ClassCRV
Valencia, CA
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So it is OK to connect a portable 40 amp battery charger directly onto the battery while the generator is running and the battery is still connected to the RV electrical system? Won't this cause problens with a difference in potential between the RV charging system and the external portable charger?
92 Jamboree Class C 24ft.
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bill h
el segundo
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BFL13 wrote:Floating itself does not prevent sulfation either, it just keeps the battery voltage up. It seems if the float voltage is below "gassing" voltage the electrolyte will stratify. The "good" stuff settles to the bottom and leaves the top of the plates in the "thin" stuff which is similar to when battery is not fully charged, except then the whole plate is in the thin stuff after dispersion. So the top of the plates can sulfate even though you are floating at 13something volts.
Yes. Some chargers recognize this, and after a while, they will discontinue charging for a little while to allow the battery to discharge a little so a stronger charge will then act as a desulfation measure. I do this manually if the solar has been floating for too long.
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It is all too complicated and the best way to avoid all this is to camp all year and keep cycling your batteries. Staying home is what causes all the problems!
You betcha! Use it or lose it. 
Batteries are just like gensets. They gotta be used once a month.
Bill and Susan
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sctusa
Carrabelle, Fl.
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ClassCRV wrote:So it is OK to connect a portable 40 amp battery charger directly onto the battery while the generator is running and the battery is still connected to the RV electrical system? Won't this cause problens with a difference in potential between the RV charging system and the external portable charger?
NO. Unless you also have the shorepower cord hooked to the generator at the same time. In that case the charger and your converter are monitoring each other and think the batteries are charged much more then they actually are.
Will not hurt anything, but you will not be getting an appropriate battery charge.
Scott
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smkettner
Southern California
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ClassCRV wrote:So it is OK to connect a portable 40 amp battery charger directly onto the battery while the generator is running and the battery is still connected to the RV electrical system? Won't this cause problens with a difference in potential between the RV charging system and the external portable charger?
No problems will be created and no damage will occur. Connect it on and let it do its thing.
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jharrelson
Carson City, Nevada
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Ron44 wrote:Which portable battery charger/chargers is best?
When I hook up battery charger, do the batteries need to be disconnected from the rv at all ?
ABSOLUTELY YES ...
Can I hook up a 12-volt charger to my pair of 6-volt batteries?
Not a good idea to try and charge two 6-volt batteries at the same time by using a 12-volt charger.. there is a risk of damaging the 6-volt batteries with the higher voltage.
If your charger has a dual 6-volt/12-volt switch... it is safer to charge the batteries using the 6-volt setting and charge each battery separately or connected in tandam...
this way each battery only gets 6-volts of juice going into it..
Thanks in advance
Ron
Fifty years ago before vehicles became so complicated with electronic gadgets like clocks, transistor radios, electronic sensors on engine components.. etc...
You could simply pop the hood and connect a battery charger to recharge your vehicle's battery..
BUT NOT ANYMORE..... with today's vehicles ... which include all types of RVs... as well as cars and trucks... You should NEVER use a "Battery Charger" to charge a battery that is still connected to the vehicle.
"Jump-Starting" by using another battery of the same voltage will not normally harm the electronic components installed in the dead vehicle .. be it a car, truck or RV trailer...
However if a "Battery Charger" is connected to the dead battery while it is still connected to the RV trailer or other type vehicle .... it could cause serious damage to the electronic components installed in it... like tanks sensors, stereo systems, etc...
Which cost more ?.... the 5 minutes it takes to disconnect and reconnect the battery cables or the possible damage that could cost you hundreds of dollars..
Disconnect the battery first... before connecting a battery charger...
Best Wishes,
John
John Harrelson
Carson City, Nevada
fulltime since 1977
93 Ford 350 4wd Diesel
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TWO CENTS WORTH
The story goes that a man died and was approached by the Devil who told him that he could buy his soul back for a dollar. The man searched his pockets and could only come up with 98 cent. While begging the Devil to forget the two cent he was short, an Angel happened by and hearing the Devil laughing, asked the man, "Would you mind if I put in my two cents ?" The Devil got so mad that he exploded in a puff of smoke and the man's soul was saved.
The moral: Sometimes putting in your two cents worth makes a difference.
JOHN "the cook" 1997
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BFL13
Victoria, BC
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BUT NOT ANYMORE..... with today's vehicles ... which include all types of RVs... as well as cars and trucks... You should NEVER use a "Battery Charger" to charge a battery that is still connected to the vehicle
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This may depend more on the type of battery charger. The Vector smart chargers are safe to use with the battery hooked up. I have used mine on the car that way no problem, and on the trailer many times no problems.
IMO several people here have posted they do it with no problems but I don't know the brand/type of charger in each case so IMO , generally, smart chargers are safe that way.
The only case where everyone agrees the battery bank should be disconnected to protect the 12v systems is when using a high over-voltage to desulfate/equalize. (the Vector pulse type "recondition" method is safe without disconnecting since it doesn't raise the battery voltage except maybe a little. I have checked that with a meter to be sure, and have done this several times no problem)
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BackroadNiagraFamily
Phoenix AZ
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Wow. Lots of approaches and information. This is very helpful, if not a bit confusing to me. Thanks. One question though.
My question: If I disconnect the batteries from the trailer, and plug in a portable charger to a generator, how do I determine how big of a generator I need to have???
I'd love to be able to re-charge at 30+ Amps, but I'm really only considering a 1000 or so watt generator (Honda or Yamaha). I'd like to buy a Vector 35 or 40 amp smart charger, but I don't know if I can run one on a small generator.
Thanks again.
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bearsnob
Oregon
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My older vector 35 amp charger worked well with a yamaha 1000 inverter generator. I remember that I really wanted a particular 50 amp charger, but it had too big of a current draw to work with my setup. I'll bet the 40 amp charger will work since my 35 amp charger is only about 600 watts when charging at 35 amps. Look on the charger and it should have a label or plate that tells you the maximum current draw in either watts or amps. A 1000 watt generator is usually rated to put out 900 watts of continuous current.
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smkettner
Southern California
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A 1000w generator should be fine up to 45 amps.
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BFL13
Victoria, BC
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The 40amp Vector should be ok with a 1000w Honda. There is some eveidence the power factor is very high so the apporx 700w the Vector wants for doing 40 amps is close to what the Honda will have to supply as volt-amps, and as was mentioned, it can do about 900VA continuous.
However, IMO it would be better to get the 2000 for notmuch more $$ so you can run other stuff at the same time and if you ever get a greater requirement RVing in the future. You can even get a second 2000 in the future and the pair will run your air conditioner too. A pair of 2000s is a lot handier to own than the Honda 3000 we have which is seriously heavy and awkward.
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