Battery Tender

Bob46 wrote:
Thanks to everyone. I ordered the 5amp. Waterproof Battery Tender from amazon for the house batteries because I might have it outside under the motorhome so I don't have wires running up through the steps into the coach with an opening for mice to get into the coach. Still looking at the Trik-L-Start and trying to figure out if I can connect that too. I want to take a closer look at the installation. If not, I'll probably order another Battery Tender and figure out how to keep the mice out. Thanks so much!

when I used the minn kota 30 amp connectors the two of them would be compressed under the step and I could plug the charger in that was sitting on the floor. no mice/issues for 14 years.
bumpy

Bob46 wrote:
I have two coach batteries that are connected side by side and the engine battery is next to them.

This makes connecting TLS easy. A wire to the house +, one to the chassis +, and a ground.

Instructions are included or post a pic.

Hi JD,

The wiring diagram is not balanced. It does make a difference.

Thanks to everyone. I ordered the 5amp. Waterproof Battery Tender from amazon for the house batteries because I might have it outside under the motorhome so I don't have wires running up through the steps into the coach with an opening for mice to get into the coach. Still looking at the Trik-L-Start and trying to figure out if I can connect that too. I want to take a closer look at the installation. If not, I'll probably order another Battery Tender and figure out how to keep the mice out. Thanks so much!

Bobbo wrote:
...one on the pair of house batteries, positive to one battery and negative to the other battery.

that's precisely the way I do it with our house batteries when I pull them from the MH in the fall.

my Chieftain had a similar arrangement. I used a marine battery charger/maintainer (dual) which I hooked up to the two house batteries and also to the starting battery. used the 30 amp minnkota battery connectors to hook up the charger.

bumpy

Battery Minder has this device that allows two 12 volt batteries to be charged by one Battery Minder. I have one on order and with this I will be able to charge my two 6 volt house batteries and 12 volt engine battery with one Battery Minder. My Battery Minder is rated to charge three batteries at one time.

Currently I use two Battery Minders, one for house batteries, and one for my engine battery.

Battery Minders have a mode to remove battery sulfation. Sulfation, a build-up of lead sulfate crystals, is the number one cause of early failures of lead-acid, sealed AGM or flooded (wet cell-filler caps) batteries. Before I started using Battery Minders I had to change my boat and RV batteries very often.

Or you can follow these instructions on connecting to more than one battery.


Battery Minders cautions to use a charger that is designed to charge more than one battery at a time.

Safe travels.

JD

Hi,

I'd use an amp-l-start (the big brother to the trik-l-start.

Bob46 wrote:
Bobbo,
Do you think the Battery Tender Plus is strong enough to keep both coach batteries charged since they are connected?

I do think a single trickle charger will be enough to keep the pair of house batteries charged, assuming they are fully charged when you put it in storage. Remember, all you are doing is covering the parasitic draws and natural battery power loss.

However, I would prefer something with at least 5 amps rather than 1.5 amps. Personally, I put a Trik-L-Start on my Winnebago's chassis battery. My house batteries are taken care of by the Progressive Dynamics PD4655V converter I installed. Another poster had a point about Winnebago putting Trik-L-Start units on their Class A motor homes. I don't know if they did as far back as 2002 though, and even if they did, I bet it was to the chassis battery.

This service tip http://www.winnebagoind.com/resources/service/pdfs/2006-04%20Trik-L-Start.pdf from Winnebago makes it sound like your 2002 doesn't have a Trik-L-Start installed, but only tells how to install it on the chassis battery. To install it on the house batteries, put the LOAD (blue) wire on the opposite side of the battery disconnect relay from the LINE (yellow) wire.

Might be time to review the onboard charging system.
Or somehow you are losing power. So even with Battery Tender it would be good to check voltage every couple weeks