year or less. Most people look at their batteries after they have been neglected, still see 12VDC and assume something else is causing the problem, TT's battery charger, an unknown load, but that 85Ah battery now only produces maybe 40 or less Ah.

I still have the original (2) 12VDC Interstate batteries that I used originally on the TT in 2012, still hold a GREAT charge and I use them with my HOME office UPS external battery supply.

The chargers that come with the new trailers (2012 and up) are capable of handling 2 6VDC batteries in series with no problems at all. Just keep a good BATTERY maintenance program going, check water level, check ALL connections for oxidizing (30 amp main fuse by battery, battery terminals, ground connections..)

In 2012 I added SOLAR to our TT and rewired my TT's battery charge controller to its own AC 110VAC breaker. It has been in the OFF position since installing my SOLAR, but before that it worked PERFECTLY with the 2 6volt T145 (260Ah) Trojan batteries.

Don

Tale a look at the "RVing with SOLAR" Social Group in the Comunity (above).

Although I totally agree with your comments, marginal battery chargers will also shorten the life of batteries. Each type of battery, whether it is lead acid, AGM, or lithium ion, need their own charging modes. And I do not like when these systems are not optimal. Batteries are a service item. The better the charger, the better they last. Factory settings for the charging modes they provide may be just fine but do not cover some batteries and some charging strategies that have been known to extend battery life.

And as you pointed out, if you do not manage how far they drain down before recharging, then you can prematurely wear out your battery. I like a system that allows more flexibility in this area. Different batteries can take different drains before needing to be recharged.

Solar panels, if not on a good controller, can also damage\overcharge the batteries. And if you are not getting clean power, then you also risk damaging your electronics. Some being worth the investment alone in upgrading.

Lastly, most batteries do not respond well to heat. I will be moving my batteries from outside, sitting near the propane tanks to inside. Probably under the bed with a pure sine wave inverter, charge controller, and LI batteries.