Got my curiosity going, which is better? I have a Honda EU2000i, It has a 12vdc battery charge option (along with the Honda cable) to hook directly to the batteries. I usually just plug in my 110 vac shore cable into the generator to charge for a couple hours (2-4) during the day when off the grid. That seems to be the best, but have never really tested one method over the other. I only have the factory "idiot light" indicator for charge level, and 2 lead acid "RV" deep cycle battery bank for house batteries.
I do carry an extra "RV" marine battery in truck bed for my 110 inverter/AC use when "off the grid". This way I never really have to worry about draining the "house batteries" for non-essentials. It is not wired into the "house" system - but has been on the "to-do" list for a long time.
Having said that, I grew up in and around sail boats which for years only had the the single motor starting battery for electricity, so conserving power was taught at a very young age! All the power options we have are in the TC are "luxury" compared to those days.
So is it better to use the "house" charging system when off the grid, or the Honda's 12 vdc option?
BTW - this feels like a "dumb question", but always just kind of wondered. My "system" has worked for yrs. First set of batteries lasted 9 years this way. The truck bed battery doesn't make it that long, but that gets swapped out of the boat from time to time to rotate and always have the best battery in the boat....hard to walk back to the camp site from the middle of the lake!
