Wintertime - 2002 RB 24 foot

[whemme]

I've had a Schumacher brand that I've had for years. I went down to pick up another and it looks the same but is lighter, the older one was significantly heavier. Both made in china as all are I suspect. Pick those up for $20 and the old one was a good maintainer, see if the newer ones are.

MarkB

Unanswered questions:

1) What model Schumacher are you referring to?
2) Is it a modern 3 stage charger that under long use will not overcharge the batteries?
3 Where can you buy it for $20?
4) Are you asking someone else to determine if later models may or may not be good maintainers?

[MarkB]

I've had a Schumacher brand that I've had for years. I went down to pick up another and it looks the same but is lighter, the older one was significantly heavier. Both made in china as all are I suspect. Pick those up for $20 and the old one was a good maintainer, see if the newer ones are.

MarkB

Unanswered questions:

1) What model Schumacher are you referring to?
2) Is it a modern 3 stage charger that under long use will not overcharge the batteries?
3 Where can you buy it for $20?
4) Are you asking someone else to determine if later models may or may not be good maintainers?

I bought it at Lowes, had to look to find the same one I already had as the old model which is the same, just a little different and as I mentioned the weight difference. I did purchase a similar product different brand at walmart just prior and it was defective, which led me to seek the brand I already had, and when I arrived at the store and noticed the weight difference I made the purchase anyway, time will tell if it is any good. I am not asking anyone to determine if the newer ones are good, I just didn't refer to "I" in the text. Here is the model.

http://www.batterychargers.com/xm1-5/

[Bonnie McDowell]

Bill,

I was just about to order the Battery Minder you recommended, but when I read the features on Amazon it says. "(NOT recommended for deep cycle batteries)."
Why does it say that? Should I be buying a different one?

Bonnie

[whemme]

Bonnie,

Well I am surprised and confused by that statement - not recommended for use with deep cycle batteries. This is at odds with what I have known in the past and also from the Product Summary on the Northern Tool website that is a distributor of the product attached below. I have 6 of these Battery Minders and use one for the two deep cycle Interstate coach batteries and one for the chassis battery in my Born Free and have used them in that capacity for years.

[Bonnie McDowell]

Yes, I found the same thing on the BatteryMinder website (apparently the 12117 is an exclusive to Northern Tool).

However, I do have one other concern. In reading comments elsewhere, and confirmed on the Battery Minder website, this model "Will drain battery if connected without AC power." In other words, if the power goes out, it will drain the batteries! Not that I lose power all that often at my house, but still a concern. Do you which ones don't let this happen?

One more question. They say if you are connecting multiple batteries, you need this gizmo: http://www.batteryminders.com/multiple- ... tor-210-AY

However, I'm thinking maybe they mean if you are connecting multiple batteries that are not already connected in parallel, and that I won't need one of those (which is out of stock).

[whemme]

Bonnie,

The drain on any battery connected to a Battery Minder which is not being powered with 120 vac would be very slow. It would be a problem if a Battery Minder was connected to a battery and then not plugged into a source of 120 vac. However, during a short period of power outage, I would not be concerned by it.

The gizmo you refer to is not needed since your two Interstate deep cycle batteries are already connected in parallel.

[Bonnie McDowell]

If I keep the coach plugged in to shore power over the winter, will that keep the coach batteries charged and desulfated, without the need for a battery minder?

[whemme]

No, as I explained earlier if your coach is still equipped with its original single stage Parallax 7345 Charger/Converter, that unit if left ON to charge your coach batteries for more than about 3 days will start over-charging them, boil out the battery's acid and then start to damage them. The only safe way for a charger/converter to be left connected to and charging your coach batteries is if your coach has been upgraded to a modern 3-stage charger/converter such as the recommended Progressive Dynamics PD4655V. Otherwise, use a Battery Minder.

[Bonnie McDowell]

Bill,
I'm not asking whether I can use the Battery Minder, but whether just being plugged into shore power will keep the battery charged (without a battery minder). I thought there were 3 ways to put charge on the coach batteries - from the chassis battery as the truck engine is running, from the generator when that is powered up, and from shore power when you are connected. Do I have this wrong?

[whemme]

Bonnie,

No, all 3 methods will of course charge your coach batteries. But what I am trying to warn you about is that continuous charging of the batteries by plugging into shore line for extended periods of time with the original charger/converter will not be healthy for your batteries.

[Bonnie McDowell]

Oh, I see. But if I am continuously plugged in to shore power with a Battery Minder on the coach batteries, then I don't risk overcharging?

[whemme]

Bonnie,

No, you will need to have the coach battery master switch turned OFF if connected to shoreline power or the existing charger/converter will still overcharge your batteries with the Battery Minder also connected. The Battery Minder is a modern 3-stage trickle charger that will not over-charge your batteries no matter how long it is connected by itself. Same way with the 3-stage Progressive Dynamics PD4655V Charger/Converter if you were to upgrade to it.

[ackermari]

Thank you both for this thread! New owner here, winterizing for the first time. I have a MagneTek series 6300A Model 8345 power converter. The info panel states “this battery charger will automatically “sense” the condition of the RV battery(ies) and bring it up to “full charge”. After the battery is fully charged, the charging section reduces to a maintaince rate and not resume active charging of the battery(ies) until it again falls below “full charge””

Silly question (but I cant find an answer anywhere).... do I leave the 12 volt turned on (the control switch on the side of the drivers seat) when I am plugged into shore power for the winter? Or do I turn the switch off? (Please forgive me for being unfamiliar with terminology - I am learning pretty quick though!)

Marianne Acker

[whemme]

Marianne,

Yes leave that 12 vdc power switch turned on so that when connected to shore line power your 8345 power converter will continue to provide a maintenance charge to your coach batteries. Shutting that switch off will disconnect the batteries from everything in the coach including the power converter. You should of course shut that switch off whenever not using the coach and when not connected to shore line power.

[ackermari]

We kept the RV plugged in all winter. Now one more question - we are taking it on the road for 8 weeks cross country. Do we leave the 12V DC power switch turned on while we are driving, to keep the coach batteries charged? We are hoping to be able to plug in each night, but in case we can’t get a campsite with electric... I am thinking that if I turn the switch off then the batteries are disconnected and will not charge while driving. I am not sure when (or if) we should be turning the 12V DC switch on and off.......

I’m figuring this stuff out, slowly.

Next step is to dump the water tank and holding tanks of the winterization liquids. Haven’t done this yet, so I may have questions! Thanks for everyone’s help and patience.

Marianne