Battery disconnect when plugged in at home?

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
"but i have found that the charger does more than just maintain the battery once fully charged"

This renders me curious, could you please elaborate? Thank you.

It seems to put more of a charge on the battery then what would be necessary to keep it charged. I was always needing to fill the cells with water. My experience over the years is that a battery maintainer did not do that to a battery.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
"but i have found that the charger does more than just maintain the battery once fully charged"

This renders me curious, could you please elaborate? Thank you.

It seems to put more of a charge on the battery then what would be necessary to keep it charged. I was always needing to fill the cells with water. My experience over the years is that a battery maintainer did not do that to a battery.

"but i have found that the charger does more than just maintain the battery once fully charged"

This renders me curious, could you please elaborate? Thank you.

bob213 wrote:

korbe wrote:
My 3-stage charger is not supposed to overcharge the batteries, but i have found that the charger does more than just maintain the battery once fully charged. That is why I manually disconnect (switch) after the batteries are fully charged. I leave my rig plugged into a 20amp plug.

I've read that many converters don't work properly when there are no batteries present. Make sure you read about your converters' requirements about having a battery or not.

My converter manual indicates that it is fine to operate converter without being connected to battery. That was an issue I was researching the the time.

The same converters that do not work properly without a battery are the same ones that tend to overcharge in my research.

HOWEVER. if you are worried about it visit a high end car audio shop and pick up a "hardening Condenser" or "Hardening capacitor" (Same thing, different name is all)

Hook it up on the HOUSE side of the disconnect switch.

Magnetek used to sell these as a "Battery Simulator" (Again the same thing under a different name) they do work. You need not disconnect them when you re-connect the batteries. It is basically a one amp-second battery.

korbe wrote:
My 3-stage charger is not supposed to overcharge the batteries, but i have found that the charger does more than just maintain the battery once fully charged. That is why I manually disconnect (switch) after the batteries are fully charged. I leave my rig plugged into a 20amp plug.

I've read that many converters don't work properly when there are no batteries present. Make sure you read about your converters' requirements about having a battery or not.

I have my setup at home using a 20AMP 120VAC plugged into the garage. I also have the smart-mode converter/charger unit going which is not suppose to over charge batteries. However out of habit I still inspect my battery fluids levels just to be safe...

Like everyone else I usually follow my coffee cup around the yard at least once a day. Might as well do something useful...

If your converter/charger unit is constantly putting out 13.6VDC all the time it is right on the edge of over-charging your batteries which may boil out the fluids over time...

Its just a good idea I think to still checks the fluid levels.. Batteries don't come cheap...

My converter/charger is the PD9260C

just my thoughts
Roy Ken

Proper float voltage depends on temperature. eg, at 80F =13.2v and 50F =13.9v When it gets cold you can get into the mid-14s

So any charger that has a steady Float voltage will be mostly wrong. If it has too high a voltage for the temp, then you will need to add water to the batts as required--keep on that and you will be fine.

If the Float voltage is too low, then your battery will stratify and so get sulfated and lose capacity. (but it won't lose water :) )

Time is everything here. If you are only on Float for a few days at a time it doesn't matter.

You have to adjust to the situation you are in what to do. You can get temp compensated chargers for doing your Float if need be. or you can goose the voltage up on the batts every so often to get rid of any stratification happening.

My 3-stage charger is not supposed to overcharge the batteries, but i have found that the charger does more than just maintain the battery once fully charged. That is why I manually disconnect (switch) after the batteries are fully charged. I leave my rig plugged into a 20amp plug.

You can search the forum and find tons of information on 3 or 4 stage chargers that will not overcharge your battery. It all depends on your current setup.