charging

time2roll wrote:
'in use' is needed to connect the battery and keep it charged.
Don't forget to check the water level every 3 to 6 months.

This is true for many motorhomes, probably the majority, but not for all. Sometimes the converter is wired to the battery side of the disconnect switch rather than the house side. This is actually pretty easy to determine: if you have 12V power (i.e. the lights work) when plugged in with the battery disconnected, the battery is not getting charged by the converter but it is powering the house circuits. If you don't have lights, the battery probably is being charged by the converter, but you can't use the power for other things.

There's no reason to disconnect the battery when in storage if you're plugged in to shore power, so it doesn't particularly matter a great deal which way the RV is wired.

All very good answers,just remember that it does not charge the chassis battery.There are a few types to choose from.

To keep the chassis battery charged I would recommend the BIRD a Bi-Directional Isolator Relay Delay

It charges both batteries when either one is
being charged. When the coach is being driven,both
batteries will be charged from the engine's
alternator. When the coach is plugged into shore
power,both batteries will be charged from the
converter. If neither battery is being charged, the
batteries are fully isolated. The controller also
senses heavy loads on either battery to prevent
the wrong battery from being inadvertently
discharged.

While sitting even while plugged in, if some type of charger is not hooked up to the Chassis battery it will go dead from the parasitic loads.

I keep mine plugged in all the time at home and with the BIRD both Chassis and House batteries stay charged.

We always leave our rig plugged in as well when home, we have a smart converter that keeps our battery bank fully charged without fear of boiling our batteries dry. I still check fluids occasionally as part of routine maintenance.

'in use' is needed to connect the battery and keep it charged.
Don't forget to check the water level every 3 to 6 months.

If you turn off the salesman switch then the battery will not charge.