Forum Discussion

gerryskid34's avatar
gerryskid34
Explorer
Nov 20, 2021

bypassing the battery

Hello, please excuse my ignorance, but can I remove my battery and hook up the pos and neg connecting terminal wires directly to still have access to a/c power in my outlets?
I realize the battery is needed for some functions like lights and what not, but I am interested in keeping the a/c power to wall outlets to run electronic mouse/bug repellants thru the winter.
Is there any danger in doing this and what so? Can what I am asking just be accomplished by turning off the breaker for the invertor and if so, would it be listed in my fuse area? Thank you for your help.
Dave
  • MFL's avatar
    MFL
    Nomad II
    Nov 20, 2021
    Your post is a bit confusing?

    Are you saying you will be connected to shore power? If so, why not leave the battery in place. It won't freeze if kept charged. Are you concerned about theft of battery?

    You said inverter, but maybe meant converter? Is your converter a smart model, with float charge?

    A different type of rodent deterrent may be a better option?

    Jerry
  • Bobbo's avatar
    Bobbo
    Explorer II
    Nov 21, 2021
    The battery has NOTHING, whatsoever, to do with the 120v wall outlets.

    Removing the battery and hooking the positive and negative wires together WILL give the converter/charger a direct short and blow the fuses. Hopefully, that is all it will do. If you are lucky.

    Removing the battery, and NOT hooking the positive and negative wires together, is OK, maybe. (Be sure the positive wire is isolated and not touching ANYTHING.) It depends on which converter/charger you have. Some of them require a battery in the circuit, and some do not.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Nov 21, 2021
    on edit: IN THE ABSENCE OF A RED WARNING STICKER STATING OTHERWISE

    If the RV is plugged in, the battery can be removed. All systems (both 12v and 120v) will work.

    And yes a few items might be connected direct to the battery in addition to the main cables. These items need to be connected to the main cables to function.
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Nov 21, 2021
    time2roll wrote:
    If the RV is plugged in, the battery can be removed. All systems (both 12v and 120v) will work.

    And yes a few items might be connected direct to the battery in addition to the main cables. These items need to be connected to the main cables to function.
    NOT ALWAYS!!!
    This is a blanket statement, that is not true for all RVS.
  • dodge_guy's avatar
    dodge_guy
    Explorer II
    Nov 21, 2021
    You would just leave the battery connections loose (protect the + terminal). Then you could do as you ask.
    I wouldn’t leave the battery in with the built in charger all winter. Those converter/chargers are cheap and will over charge and boil the water out of the battery. Now you could disconnect the battery and put a battery tender on it.
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Nov 21, 2021
    If you have a good 3 stage charger and good battery then just leave everything connected?

    You might be able to disconnect the battery w/o incident but it depends on your equipment. If OK then put a full battery disconnect switch on the negative battery cable. Never connect positive and negative wires together which is a direct short.

    Or why not just use an extension cord for the items you want to power?
  • bgum's avatar
    bgum
    Explorer
    Nov 21, 2021
    I disconnect the negative wire from the battery and flip the breaker off for the converter in the power box. That way I have 120 voltage in the camper. I also hook a 6 watt solar charger to the battery to keep it charged.
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Nov 21, 2021
    Just for information: We picked up a rat in Flagstaff AZ and tried every device known to man to catch him while he had a steady diet of apples, peanut butter, bacon etc and chair cushion for comfort. We did not want to use poison and deal with a dead rat that we couldn't find. He stole the mouse trap bait, ate his way out of the biggest glue traps? Electronic repelant devices were like music to him. Rat trap? Nope, he read the label "Danger rat trap" and totally avoided it. We finally caught him in a live trap in Denver, CO.
  • Lwiddis's avatar
    Lwiddis
    Explorer II
    Nov 21, 2021
    Why would you remove the battery? Charged it won’t freeze. I suggest lots of reading about RV electricity before you experiment.
  • Grit_dog's avatar
    Grit_dog
    Navigator
    Nov 21, 2021
    OP, do a little more reading and LOOK at your camper and learn the electrical system.
    Can you remove battery and still have AC on shore power? Yes.
    But your post sounds scary and sort of like a future repair bill ….

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