Battery Charger Honda 2000

1973nader · 08-11-2015, 10:25 PM

Just bought a honda 2000 today for my 26BHS which has the upgraded pair of 6 volt deep cell batteries and I was told it would be a waist of time and gas to try and charge the batteries by plugging my TT to the honda gen. Someone said to buy a battery charger to plug into the gen but I don't know what size charger I should get and I need to know if I clip onto one battery will it charge them both or do I need to clamp onto each one and charge separate. Thanks.

Imnaha.Mansion · 08-11-2015, 11:16 PM

I used to charge my batteries by plugging my TT directly into my Generator, charged them no problem. I would also shower with the Gen running since the pump seemed to have more pressure.

sebring96hbg · 08-12-2015, 05:05 AM

The Honda eu2000i is more than adequate to charge your battery bank. What is the model year of your 26BHS? If relatively new, it should have a smart converter to charge the batteries. The AC output of the Honda connected to the shore power cord will do the job. Ignore the 12V output of the Honda for this purpose.

Steps:

1. Start generator per manual
2. Turn off any load in 26BHS
3. Turn off main circuit breaker in 26BHS
4. Connect shore power cord to Honda using 30 to 15 amp adapter
5. Turn on main circuit breaker in 26BHS
6. After a couple of hours, the batteries should be mostly charged. Measure.
7. To finish, repeat steps 2 and 3, then turn off Honda per manual, then disconnect the shore power cord

As an aside, I follow steps 2 through 5 when the site has electric hookups and, of course, no adapter is needed when connecting to the 30 amp outlet on the pedestal.

tnchuck100 · 08-12-2015, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1973nader

Just bought a honda 2000 today for my 26BHS which has the upgraded pair of 6 volt deep cell batteries and I was told it would be a waist of time and gas to try and charge the batteries by plugging my TT to the honda gen. Someone said to buy a battery charger to plug into the gen but I don't know what size charger I should get and I need to know if I clip onto one battery will it charge them both or do I need to clamp onto each one and charge separate. Thanks.

False.

If your camper is less than 7 years old your converter is likely an excellent battery charger. Far better than the typical battery charger that is not a 3-stage.

RoyBraddy · 08-12-2015, 06:04 AM

Your comments are confusing... If you are referring to the DC 12V 8A connection on the front panel of the generator then the answer is this is not for charging your batteries as the DC OUTPUT is an unregulated DC SOURCE and is only around 12VDC. To charge deep cycle batteries you will need SMART MODE CHARGING 14.4VDC with the capacity of around 20AMPS DC CURRENT for each battery being charged in your battery bank if you want the batteries to be re-charged in a three hour generator run time. It would literally take several days of charging trying to use only 12VDC to re-charge your batteries.

I use my EU2000i to charge my battery banks every day when camping off the power grid by connecting the trailer 30A SHORE POWER connection directly to the 120VAC generator receptacle using a RV30A-15 long adapter (WALMART).

This allows the trailer SMART MODE ON-BOARD Converter/charger unit to charge my deep cycle batteries in around a three hour generator run time... Of course you will have to watch what else is turned on in your trailer as the generator is too small to run any high wattage appliances such as the Air Conditioner, high wattage microwave, etc...

If you like just plugging a smart mode portable battery charger directly into the generator 120VAC receptacle will work the same way for getting the battery charged up. Again the portable battery charger must have a capacity of 20 AMPS DC CURRENT for each battery in the battery bank if you to get them re-charged in a three hour time frame. I would recommend the BLACK N DECKER VEC1093DBD 40AMP SMART MODE portable charger. That is what I carry for a backup charger on my trips...

Everywhere we camp at most public camp ground areas here on the EAST SIDE of the US all seem to have generator run time restrictions in place so it makes us always want to re-charge our battery bank from the 50% charge state to the 90% charge as fast as we can. The minimum time is three hours of generator run time.

If we DO NOT get our batteries back up to the 90% charge state each day then the batteries will not keep us going the next day/night run and things will get dark on us usually around 10PM at night. Then we have to wait until 8AM to run our generator again due to the generator run time restrictions in place .

Our 2KW Generator sets secured in the closed area of our covered and locked hard folding bed cover panels and we pull the generator out onto the tail gate when being used. Our 2KW generator goes where we go to prevent thief...

This is the way we use our 2KW Honda EU2000i generator when camping off the power grid. The 8AM generator run is also when we brew up our good fresh ground coffee beans for the day kept in our thermos container.

Roy Ken

**Mustang65** · 08-12-2015, 06:42 AM

Depending on which TT you have, most of the Jayco TT's charge controllers MAX output is around 45 amps. They also vary the output voltage between 14+ VDC to a float of 13.2VDC. Deep cycle batteries (less plates but thicker) do not like to be charged like automotive batteries which are designed for a fast charge/discharge (many thin plates). The life expectancy of a deep cycle battery being charged as a automotive battery will be affected.

Each of the 3 charging modes of the TT's charge controller are designed for the deep cycle batteries. The bulk charge cycle is timed so as not to damage the batteries. Generators (12VDC output) are designed for constant output (for quick charging and running 12VDC appliances). I have not seen the wiring diagrams for the new Honda generators, but the ones that I have found only show a fused 12VDC output (no smarts to it).

From a batteries perspective, I would go with plugging the generators AC into the TT's shore power, and use the TT's charge controller.

You also need to research the output (DC and AC Amps) and the MAX DC voltage of the generators 12VDC circuit vs the TT’s charge controller output. From what I have seen the TT’s output is usually greater.

One thing to understand, the battery determines how many Amps it needs (not the charger), unlike voltage which the chargers determine its output voltage.

Don

1973nader · 08-12-2015, 07:19 AM

Wow lots of information! Much more complicated then I thought. The trailer is a 2016 26BHS with 2 6 volt batteries. Thanks everyone for your input more confused now then before lol.

**norty1** · 08-12-2015, 07:37 AM

It's like drinking from a fire hose when you first get into learning about RV systems. Don't get over whelmed, It's not rocket science.

Your 2kw Honda will run the camper converter which will charge your batteries without any external charger. Just don't turn on the ac!

1973nader · 08-12-2015, 07:42 AM

Ha ha thanks norty that's the answer I was looking for :-)

sebring96hbg · 08-12-2015, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1973nader

Ha ha thanks norty that's the answer I was looking for :-)

I will refer you back to my post above. I do not know how familiar you are with hooking up an RV's shore power cord to a power source; so, out of an abundance of caution, I provided the seven steps above to avoid electrical arcing or other issues when connecting to power.

1973nader · 08-12-2015, 09:01 AM

Thanks Sebring I will follow your instructions to a T, Much appreciated. A few questions, when you say measure then batteries I assume I have to buy a gauge for that or does the TT come with something? Also when you say turn off the main breaker is that the one under the stove where all the fuses are? Sorry for all the questions but none of this was explained to me when I picked it up. Thanks

1973nader · 08-12-2015, 09:45 AM

Just spoke to the dealer I bought the TT from and he says YOU DO NOT want to ever charge deep cell batteries with anything over a 5 amp charger, he says you can ONLY trickle charge deep cells and it takes a good 12 hours to charge them from empty. What the heck? Everyone I ask says something completely different. :-(

**Mustang65** · 08-12-2015, 09:52 AM

2 thing dealers know nothing about:

SOLAR
BATTERIES/Charging systems

Actually a lot more but lets not get into that

Don

1973nader · 08-12-2015, 09:58 AM

Ha ha thanks Don.

sebring96hbg · 08-12-2015, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1973nader

Thanks Sebring I will follow your instructions to a T, Much appreciated. A few questions, when you say measure then batteries I assume I have to buy a gauge for that or does the TT come with something? Also when you say turn off the main breaker is that the one under the stove where all the fuses are? Sorry for all the questions but none of this was explained to me when I picked it up. Thanks

By measuring, I mean connecting the item in the link below to an adapter wired in at the battery to see if the battery is at least 90% charged.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...sf_s_rp_a1_9_p

The main breaker should be the first breaker and the only 30 amp breaker on your AC/DC power distribution panel, which is home to the fuses and circuit breakers for your 26BHS.

RoyBraddy · 08-12-2015, 11:25 AM

You will need to go to WALMART and pick up one of these RV30A-15A ADAPTERS... They are back in the RV/CAMPING SECTION

Looks like this...

This adapter will allow you to plug the TRAILER 30AMP SHORE POWER CABLE into the 120VAC RCEPETACLE of the 2KW Generator...

Sorry for the long report above - Thought you might want to know the "REASONS WHY" we do things the way we do...

Its all very routine once you get the hang of it...

The WALMART ADAPTER will also allow you to plug your 30AM TRIALER SHORE POWER CABLE into a 15A/20A Standard receptacle in your garage. Here you would use a long extension preferred to be a 10-gauge (10-3) cord but a 12-gauge will work as well with some limitations...

We do this when we park our trailer at home to keep the batteries always charged up...

Get to spend some time in the trailer at home as well doing things...

Roy Ken

1973nader · 08-12-2015, 11:45 AM

I definitely appreciate the explanation! Thanks everyone!

Subaru297 · 08-12-2015, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mustang65

2 thing dealers know nothing about:

SOLAR
BATTERIES/Charging systems

Actually a lot more but lets not get into that

Don

+1

When we were getting different trailers shown to us I asked if the trailer had a 3 phase charger and the salesman had the deer in the headlights look.
I then explained to him the different charge phases and he said he would look into it.....

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