Does the trickle charger need to be recalibrated?

[bajagirl1]

I have a 2002 Monaco Windsor that is in need of some new batteries. After exploring a few option it looks like I will go with 4 Costco cart batteries (GC2) that appear to put out 220 amp hours each. My coach has 430 AH solar panels that trickle charge and the coach has it own trickle charger but I believe it is only for the chassis battery.
Based on reviews I think the Costco ones @$74 each should do the job. They will fit (just barely) in the battery tray but I am worried about the extra 30 lbs or so...should I be?
Will I have to change any input/outputs in the solar charger or just leave all alone.
Thanks all, Donna

[Kirk]

Roy you post some good information but his Monaco Windsor is not a travel trailer but a class A motorhome.

If you have 430 ah of solar panels they I'd be very surprised if they only trickle charge the coach batteries but the only way to know is to look at what you have since they didn't come with the RV from Monaco but were added later by a previous owner. Some control panels are adjustable but not all of them. What you are concerned with is peak voltages applied when charging.I suggest that you get the spec information on the solar system before you start to make changes. Guessing can be expensive if you make a mistake.

[DSDP_Don]

Your Monaco Windsor is a sophisticated coach, even back in 2002, and should have a three stage charger/inverter, possibly a Magnum. The charger charges your house batteries, but probably not your chassis batteries. Your solar system is an add on and is not your primary charging system.

[wa8yxm]

Weight: Inspect the battery compartment/tray.. If the tray is half rotted due to acid erosion.. BE WORRIED, and fix it

If it's solid,, Odds are you need not worry but you can try assorted test methods.

Page 2: Trickle charger.. no need to re-adjust but do check to see if it feeds only the chassis or both chassis and house.

[RoyB]

When you connect two 6VDC batteries in series thinking changes abit. You will only get 12VDC@220AHs to use when connected in series.


When you connect two of these series groups together in parallel then you can get 12VDC@440AHs


Four of these COSTCO 6VDC batteries will weigh around 248lbs not counting the battery cases.

Being golf cart batteries these will have outstanding lasting qualities and performance. $80 to $90 each not a bid price either...

I'm sure the SOLAR guys will dime in here with your other info you need. IN my world a 12VDC battery run down to it 50% charge state will want to see at least 20AMP DC current available for each 12VDC battery installed when it is hit with 14.4VDC BOOST charge mode if you want to re-charge your battery in a quick three time period. Two 6VDC batteries in series is considered ONE 12VDC battery.

I think you would really want to get smart mode charging capabilities to support all of this. Your older trailer probably only has a single mode 13.6 charging system for the batteries. Your SOLAR SYSTEM controller would have the smart multi-voltage charging mode. This combo works great if you only charge your batteries with high sun but what happens when you have no sun - You will want to charge your batteries running your generator andnot having a smart mode charger on-board it will take much longer than three hours to run your generator to get the batteries back up to their 90% charge state if all you have is a single 13.6VDC on-board charging system.

With solar installed you can stretch this time period out to as long as you have high sun to get them re-charged. Normal high Sun is around 6 hours I think I have read.

I think what works best using solar panels is to try not to get behind the charge curve and your solar panels then would become a supper large trickle charge system for your batteries.

We use alot of DC power from our OFF-ROAD POPUP battery bank setup when camping off the power grid and absolutely have to start each day/run run off the batteries with a good 90% charge state otherwise it will get dark on us around 10PM each night.

Just passing on to get your mindset thinking on things that may be a problem running off the batteries.

If you just use flashlights and candles when off the power grid you will be just fine hehe...

We go for the whole thing except Air Conditioning when we camp off the power grid. It is really not much different camping style for us then what we do at the electric campground sites.

Its all about having PLAN Bs for us...

Roy Ken