What to use to keep battery charged while sitting?

[DatacomGuy]

We keep our TT in a storage yard while not using. Whilst i pull the fuse (my version of a disconnect) from the power lead, it still loses a bit of charge while sitting.

My wonderful (sarcasm) helium fridge requires a fully charged battery to run, even if on propane. Itll fire up, but not cool.. So, precooling the fridge a day or two prior to a trip doesnt work and our first 24 hours camping is with a warm fridge and multiple coolers full of ice. And a grumpy owner.

Id like to install something to fix this issue.. Whether its a minder or a solar setup..

What would you do or recommend? Or am i missing something?

[AH64ID]

I have a 10w solar panel that keeps the batteries charged with the battery switch on, and even charges a little with it off.

I would install a good battery disconnect and a small 10-20w solar panel. In 2-3 weeks there should be minimal drain with the batteries disconnected. Then if you want to precook the fridge the 10-20w should be plenty for 24-48 hours.

I would also have your fridge checked out.

[B_O__Plenty]

I have a battery disconnect switch. I installed it in the negative battery cable. It shuts off the power to everything when I turn it off. My rig sits for 3-4 months in a storage lot. When I power it up I have never had a problem running my electric jacks etc. The battery will easily hold a charge that long with nothing connected to it. My boat batteries are the same.

B.O.

[Tequila]

BarneyS wrote:
Get one of these battery boxes with built in solar charger. That way your batteries will be secure and still stay charged up. 🙂
Torklift website
Barney

Edit to add picture.

Anything made by Torklift is exceptional and they stand behind their products. I know this sounds like an ad, but its pretty well impossible to go wrong with any of their stuff.

[Sillybugs2]

Anyway you can park it at home plugged in for a day before you go?

[Sillybugs2]

We bring our batteries home between trips and if longer than a few weeks use a trickle charger to keep them powered up.

[time2roll]

http://www.amazon.com/Nature-Power-Battery-Trickle-Charger/dp/B0059GFT0Q/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1407...

6w is too small IMO.

Try these:
80 watt panel $116 and controller $42.

[Need-A-Vacation]

DatacomGuy wrote:
Brand new.. battery is from May.

I would still have the battery load tested at a local auto parts store. Brand new doesn't mean you don't have a lemon. At least you rule out the battery this way.

Good luck!

[crcr]

I use one of these plastic battery boxes. I have the box for two 6V batteries, but they have single and double battery boxes for about any size.

These Century Plastics HD battery boxes are plastic but extremely sturdy. My TT isn't here so I can't provide a pic, but I welded a hold down frame from angle iron, and welded the hasps for Master puck locks on each end of it. Clicky

My batteries aren't going anywhere.

[DatacomGuy]

What do you guys think of this?

http://www.amazon.com/Nature-Power-Battery-Trickle-Charger/dp/B0059GFT0Q/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1407034593&sr=8-8&keywords=Solar+trickle

[DatacomGuy]

Brand new.. battery is from May.

[PAAK]

Have you had the battery checked and serviced? It should hold a good charge if it is sitting for two weeks. I have solar and i have only used it when I put the battery in after winter. I turn the solar on and do some cleaning until it has a good charge. The battery should get charged from towing as well. Be careful with solar though, I have seen some people overcharge the battery cause its easy to forget that you are charging it that way.

[SplinterFL]

DatacomGuy wrote:
Good point - I dont boondock presently, nor do i need to recharge while in use as we're always on shore power..

The previous owners of my TT were the same way, didn't even have a generator. The batt was dead from years of over-charging. I plan to add solar, and since there is so much surface area, why not put a couple hundred watts of power. I've been to a couple parks where it was full when we arrived and was sent to the Over-Flow lot, which means...maybe water, but no power or anything else. (thankfully the 21' had a generator so we weren't hurting for AC.)

At least with solar, you have the option of charging during the day, so you have lights at night, without shore or generator power.

[the_happiestcam]

BarneyS wrote:

The main item affecting fuel mileage is frontal area, not weight. The frontal area of a plastic box would be about the same as the aluminum one.

What Barney said.

[DatacomGuy]

Good point - I dont boondock presently, nor do i need to recharge while in use as we're always on shore power..