cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Battery charging

joegray
Explorer II
Explorer II
We have 4 6volt batteries in our 5er. I just bought one of those smart portable battery chargers, 12amp to trickle charge. If I try to charge the batteries with this at the same time as the trailer is plugged into shore power will I damage the inverter charger? Am I waisting my time doing this?
The trailer is a 07 so I don't think it has a 3 stage inverter in it.
5 REPLIES 5

waltbennett
Explorer
Explorer
I've a converter that will charge at up to 60 amps, an inverter that will charge up to 90 amps (and blow the in-line battery fuse!), and a solar controller that will charge at up to 40 amps. Battery bank is four T-105s. Although I usually leave the converter off, the other two are left on. There's no conflict between them and they don't overcharge the batteries. Once charged up there's only about 1 amp positive indicated on the Trimetric monitor and they do this all themselves.
'06 F350 TD, Softopper, airbags, AeroShield, coolant filter
'10 3665RE Hickory edition, wetbolts, Firestone LTs, Trimetric Battery Monitor, 4x100w panels & Morningstar TS-45, still tweeking.

time2roll
Nomad
Nomad
12 amp IS a trickle into 4x GC2. No worries about on-board equipment. Just slap it on and charge away.

Swapping to an upgraded converter is probably a better value if you can return the charger.

golf_bears
Explorer
Explorer
Do you really have an inverter or just a converter? Your converter, if that is what you have, will charge the batteries while you are plugged into shore power. No need to use the charger. If your batteries need charging and you are not hooked up and driving nor are you plugged into shore power then use the charger.

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
You're waisting your time.
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

rskeans
Explorer
Explorer
I would 'think' that the on board charger would put out more than 12A. Both chargers could fight each other. I wouldn't use both at the same time.
BTW, I have a Residential Fridge and the Sine Wave Inverter charges the batteries at 55A.
'14 RAM CTD,Aisin,CC,DRW,4.10 Longhorn, LB
Aerotanks.com 70 gal underbed fuel tank.
Lifestyle LS36FW, Andersen Ultimate AL hitch