Battery as relates to boondocking - RV-Dreams Community Forum

oldyank · RV-Dreams Community Member

Battery as relates to boondocking

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Gary:

Hope to see you at “Boondocking” in March. That’s the plan anyway.

Sound like your battery is “OK” as such. But if it were me and I were planning on boondocking I would certainly replace the battery with the largest 6 volt deep cycle batteries that will fit in the space to increase capacity. Remember, you shouldn’t add a new battery to an older battery. I.e. purchase a new one and then combine it with an older one. Most likely you will damage both as to their capacity. Just can’t mix new and old and never mix battery sizes.

As you will learn at the Rally, the generator will charge your batteries but it takes a little while. So more battery capacity is always a good thing.

I won’t go into all those particulars here, that’s why you’re going to the Rally! But if you have only one battery I suggest increasing your capacity as much as possible. Not just for the Rally but for boondocking in general.

Bill

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gary,

For our 38ft 5th wheel we have 4 12V batteries. 2- are house batteries and run the 12v lights, water pump, refrig, heater, and 12v accessory outlets. The other two are used with the inverter to run 110V items like the TVs, Sat Box, laptop, Microwave..etc. With a switch on the inverter I can connect all 4 batteries together for longer lasting power through the inverter.

These 4 batteries with conservation (using lanterns, limited TV) will allow us to boondock for about 4 days. If we try to live as normal then we can go for about 2 days.

I also carry 2 Honda 2000i generators with a parallel kit to run the air conditioner or power tools if needed. These are also used to recharge the batteries or allow us to use many appliances, TVs and other electronics when we want to be frivolous. There's nothing like being the only RV in a boondock campground with all indoor and outdoor lights on and a large screen TV under the awning watching a satellite channel while the margaritas are being mixed in the blender.

Like Bill said it's good to have more batteries when boondocking.

oldyank · RV-Dreams Community Member

Thanks for the feedback. I'll probably take the battery to Interstate and have them test it under load. If it's good I'll just go with my current setup until I get "educated" at the rally. We don't currently have plans to do a lot of boondocking. I just want to have all the knowledge in case we want to spend some time "off the grid".

legrandnormand · RV-Dreams Family Member

Maybee while running your GEN if you do so, why not charge your batteries with a battery charger while your GEN runs; it would be quite faster then charging it with the trailer's converter.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

legrandnormand wrote:
Maybee while running your GEN if you do so, why not charge your batteries with a battery charger while your GEN runs; it would be quite faster then charging it with the trailer's converter.

I have a feeling you don't understand how an inverter works. How do you charge with a generator without having either a converter or and inverter with charging functions. You have to have something to convert from 120V AC from the generator to 12V DC

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

I believe he was talking about using a charger connected to the Generator.......I carry one just for that purpose because it charges faster than the onboard system......alot higher output and is a great add on when the chassis battery goes down.......

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

legrandnormand wrote:
Maybee while running your GEN if you do so, why not charge your batteries with a battery charger while your GEN runs; it would be quite faster then charging it with the trailer's converter.

While we're all trying to give good advise, let's be careful. This all "depends." A quality, 3 stage charger in a trailer running off a generator can do just as good if not a better job of charging batteries - properly. Some "fast charging" chargers used on a regular basis to re-charge a battery can and will ruin batteries. Especially expensive AGM or like kind batteries. External "car" type battery chargers are usually intended to re-charge a battery quickly that has been run down - and do it just once in while at the most. Not each day as the batteries are used over the evening and night. (I agree with Mike's occasional application for a motorhome starting or chassis battery but this is a bit different question.)

It is said somewhere, "Batteries don't die - their murdered." This is very true and if one is boondocking knowing the proper care of the batteries is really important. Not all batteries are the same and likewise quality deep cycle batteries, such as those typically used for boondocking, require a good 3-stage charger and close monitoring of the water level assuming they are wet cells. Not all batteries should be charged at the same rate. "It depends."

Lots to learn at boondocking and batteries are one of the most important items to enjoying the boondocking experience. Their will be plenty of time for Q & A at the Rally and I'm sure you'll come away with a good understanding of batteries and how to care for them.

Bill

legrandnormand · RV-Dreams Family Member

That's what I use, a 3 stage charger that I keep in the electrical compartment, where all my breakers are.

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

legrandnormand wrote:
That's what I use, a 3 stage charger that I keep in the electrical compartment, where all my breakers are.

Good deal. We just don't want to leave the impression a "converter," just to use the term generically, built into a trailer as an OEM device, if it is a quality 3 stage charger adjusted to the type of batteries and their requirements, can't charge batteries just as fast or properly as an external charger. Depends on the charger. I've just seen a few misunderstanding over the years on this and other related electrical subjects.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

I like Bill's comment about batteries being "murdered." We have 4 batteries in our Mobile Suites because we added a 3000 watt Xantrex inverter when it was built. We picked up our trailer in May of 2010 and are still on the original 4 batteries, so I'd say that the system we have is working very well for the life of the batteries. They've certainly not been "murdered."

Terry

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Terry and Jo wrote:
I like Bill's comment about batteries being "murdered." We have 4 batteries in our Mobile Suites because we added a 3000 watt Xantrex inverter when it was built. We picked up our trailer in May of 2010 and are still on the original 4 batteries, so I'd say that the system we have is working very well for the life of the batteries. They've certainly not been "murdered."
Terry

Terry:

As I know you’re aware but others may not be, it’s because the quality inverter / charger (charger part) has been properly set for the batteries in your rig.

There are several settings required to properly charge any battery – especially AGM or deep cycle batters. If these parameters don’t match the batteries specs the batteries will eventually be “murdered.”

As I have been asked to help people at times with “things,” including electrical, it is amazing to me to go into a trailer or MH, regardless of brand, and find the high dollar inverter / charger settings at “factory default.” I.e. not set properly by the rig’s OEM. For example: being set for 400AH worth of batteries and the battery bank being 800AH. Naturally the batteries will be improperly charged – and eventually “murdered.”

Properly maintained, quality batteries can last 5, 6, 7 years without losing too much of their capacity. But mis-charging or over discharging – such as discharging below ~50% capacity over and over again - will make even the finest batteries useless for service and these things can be really expensive to replace.

Bill