Shore power at home/plugged in all the time?

[freewayrandy]

I keep my hauler plugged in all the time at home. My neighbor just told me a tech at a RV dealer told him not to, but plug it in once a month for a week to charge the batts. Anyone know of any cons to leaving it plugged in all the time?

[beemerphile1]

Whether you leave it plugged in successfully or not depends on the quality of the converter. No way of knowing in a particular case unless the poster lists brand and model of converter.

dieseldan723 wrote:
I have been told that it's good let the batteries drain down fully...once or twice a year...

You were told wrong. Every minute a battery spends at less than full charge shortens its life and the effect is accumulative.

Running it down in actual use is normal use. Running it down when not in use is abuse and a waste of battery life.

[Old-Biscuit]

Battery disconnect switch.......OFF isolates the battery from the 12V DC distribution panel & the converter/charger.
Some things like LP Detector powered jacks/landing gear and slides are usually wired directly from batteries and bypass the switch.

Switch is usually turned OFF when placing rig in storage so DC lights/water heater/fridge/water pump etc. can't be turned on and drain battery. Although the parasitic loads from detectors can draw the batteries down.


As for that converter.com
Probably are thinking www.bestconverter.com
Good people......good info....great customer service......LINK
Randy is very helpful.

[dieseldan723]

I have been told that it's good let the batteries drain down fully (I have two 6 volt batteries)once or twice a year. I don't know if that's true or not, but I do leave it unplugged for a while a few times a year. I do have a battery disconnect switch but I don't know exactly what the purpose of it is.

Can anyone correctly explain the proper use of this switch?

[Strabo]

dedmiston wrote:

nayther wrote:

Y-Guy wrote:

WhitehouseLV wrote:
What inverter/charger did you install?

When my standard one died I had it replaced with a Progressive Dynamics unit with their Charge Wizard. Website

That's the one I went with as well. Something like Converters.com and its a kit with great instructions (except the output wires incorrectly installed (see my thread)).

Converters.com sounds like the kind of site that they'd block at work.

Only if its called Sexyconverters.com

[dedmiston]

nayther wrote:

Y-Guy wrote:

WhitehouseLV wrote:
What inverter/charger did you install?

When my standard one died I had it replaced with a Progressive Dynamics unit with their Charge Wizard. Website

That's the one I went with as well. Something like Converters.com and its a kit with great instructions (except the output wires incorrectly installed (see my thread)).

Converters.com sounds like the kind of site that they'd block at work.

[nayther]

Y-Guy wrote:

WhitehouseLV wrote:
What inverter/charger did you install?

When my standard one died I had it replaced with a Progressive Dynamics unit with their Charge Wizard. Website

That's the one I went with as well. Something like Converters.com and its a kit with great instructions (except the output wires incorrectly installed (see my thread)).

[Y-Guy]

WhitehouseLV wrote:
What inverter/charger did you install?

When my standard one died I had it replaced with a Progressive Dynamics unit with their Charge Wizard. Website

[Strabo]

Dirtclods wrote:
My toy hauler is always plugged in when not in use and stocked with food,water and fuel for the generator just in case.

Recent earthquakes http://www.data.scec.org/recent/index.html

We do the same, its our Bug Out Shelter.

[WhitehouseLV]

2btowed wrote:
The "cooking " of the batts,depends on several factors,amp output of charger and how many items constantly pulling amps down,also how many batteries you have.If your charger puts out only 3 amps,probably no problem,but you are gonna run the Onan all night to recharge from a low battery state,if a 10 amp charger might boil out the batts if left plugged in all the time. The advantage of 3 stage smart charger is you can set the ranges of charge and it will automatically reduce charging rate as battery is charged.Mine will start out at 80 amps and go down from there.If I am running a small genny I can cut back charging amps so the genny won't cut off.I consider the inverter/charger one of the best things I have installed on my TH,and yes I boondock almost every time I camp.

What inverter/charger did you install?

[Dirtclods]

My toy hauler is always plugged in when not in use and stocked with food,water and fuel for the generator just in case.

Recent earthquakes http://www.data.scec.org/recent/index.html

[mowdoc]

skipnchar wrote:
My trailer has been plugged in for two years with no problems. Just check water in batteries about once a month until you know if your converter will overcharge them. I have to add water about once every 6 months.

X2

[nayther]

I had issues when I had the OEM parallax converter, since switching to a 3 stage 60 amp converter I leave it plugged in all the time. However if I'm not using it for a long period of time, and the fridge is off I'll open the battery disconnect just in case.

[Strabo]

Ive found that motorhomes boil thier batteries, everyone i know has had it happen.

Haulers, no one i know has had it happen.

[Badhabt]

I have kept mine plugged in since i bought it in 2006 when at home. No issues of boiling the batteries (I still have the original 12V Interstates from 2006).