Rv batts

[Murminator]

Wife wanted to get away for the weekend so we made a quick trip to Wab on the weekend 2 nights using lights, pump, radio for hours on end TV I had 2 showers in the trailer wife had 1 and I do not conserve power for a weekend I could give 2 chits about power. The little power indicator still showed 3/4 after the weekend. I take my batteries off every trip cause I leave it in a storage lot and I don't want them walking away. When I got home I took them off hooked them up to my charger unloaded the trailer washed the bugs off when I was done the batteries were fully charged again i know driving charges the batteries but in an hour doubt it charges them very much

 

[goodngrubby]

The 6's need a lot of charge time. When they're run down, buddy told me to charge them at 10amp for 48 hours. The trickle off your truck would take 5000miles to charge them fully. Same with plugging the trailer in when you get hOme...because most built in converters/chargers only put out around two amps, it will take a week to charge the batteries.

 

[DaveB]

Actually a good sized charge wire will charge the batts quite fast as it is direct from your alternator at about 13.5 volts...check the charge wire fuse...it will be a big one.

The on-board converters charge real slow as you said. If you have a Progressive Dynamics you can add the Charge Wizard which will turn the converter into a proper 3 stage charger. Charge Wizard

Iota has one as well....IQ Smart Charger for DLS Series Battery Chargers from IOTA Engineering

I've had both these units on my Class A's and they work great...bulk charge is done at 14.8 volts and puts most batteries back to 90% or more in less than an hour of genny running. Leave them plugged in and charging at home and these units have a built in desulfation mode as well.

 

[campingnut]

I have a charger with a charge wizard and find it makes a big difference in maintaining batteries. I know this is a battery topic but I just thought I would ad to DaveB post. I also find I do not have to add water like I used to before the charge wizard.

 

[Murminator]

I have a charger with a charge wizard and find it makes a big difference in maintaining batteries. I know this is a battery topic but I just thought I would ad to DaveB post. I also find I do not have to add water like I used to before the charge wizard.

I got the same kinda charger i just leave it plugged in all summer when not charging it maintains them

 

[barefooter]

What size inverter do you need to run a TV/DVD combo? My trailer has an automotive type 12v receptacle in the TV hookup area. Will this supply enough jiuce to an inverter to run the TV and DVD? I have seen some at the RV dealer for $1,200 and that seems a little overkill for the trailer. Will a Canucklehead Tire one work?

Greg

Get an inverter and you wouldn't even need to run the genny for the movies...

 

[DaveB]

What size inverter do you need to run a TV/DVD combo? My trailer has an automotive type 12v receptacle in the TV hookup area. Will this supply enough jiuce to an inverter to run the TV and DVD? I have seen some at the RV dealer for $1,200 and that seems a little overkill for the trailer. Will a Canucklehead Tire one work?

Greg

A Crappy Tire 400w would likely be more than enough. On a tube TV, you might need a larger one as it takes aq pretty good surge to start it...if it's a LCD, no problems. The issue will be with the 12v receptical....the feed wire to this receptical is usually real small and won't supply the inverter with enough juice. I been there, tried that. If I clamped the inverter directly to the battery, then ran an extension cord, no problems...if I plugged into that 12v plug, the inverter would shut down.

 

[goodngrubby]

What size inverter do you need to run a TV/DVD combo? My trailer has an automotive type 12v receptacle in the TV hookup area. Will this supply enough jiuce to an inverter to run the TV and DVD? I have seen some at the RV dealer for $1,200 and that seems a little overkill for the trailer. Will a Canucklehead Tire one work?

Greg

Get an inverter and you wouldn't even need to run the genny for the movies...

I have a 19" lcd tv/dvd combo in the bedroom of my trailer. It runs perfectly off a 75watt invertor from Canadian Tire ($13 on sale). The tv is 55watt, so any bigger, and the cheapo invertor probably wouldn't handle it.

 

[eclipse1966]

so I went to go and buy a couple 6 V Trojan batteries in Vernon and they are $210 each here. Is that high?

 

[green-horn]

Did you get kissed???

 

[600twin]

6v Titan batt's , are 165.00 each at battery direct in Red Deer

 

[eclipse1966]

Did you get kissed???

nope so I didn't buy them. :d

I am going to look around as I think there are better prices out there.

 

[eclipse1966]

got a friend of mine picking up two 6 V batteries from Medicine Hat at $125 bucks each. They are $210 here in BC. What a huge difference for the same battery.

 

[sledderdoc]

got a friend of mine picking up two 6 V batteries from Medicine Hat at $125 bucks each. They are $210 here in BC. What a huge difference for the same battery.

Was thinking the same thing. Pretty sure I only paid a little over 110 bucks for mine last year! $210 is pricey!! I'd expect a kiss and a cup!!

 

[goodngrubby]

yep, there would have to be a little touchy-feely on the hog and balls to pay that price.

 

[Transporter]

crappy tire has the 3000 watt inverters on for just over 200 bucks. i think they are 1500 watts per plug that must be decent price. Whats easiest just wire it direct to batteries and run a cord? What does a proffesional install of a rv inverter system cost?

 

[campingnut]

Just be careful what you run with that inverter as it is probably not a pure sign wave, a lot of sensitive electronics will not like it. As for your question you would want to mount it as close to your batteries as possible and then run a 110 power cord to your shore power. Are you sure it is 3000w for $200.

 

[Transporter]

Its $240.00 regular $400.00. I guess you could plug trailer into the inverter but wouldnt you have to disable the converter or whatever is built into the trailer already that runs when you plug it in and make sure your fridge was on propane only? Modified sign wave.

 

[campingnut]

Yes there is more to it then just pluging it in, sorry I made it sound to simple. You will have to find a way to make it so your on board charging system does not work and you should put your fridge on propane. My inverter turns power on to the whole trailer and I also have to turn of my charger. I also have a transfer switch in between the shore power plug and it, so if you are plugged into shore power you can't accidently turn on your inverter and have power from 2 110 sources.

I still am amazed that a 3000w inverter is only $200.

 

[DaveB]

Modified Sine will work for most things. I know that laptop chargers and small battery chargers do NOT like MSW. On my rig the inverter powers a second AC sub-panel. This way only things on this sub panel recieve AC from the inverter. (both TV's, both DVD's, front stereo, sub, and one inside and one outside plug...that's it) Plus, like Campingnut's, there is a built-in transfer switch, so when AC is present from the genny or hook-up plug, it goes through the inverter automatically.

For the most efficient set-up, the inverter should be as close to the batts as possible. Let the long runs of power be 110 AC.

I would like at the Xantrex 1000w that Crappy Tire has over the 3000w Motomaster. Built-in transfer switch and it's a charger...

Product data here: Inverter Charger | Freedom HF Inverter/Charger | Xantrex