Battery Hook-up Question

Why would you want to disconnect the batteries when on shore power? Some of the on board chargers(converter) will carry the 12V systems; however, for most it is better that they see a battery. A separate charger would need both its + and - connected to the battery bank.

I have read a lot on how the onboard charger from the factory is not a 3 way charger and how it won't charge properly. I can't afford to upgrade the inverter this year so I was just going to use my 10amp battery tender to charge it when we are camping.

Yes, the 12v items will still be powered by the onboard converter while on shore power, in most cases. Some RV's will need the batteries in the circuit to power the 12v system correctly, they buffer the output of the converter's power supply.

Your stand-alone charger will work with batteries disconnected by the switch if you have the charger's leads connected to the (+) and (-) terminals of the batteries. Hooking the leads into any other wires while the ground is interrupted, will not complete the circuit so no charging will take place.

12 volt side of life

Hi,

Some older converters required a battery to be "in the loop" to even out the voltage.

Unless the rv is going to be plugged in for several weeks I'd let the converter do it's job.

Running your RVs 12 volt electrical system with the battery disconnected IS NOT a good idea. Items like slide out motors can draw more than the circuit is able to provide.

Ian, maybe if you start over and tell us what converter you have we can give better answers. Your profile doesn't even give year of your trailer.

I am not sure of the exact converter. I have a 2011 Keystone Passport Ultralight.

ianmac23 wrote:
I am not sure of the exact converter. I have a 2011 Keystone Passport Ultralight.

Then you will be fine running without a battery except possibly when it comes to running the slide in and out - keep the battery connected for that.

ianmac23 wrote:
I am not sure of the exact converter. I have a 2011 Keystone Passport Ultralight.

All 2006 and newer can operate without a battery.

Still need to know the converter.

Fact is you can have the batteries charging from the converter and portable charger at the same time.

You are making assumptions based on what you read which may or may not be relevant to your system. Don't believe everything you read and don't make life harder than it needs to be. Your system was designed to operate the way the factory built it. Improvements can be made but until you really understand how the systems operate just leave them alone.

Spend many hours and hours on here educating yourself. Once you thoroughly understand how everything works, then you start making modifications. Before that, do yourself a favor and leave it alone.

There are basically 3 types of converters for this discussion.

The Magnetek 6300 Series is the one that is well known for boiling batteries dry, It also will not work without either a battery or a "Battery Simulator" which of course is no longer sold.... Under that name.

You can get a hardening condenser or hardening capacitor (Same thing) at a high end audio shop. these are typically multi-farad capicators with around a 20 volt rating,, They are... The same as the Magnetek simulator.

Most modern singnle stage converters do not necessarly bring the battery to full, but they also do not boil it dry.

A Progressive Industries, Intellapower 9200.. now that is one heck of a converter. From the research I have done, if you have flooded wet cells. it is #1,, A few others fall into the same quality band but none better.