Forum Discussion

chast's avatar
chast
Explorer II
Jul 08, 2016

Battery or no battery?

Hey all--we are using our 1992 Winnebago Chieftan motorhome as a full-time residence. It is parked in a campground permanently and will no longer be driven. I have given up starting it and I have disconnected both the chassis and the house batteries. I have been told that I could "burn out" my converter without having the house battery connected? We have been using it without a battery for about five years now and I wonder why I need a battery when everything works just fine the way it is. What say you??
Class A
  • old_guy's avatar
    old_guy
    Explorer
    Jul 08, 2016
    I've been told that some converter need the battery as the battery acts as a filter of sorts.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Jul 08, 2016
    Not going to burn out the converter as it does not care. Some old converters have a lot of ripple and could be hard on some equipment or controls. But after a five year test there is no reason to worry.
  • AllegroD's avatar
    AllegroD
    Nomad
    Jul 08, 2016
    If it hasn't burned out in 5 years, give another 5 years and report back how it is then.
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    Jul 08, 2016
    Some converters will allow this, others don't like it. After 5 years I'd say yours does!
  • rk911's avatar
    rk911
    Explorer
    Jul 08, 2016
    chast wrote:
    Hey all--we are using our 1992 Winnebago Chieftan motorhome as a full-time residence. It is parked in a campground permanently and will no longer be driven. I have given up starting it and I have disconnected both the chassis and the house batteries. I have been told that I could "burn out" my converter without having the house battery connected? We have been using it without a battery for about five years now and I wonder why I need a battery when everything works just fine the way it is. What say you??


    about all you'd need a house battery for would be in case of a power failure at the park. I can't see how you'd burn out the converter with no battery. if the house battery is gone and you still have lights, water pump...everything that runs on 12v then you should be OK. my understanding is the converter supplies 12v to the 12v appliances and to the charging side to keep the battery charged..two separate not sequential things.

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