Battery Tender on E450 Chassis? Shore Power does all?

[mleekamp]

We are not new to RV'ing (had various TT's for 20+ years), but are new to our new Class C w/ the Ford E450 chassis.

We have it plugged in to shore power (I have a 30a RV plug on the side of the garage just for our former TT's and now the motorhome) for winter.

*Will this suffice to maintain both house and chassis batteries?

*Will shore power only help house batteries and I need a battery tender for the chassis battery?

Appreciate guidance.

[2oldman]

Op is MIA

[klutchdust]

pnichols wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
How much for a new starter battery?

klutchdust wrote:

NWboondocker wrote:
Another vote for Trik-l-start, 1-time simple install and nothing to remember to do/undo other than plugging in shore power.

I just can’t justify the price.

What's the matter with this price ... :h : https://www.amazon.com/BatteryMINDer-Model-12117-Maintainer-Desulfator/dp/B000P23HZS

I have a couple of them - one for the garden equipment batteries and one for the non-stock heavy duty engine starting battery I had installed in our Class C motorhome for it's E450 V10.

The one I use for the motorhome's starting battery has maintained the battery's at-rest terminal voltage at a little over 13 volts, 24/7, for 10-11 years whenever the MH is in the back yard not being used.

Posters are posting without following the thread.My comment about "not justifying the price" is related to the trik l start. I saw one. I'm not an electronics guy but it seems like there is very little involved in the construction of the device verses the cost around 55 dollars.
Now, IF you followed the thread you would have noticed I gave my opinion concerning what I use to maintain my batteries.
How much is a starter battery< who cares. I can purchase 3 battery maintainers and hard wire them to be used on any and all my vehicles for the cost of one trikl thing.
I have 8 vehicles ,so 3 maintainers vs one only makes sense.
Pnichols is along the lines of what I posted and I enjoy his input and helpfulness. Thanks,P

[pnichols]

pianotuna wrote:
How much for a new starter battery?

klutchdust wrote:

NWboondocker wrote:
Another vote for Trik-l-start, 1-time simple install and nothing to remember to do/undo other than plugging in shore power.

I just can’t justify the price.

What's the matter with this price ... :h : https://www.amazon.com/BatteryMINDer-Model-12117-Maintainer-Desulfator/dp/B000P23HZS

I have a couple of them - one for the garden equipment batteries and one for the non-stock heavy duty engine starting battery I had installed in our Class C motorhome for it's E450 V10.

The one I use for the motorhome's starting battery has maintained the battery's at-rest terminal voltage at a little over 13 volts, 24/7, for 10-11 years whenever the MH is in the back yard not being used.

[BFL13]

pnichols wrote:
Hmm ... since this is a Class C forum ... don't late model Ford, Chevy, and Sprinter cabs still have good old cigarette lighter type always-hot 12 volt receptacles on their dash such that a simple battery maintainer could be plugged into it to float the engine starting battery during storage?

.... Or is everything on the cab dash USB and/or built-in low power inverter output now days?

I have a choice with my 1991. I can use my cig plug to cig plug adapter I made to join the TV panel's (above the dash) "house" connection to the dash engine batt's connection, while the converter does both on shore power, solar, or gen- OR-

I can plug a small amp maintainer charger that stays at 13.4v no matter what, into an RV 120v receptacle, and plug the cig plug wires for that charger into the dash. (the charger also has a set of wire clamps that came with it that you can use on a battery)

I prefer the latter since I don't really want to leave the starter battery in parallel with my AGM house batteries, but probably that is ok. I just don't like to do that.

[pianotuna]

How much for a new starter battery?

klutchdust wrote:

NWboondocker wrote:
Another vote for Trik-l-start, 1-time simple install and nothing to remember to do/undo other than plugging in shore power.

I just can’t justify the price.

[klutchdust]

NWboondocker wrote:
Another vote for Trik-l-start, 1-time simple install and nothing to remember to do/undo other than plugging in shore power.

I just can’t justify the price.

[NWboondocker]

Another vote for Trik-l-start, 1-time simple install and nothing to remember to do/undo other than plugging in shore power.

[pnichols]

Hmm ... since this is a Class C forum ... don't late model Ford, Chevy, and Sprinter cabs still have good old cigarette lighter type always-hot 12 volt receptacles on their dash such that a simple battery maintainer could be plugged into it to float the engine starting battery during storage?

.... Or is everything on the cab dash USB and/or built-in low power inverter output now days?

[klutchdust]

ron.dittmer wrote:
Hi klutchdust,

That devise seems ideal for extended-stay conditions where you live in the house, but are not using the chassis enough.

Thanks for sharing that.

Ron

This is very simple to install, it allows you to just plug the maintainer in as needed. Even though it provides a small amount of charge, over time it will bring a weak battery back, my polaris was in that situation.

[ron_dittmer]

Hi klutchdust,

That devise seems ideal for extended-stay conditions where you live in the house, but are not using the chassis enough.

Thanks for sharing that.

Ron

[klutchdust]

My 09 Cambria chassis batteries will lose their charge after a few weeks due to parasitic draws.
I purchased a black and decker trickle charger and it comes with an accessory port adapter. ( for those of you old schoolers, the cigarette lighter adapter)

I plug the motorhome to shore power then plug the trickle charger into a 120 receptacle nearby, like the one for the TV, and insert the port accessory into the dash port .
Issue solved.
There are various trickle chargers made, I use the one shown below on my off road machines , scooters, and the like while storing even for a few weeks in the garage. The newer ones come with a plug and play adapter. Once the adapter plug is permanently attached to the battery you simply plug the charger in and you are ready to maintain that battery.Clamps come as well if you prefer that method.

[w4phj]

Another option:

Borrow a clamp on DC amp meter.

Intentionally let the batteries discharge for about 15 minutes.

Plug in and check current flow into each battery.

This will reveal charge rate and probably the battery condition
at the same time.

[pnichols]

Robert (the OP),

Using an extension cord, we leave our Class C plugged into a house outside wall receptacle all the time when it's at our home in storage.

Inside the RV we then plug a trickle charger's input power cord into a coach 120V AC receptacle on a coach wall near to the Ford cab.

We then plug the trickle charger's 12 volt output cable into a 12 volt receptacle on our E450's dash. These Ford dash receptacles are "hot" all the time - going directly to the Ford's 12 volt system.

This works very well to keep the chassis starting battery topped up all the time that the motorhome is plugged in at home.

[bobndot]

2oldman wrote:
Voltmeter is the only way to know for sure.

😉


2018 Sunseeker Ford E450 with a PD4000 converter w/charge wizard charges both chassis and coach batteries as per my volt meter.
( That's all OEM AFAIK, I bought it new and didn't add anything related to the charging system.)