correct use of battery tender and....

[base1957]

1996 Winnebago Class a Vectra. Has on left of dash AUX Bat On/off switch.
I have two 6 volt deep cycle batteries cinnected 20ah Cap 235. 132 nin @ 75 amps. I also have a convert er/charger that inassume ume is running when I plug shoreline in.
1. Do I leave shoreline always plugged when not using.
2. Do I turn aux battery switch on or off when using a battrrry tender.
3. What size tender?
4. When using tender should shorline be plugged in ?
Thanks

[RJsfishin]

Quote:
Before unplugging the shoreline, I would disconnect the tender. Before reconnecting the tender I would make sure the battery is fully charged.
------------------------------------------------------------
My experience w/ my battery tender plus is very different than most here say.
I have been using mine as the only charging source for the single grp 27 trolling motor battery on my Bass boat since I bought it new in 2011.
I seldom take the batt down to 50%, but 60 and 70% most times. And despite what some say, my Tender plus does always charge the battery to 100%, from whatever it's discharged state is. Sometimes it stays on 14.4 volts all day, and maybe 1/2 the nite too, but it does fully charge it. I have never checked the amperage on the tender while it is in 14.4 bulk mode, but I have a feeling it is somewhat more than its capacity rating.

[tenbear]

I don't know if the battery tender could handle the current drawn by the refridge. I don't think it would damage the tender but it may discharge the battery. I have never used the refridge when using the tender. Depends on how much current your refridge draws. You probably have your CO and propane monitors on too so the total current drain could be pretty marginal. I don't have a class A so it's possible you have other parasitic current drains too.

Before unplugging the shoreline, I would disconnect the tender. Before reconnecting the tender I would make sure the battery is fully charged.

[base1957]

Tenbear
Then Ill do the following according to what you have said.

Plug shoreline in , turn converter off at breaker panel. That will leave power to the refridge I assume.

Ill leave the battery disconnect switch on.

Sounds great. Now I have one more scenairo.
Say I want to pull the motor home over to the house where I cant connect shoreline. In that case how would I use the battery tenders or could I
Thanks for all the help...

[tenbear]

base1957 wrote:
Tenbear

If I do as you say, Leave shoreline plugged in but turn converter off at the breaker panel inside the motorhome. Does that stop any power from reaching all points inside the motorhome?

thanks

Turning off the breaker for the converter, at least in my RV, only turns the converter off. The battery is still connected to the power panel and so the 12v still powers the MH.

With the converter disconnected, the battery tender or Battery MINDer will charge the battery only very very slowly, and not at all if any current is being drawn. You should fully charge the battery before connecting the tender.

I sometimes go into the MH and turn on a light for a few minutes and the tender recovers, but I wouldn't turn on any high current 12v drains.

[base1957]

Tenbear

If I do as you say, Leave shoreline plugged in but turn converter off at the breaker panel inside the motorhome. Does that stop any power from reaching all points inside the motorhome?

thanks

[tenbear]

In mine, and probably yours, only the house battery is charged by the converter.

I have a NAPA trickle charger on the chassis battery when it is in storage. It has served me well. I still have the OEM chassis battery, now 10 years old.

[base1957]

Does the converter/ charger also charge the battery used to start the mh engine? In other words do I need two tenders or just move it back and forth between the coach and engine battery?
Thanks in advance.

[base1957]

Thanks tenbear

[tenbear]

Consider the two 6v batteries as one 12v battery. The tender + and - connect to the 12v battery + and -.

[base1957]

Ok on the battery tender if I have two six volt deep cycle batteries hooked together making 12 v. How do I connect the tender?

[tenbear]

I use the Battery MINDer 12117.
1. Do I leave shoreline always plugged when not using.
I leave the shoreline plugged in and turn the Converter breaker off. The CO and propane detectors are left on and I occasionally turn on a light (LED).

2. Do I turn aux battery switch on or off when using a battrrry tender.
I leave the battery switch on.

3. What size tender?
I believe the 12117 is rated at 1.3A.

4. When using tender should shorline be plugged in ?
I leave the shoreline plugged in and plug in the Battery MINDer inside the MH.

I am very happy with the Battery MINDer.

[westend]

base1957 wrote:
Several helpful replies...thank you
I am thinking I will go with a new charger similar to the battery tender. Any idea what amp I need or better yet a particular one. I only have twobhouse batteries and of course the one that starts the motorhome engine.

Mex wrote:
1000ma (one amp) per 100 amp hour 20/hr rate battery is enough capacity for a float charger. So 2.5 amperes float capacity is a good safety margin.

The batteries must be 100% fully charged verified via specific gravity before the float charger is enabled.

The batteries must be physically disconnected (electrically) from any possibility of having a ghost load overwhelm the float charger

[base1957]

Several helpful replies...thank you
I am thinking I will go with a new charger similar to the battery tender. Any idea what amp I need or better yet a particular one. I only have twobhouse batteries and of course the one that starts the motorhome engine.

[DrewE]

According to the documentation I could find online, the 7455 is a single stage converter set at 13.8V. A battery tender/float charger would certainly be preferable over it for long term storage (or replacement with a more modern multi-stage converter).

If it's a 7455T model, the converter has a simple time-driven two stage setup that will have a slightly more reasonable long-term float voltage (apparently 13.6V).

Mex knows of what he writes and gives sound advice. It may or may not be overkill for your particular needs.