Batteries: Two-6V In Series, or Two-12V In Parallel ???

pnichols wrote:
Ron,

Not keeping your batteries - any kind of RV batteries, wet or dry - on a proper maintainance float could be a slow-acting problem. It should be easy for you to keep your rig powered up 24/7, since your PC sits right in your garage.

I keep our Itasca plugged in all the time when it's home. The ~13.6 volt stock converter is almost always connected to the two 12V parallel connected AGM batteries and - just as importantly - a small multi-stage battery maintainer is always on the chassis battery, 24/7. I just use a 120 volt AC extension cord plugged into an outlet on the side of the house to power the motorhome. Thus the converter is maintaining the coach batteries (not in hot weather) 24/7, and the small chassis battery maintainer is also powered from a 120 volt AC outlet in the motorhome. The small battery maintainer feeds the chassis battery 12 volt power via a 12 volt DC outlet right on the Ford cab's dash. We lived in the motorhome in the backyard 5 months last year while the stick house was getting remodeled - with the motorhome powered only by this 50 foot heavy duty extension cord. No 30 amp service receptacle was required - including running of the motorhome's air conditioner.

There should be no need to remove or move any batteries for you to do what I do while your PC is sitting in the garage ... minimize the tasks you have to work at when getting ready for each trip you take. :C

P.S. #1 My almost nine year old AGM coach batteries seem to be still viable for camping trips using the above care actions. I did a load test on them a few months ago and they still supplied about 20 amps for about 5 hours before indicating an at-rest voltage reading of about 12.1 volts. The two batteries make up a 200 amp hour bank, so it looks like they supplied 100 amp hours before showing a one-half full at-rest voltage. I probably will replace them soon, anyway, "just in case" ... as I'm not sure I accept/believe the results of this load test on batteries approaching 9 years old.

P.S #2 My motorhome's Ford chassis battery (a heavy duty one intended for diesel truck engines), is probaby 6-7 years old and still turns the V10 over in a flash. Of course this turning over of the engine in a flash using the old chassis battery is usually in California weather - not real weather - so that "test" may not mean the chassis battery is in anywhere near decent condition.