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Leland2's avatar
Leland2
Explorer II
Dec 01, 2013

Alpenlite and Xantrex Freedom Inverter/Charger

Can't access my former login/password so have registered again here.

My Alpenlite is 5 years old bought new from the factory. I haven't given much thought to the 6 coach batteries or my 1 solar panel and everything seems to be fine. (Keep water in the batteries and that's it.)

I'm hoping I haven't done damage to the batteries by not ''equalizing'' them but now wondering if it isn't something I shouldn't do now? (The manual calls it Equalizing Charge Mode and recommends doing this once a year.)

The coach has been hooked to shore power about 3 months a year and the inverter has not been used. Coach power is turned off when stored.

Should I get on it now?

Thanks for any advice.
  • n7bsn's avatar
    n7bsn
    Explorer
    Dec 01, 2013
    Not discharging batteries does damage? Not that I am aware of and I do know a few things about lead-acid batteries.

    Over charging causing damage yes, not discharging no. In fact the US Navy tracks discharge cycles for it's submarine batteries as a mark of their life-time
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    Dec 01, 2013
    Leland2 wrote:
    My Alpenlite is 5 years old bought new from the factory. I haven't given much thought to the 6 coach batteries or my 1 solar panel and everything seems to be fine.equalizing... something I shouldn't do now? (The manual calls it Equalizing Charge Mode and recommends doing this once a year.)
    Interesting setup. The coach came with 6 batteries? 1 solar panel is way underkill for that many batteries. From what I read equalizing should be done more frequently, like once a month.

    Now, if you don't boondock much and don't discharge the batteries much, no, you probably don't need to equalize. OTOH, 5 years is getting up there for battery life.
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Dec 01, 2013
    Hi Leland2,

    If the rv is in storage for long periods between trips even a modest solar system (15 watts per 100 amp-hours) may keep the batteries in good shape.

    How many watts is the solar panel? How many amp-hours is the battery bank?
  • Leland2's avatar
    Leland2
    Explorer II
    Dec 01, 2013
    Is ''equalizing'' a battery the same as ''discharging'' it?

    I'm assuming that not discharging coach batteries is a common thing. Right?
  • Veebyes's avatar
    Veebyes
    Explorer II
    Dec 01, 2013
    6X6V batterys? Sounds like the same setup I had on my Alpenlite 34RLR Ltd. The one I lost in a blowover. Had the same inverter/charger too. Don't know much about equalizing, but at 5 years old your wet cell batterys are ending their useful lives.

    Unless you do alot of drycamping having 6X6V batteries is way over what is needed & weigh a ton too. You might consider going to 2 group 31 or 2 4D sized batterys. Better off with fewer connections to go bad &, if you really wan to go top shelf & eliminate battery maintenance for at least 8 years, get AGMs.
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Dec 01, 2013
    Hi Leland2,

    No.

    Equalizing is a deliberate over charge.

    Over time, some cells may not get fully recharged and they become "weak". The best way to check is with a temperature compensated specific gravity tester. The cell with the lowest specific gravity is the one you want to get to fully charged. That, of necessity, will over charge (slightly) all the other cells.

    Leland2 wrote:
    Is ''equalizing'' a battery the same as ''discharging'' it?

    I'm assuming that not discharging coach batteries is a common thing. Right?
  • Leland2's avatar
    Leland2
    Explorer II
    Dec 02, 2013
    Wow. What an education and thanks for those who contributed to it. Some research looked like those in my situation skip the equalizing while about half do the procedure.

    I had decided this a.m. to reduce the 6 batteries to 2 batteries as their life span was coming up -- and then saw Veebyes mention it in a post. Thank you for the great idea -- like minds and all that!

    Guess I'll go AGM's and skip the maintenance. That's always appealed to me.

    (I have 1 - 100w panel -- had planned on more at some point.)
  • KampingKris's avatar
    KampingKris
    Explorer
    Dec 02, 2013
    Just traded in our Alpie with that exact setup. We had 6 batteries and the solar. Worked great actually as a trickle charger... kept the batteries charged when in storage. We did equalize once a year. Not a big deal really, just a setting on the inverter panel. We got 6.5 years out of our battery bank. We replaced them when we noticed they just didn't stay charged as long. Replacing all 6 is pricy.
    We also had our inverter stop working when the temps were in the teens and wouldn't allow AC power into the rig. Fun times. The solution was a rebuilt one. That's an expensive piece of equipment.

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