One day into a week long zion trip and all the low voltage stuff goes down... no lights and no water pump. The battery runs the low voltage 120v stuff but as the batt wore down we figure the converter is not charging. We checked the main fuses and all looks good ther. AC and micro were working from shore power but ... dead batt... fridge loosing cool... argh.So the fix: $200-$300 on a new convrter? Um.. not now.So ... can a 120v trickle charger do the job for $30-$40??Please help if I am way out there w this idea but $$ seems to be a good cheap fix until I can afford the 3 stage converter!!?

Within my previous TT, it had a 12 Volt - 140 Amp Converter. I replaced with simple out/in 145 Amp Progressive Dynamics model with NO wire changes. If wondering, its output in 45 Amps. re: - click here - A 12V trickle charger (on battery) is often 1 Amp (or less). Normal battery charger (on battery) is 10 Amps / 5 amps with slow rate 2 amps trickle charger. With above in mind, I might use a normal battery charger at 10/5 Amps and run all items on their 110/120 Volt settings "if stuck on a long weekend". But if not an emergency, I'd replace with properly sized Convertor. Do shop around (ebay and such) because selling prices of RV Convertors do dramatically vary. Hope this helps.

A trickle charger isn't going to charge your batteries if you're using them. A trickle charge puts out .5 to 2 amps per hour depending on model - that's only good for keeping already charged batteries charged and handling the parasite loads like the gas detector. The convertor will put out a 30 - 60 amp charge.You either need to buy / borrow a good battery charge (10 amps min)or buy a new convertor.Bill

You need at least 5 amps to run the RV in a reasonable manor. 10+ amps is way better. Any portable automatic charger should be fine. Slap it direct on the battery. No need to disconnect anything. Pick up an extension cord to plug in if needed.1.5 amp maintainer would mean no lights etc. for a week while the battery charges.

I would suggest that you further diagnose the reason the converter is not charging the battery. It may be that your battery is not functioning correctly and the converter refuses to charge your depleted battery. You could experiment to find if this is happening by charging your house battery with a battery charger, using jumper cables to your vehicle, or by buying a new battery. A small trickle charger will not deliver enough charging to meet your immediate needs.

My popup converter blew a while back. I used a trickle charger for the weekend......If you charge the battery overnight when you are not using the power, it should last during the day when you do.

Trickle charger to replace Converter? | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

Trackrig
Explorer II
Sep 24, 2013
A trickle charger isn't going to charge your batteries if you're using them. A trickle charge puts out .5 to 2 amps per hour depending on model - that's only good for keeping already charged batteries charged and handling the parasite loads like the gas detector. The convertor will put out a 30 - 60 amp charge.

You either need to buy / borrow a good battery charge (10 amps min)or buy a new convertor.

Bill
spike99
Explorer
Sep 24, 2013
Within my previous TT, it had a 12 Volt - 140 Amp Converter. I replaced with simple out/in 145 Amp Progressive Dynamics model with NO wire changes. If wondering, its output in 45 Amps. re: - click here - A 12V trickle charger (on battery) is often 1 Amp (or less). Normal battery charger (on battery) is 10 Amps / 5 amps with slow rate 2 amps trickle charger.

With above in mind, I might use a normal battery charger at 10/5 Amps and run all items on their 110/120 Volt settings "if stuck on a long weekend". But if not an emergency, I'd replace with properly sized Convertor. Do shop around (ebay and such) because selling prices of RV Convertors do dramatically vary.

Hope this helps.

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Trickle charger to replace Converter?

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