Hello All,At the end of June, my wife, and I are traveling to Yellowstone for 8 days, and 7 nights. I have two 6 volt golf cart batteries on the trailer that I installed last year. They have been on a maintenance charger all winter, and are showing 12.6ish volts. Upgrading to a smart converter/charger is on my short list of upgrades this year, but it is not going to happen before this trip. The campsite we reserved has a shore power connection. So I am thinking that leaving the trailer plugged into the shore power, and letting the power run through the old school converter/charger for the entire trip is a bad idea. I'm inclined to disconnect the batteries while we are there to prevent overcharging and/or possible damage.Thoughts?Thanks,Jeff

Converter will not overcharge healthy batteries. Leave it plugged in and connected.Check the water level before and after the trip. Enjoy your time in Yellowstone.

Old school single stage chargers(converters) usually put out 13.5 to 13.8 volts which is fine as long as you're not in real hot weather and even then, a few weeks will just use a little more water than normal.Sam

a 2007 is not old school battery boileryou will be find, leave batteries connected

Me three. Even in the summer night time there gets colder than a twitches nit. Top off your LPG tanks too. Your heater will get a workout. An electric job will help. Tune up your gas water heater.Your converter will be fine.Grocery-up in Casper, WY or some other distant town and save 40% on the cost.I was raised 70 miles northwest of where you will be. Grand Teton NP is worth an afternoon just to stare at the grandeur of the Three Sisters Peaks.Reading about Yellowstone is really enlightening.

jwstrout wrote:Hello All,At the end of June, my wife, and I are traveling to Yellowstone for 8 days, and 7 nights. I have two 6 volt golf cart batteries on the trailer that I installed last year. They have been on a maintenance charger all winter, and are showing 12.6ish volts. Upgrading to a smart converter/charger is on my short list of upgrades this year, but it is not going to happen before this trip. The campsite we reserved has a shore power connection. So I am thinking that leaving the trailer plugged into the shore power, and letting the power run through the old school converter/charger for the entire trip is a bad idea. I'm inclined to disconnect the batteries while we are there to prevent overcharging and/or possible damage.Thoughts?Thanks,Jeffit would help if you posted year/make/model of RV you have, since older single stage converters aren't very good.

Batteries on shore power.....what to do? | Good Sam Community

SoundGuy
Explorer
May 24, 2018
jwstrout wrote:
Batteries are US Battery brand, and the model number on both is US 2000 XC2. They are properly topped off with distilled water, and now disconnected from the charger. They are reading at 13.2 volts, using my nicer multi meter.

That's surface charge and means nothing, fully charged flooded batteries should read ~ 12.7 volts after resting a day.
jwstrout
Explorer
May 24, 2018
They have been disconnected for about 3 hours. I will let them sit through the day, and report back this evening after they have sat for the day.

Thanks,

Jeff
wa8yxm
Explorer III
May 24, 2018
What "Old schoool" Converter charger do you have.
ONE: (Magnetek) was noted for boiling batteries dry fairly swiftly But this unit insists on either a battery or a "Battery Simulator" being installed. The latter is now-a-days known as a "Hardening Cap" or "Hardening Condenser" from high end auto audio stores.

New converters like the Parallex 7300 (Which is the current replaement for the old one I just mentioned) do not (usually) damage the batteries like the old one did.

Of course if you have something like a Progressive Dynamics 9200 (stand alone) or 4600 (Replacement for the ELECTRONICS portion of a combined Converter/power panel) .. Well better it does not get.
jwstrout
Explorer
May 24, 2018
I am not sure which converter/charger is installed. It is the one that came with the panel. In doing research for a replacement, the Elixir panel gets horrible reviews. So I assume the converter/charger is not all that great.

Jeff
troubledwaters
Explorer III
May 24, 2018
JimK-NY wrote:
Something is not right. If your batteries are on a maintenance charger the voltage should read well over 12.6.
enblethen wrote:
Disconnect charger and load. Wait three to four hours. Use Voltmeter to check voltage.
report back!
What difference does it make, he's not even going to be using the batteries. If he was going to be relying on the batteries for power it would be important. In this case, doesn't make a difference.
Bobbo
Explorer II
May 24, 2018
MrWizard wrote:
a 2007 is not old school battery boiler

you will be find, leave batteries connected

My 2007 Winnebago had an old school battery boiler in it when new. It took me about 3 years to figure out that I needed to replace it.

To the OP, you will be perfectly fine for this trip. When you get back, put a good converter/charger on there.

The problem with the old school battery burners was long term use and lack of maintenance of the batteries. One trip does not constitute long term use.
time2roll
Nomad
May 24, 2018
I believe Elixir will charge and float at 13.6 volts and is perfectly fine in moderately warm temperatures. If you were full time in Phoenix maybe take some precaution in the Summer.
red31
Explorer
May 24, 2018
jwstrout wrote:
They are reading at 13.2 volts, using my nicer multi meter

good that means something, they do hold a surface charge.
jwstrout
Explorer
May 25, 2018
So, after sitting all day with the charger disconnected, they are reading at 12.91. I assume that's good?

I won't worry about the converter/charger for this trip, but will get an upgrade this season.

Thanks for the replies, and the assistance,

Jeff
enblethen
Nomad
May 25, 2018
Voltage sounds good!
Have a good trip!