Plugged in or Trickle Charger

[oyarsa]

Our trailer is now parked next to our house. I could keep it plugged in 24/7. Is it better to do that, or take the batteries out and plug them into Battery Tenders if the trailer isn't going to be used for a while (say a month.) Our batteries are regular, maintenance required deep cycle batteries. Our previous batteries died, I believe because they were left disconnected and not on any trickle charger for a few months. I'd like to try to treat these batteries better.

Also, the previous batteries had some corrosion on the positive terminals. This transferred to the Battery Tender connections. I assume I need to clean them before connecting to the new batteries, but how thoroughly do I need to clean them, how should I clean them, and should I use some sort of anti-corrosion spray?

[oyarsa]

I technically have two Battery Tender Juniors.

[Grit_dog]

^ Good info. And good to hear the Charge wizard does what it says. Just bought one for my PD converter.

Didn't even know that add on feature was available until I looked into it recently. Typical RV mfg, builds a high end RV (TC in my case), puts a great quality converter in it and leaves out the $20 part that makes it twice as effective...

The OP needs to first learn the function and similarities and differences between a RV converter, normal battery charger and battery tender and to quit being cryptic with his questions and responses provided.

[Crabbypatty]

What charger do you have?? Not all are the same. I have an WFCO in my fifth wheel and it does not have a stir function or trickle. Just a dumb charger and there is no way to modify it. My prior two TT's had Progressive Industry chargers and for $20, you can plug in a computer chip called a "charge wizard". the charge wizard smartens up the dumb charger to allow for trickle charge as well as and importantly stirring charge for lead acid batteries. the stir is important as the high voltage keeps the plates clean. My first TT I had two Trojan t125s. They were 10 years old when I sold it and still going strong. I put 2 Trojans on my next TT and had that for 4 years. Both TTs had progressive chargers with charge wizards plugged in. Now we upgraded to a fiver and I added 2 more Trojans and will be replacing the dumb wfco, with a progressives charger that has a "wizard" built in. The wfco also doesn't go higher in the voltage hence no stir. So it depends on your charger and type of battery. My conversation is for flooded lead batteries.

[2112]

My WFCO is stuck on 13.6V.
I use a timer to charge the battery @13.6V for 1 hour every 5 days.

[Grit_dog]

beemerphile1 wrote:

oyarsa wrote:
jdc1, how do you mean, exactly?

The converter is a WFCO model WF-8955PEC.

Still trying to figure out the charger.

You said battery tender. Do you truly have a Deltran Battery Tender or are you using battery tender as a generic term?

Do NOT use a trickle charger without supervision. The Deltran Battery Tender is a battery maintainer, not a trickle charger, and is an excellent device.

What's special about Deltran? There's dozens of brands of battery chargers.

[Grit_dog]

oyarsa wrote:
I've been using two 30 amp cables (the one directly attached to the trailer, and a second extension) with the 20 amp adapter at the outlet. Still, the second 30 amp extension and adapter makes me nervous.

Then get smarter about what you're doing instead of just being nervous.
We have no idea how long the 2 30A cords are, but good news, since you basically have the heaviest cords you can get, there's no issue.
Unless you have like 200' of cord and are trying to run the AC or something.

[Grit_dog]

pianotuna wrote:
Upgrade the outlet to make it switched.

Add a trickle charger.

Find out the parasitic draw on the RV, and discharge rate of the battery bank. (depends on age, among other factors)

Add a timer and power the charger for one more hour per day than needed to cover parasitic losses.

I do this with my car when I snow bird for 4 months each year. The battery is OEM and from 2013.

What good is a switched outlet? Too hard to pull a cord out of an outlet?

And they make a replacement for trickle chargers and timers. They're called battery tenders.
Unless you like 20th century battery charging.

[Grit_dog]

Beaker wrote:

Sounds like a 30 amp outlet would be fine, then. However, I only have a 20 amp outlet currently available, and have to use two cords to reach it. Based on Beaker's post, that might not be a great idea?

Was parked at house, sleeping in house, thought I smelled electrical fire but didn't see anything. A couple of days later, was around the back side of trailer where it was plugged into extension cord with adapter and saw a black mark up the trailer where it was plugged in. Adapter was melted.

Was washing the present trailer and got a tingle when washing the bumper. Measured voltage bumper to ground(wet concrete) and got 10 volts. Replaced adapter and voltage disappeared.

Maybe cheap adapters, maybe not, maybe the cord.

No longer is it plugged into house except when in use. I do put a battery charger on it now and then.

Are you afraid to leave it plugged in at a campground or into a generator?
Same thing. Except if you draw more than your household circuit can handle, the breaker blows at a lower draw than the other 2 options if it's a 15 or 20 A service.

[Huntindog]

BarneyS wrote:

Huntindog wrote:
If you have a WFCO, it is a bad idea to just plug the trailer in.... WFCOs never go into float.

Nope. The converter is a WFCO but does go into float when appropriate.
WFCO 8955 description and specs.

OP, you should be able to leave the trailer plugged inn 24/7 without damage. Our trailer has a PD converter with the charge wizard and is usually left plugged in 24/7/365 and our batteries last about 8 years on average.
Barney

I know what the spec sheet says.
But WFCOs are nortorious for not going into float, and for not going into bulk charge cycles.
Many many posts on this. Mine misbehaved according to script. It was essentially a single stage charger, stuck at 13.6 volts.

If one owns a WFCO, I urge them to check it for themselves.

[beemerphile1]

oyarsa wrote:
jdc1, how do you mean, exactly?

The converter is a WFCO model WF-8955PEC.

Still trying to figure out the charger.

You said battery tender. Do you truly have a Deltran Battery Tender or are you using battery tender as a generic term?

Do NOT use a trickle charger without supervision. The Deltran Battery Tender is a battery maintainer, not a trickle charger, and is an excellent device.

[pianotuna]

oyarsa wrote:
Still, the second 30 amp extension and adapter makes me nervous.

Why does it make you nervous? The demand from the converter is not terribly high--and with nearly fully charged batteries at best 2 or 3 hundred watts. If you chose to run the fridge that may be another 325 watts.

[oyarsa]

I've been using two 30 amp cables (the one directly attached to the trailer, and a second extension) with the 20 amp adapter at the outlet. Still, the second 30 amp extension and adapter makes me nervous.

[AJR]

OP…. Looking at your convertor (WF-8955PEC) it is a three stage charger. That means you can have your camper plugged in 24/7 all year to shore power. You just have to refill the batteries with distilled water when they get low. Look at them three times a year or more.

I do that so I do not have to remove the batteries in the winter. I should also add it gets real cold up here.

To keep it plugged in all year you should have 20A rated extension cables to your 30A RV from a 20A outlet. If the camper is close to the 20A outlet you may be able to run the AC even. Depending on the size of the AC unit. A 15A cable will work if all you want to do is charge the batteries, nothing else all year.

[pianotuna]

Upgrade the outlet to make it switched.

Add a trickle charger.

Find out the parasitic draw on the RV, and discharge rate of the battery bank. (depends on age, among other factors)

Add a timer and power the charger for one more hour per day than needed to cover parasitic losses.

I do this with my car when I snow bird for 4 months each year. The battery is OEM and from 2013.