This topic has been covered from what I can gather more than 6 months ago. AMP L start and other maintainer deviced have been mentioned. For those that used the AMP L Start and had failures I ask if you mounted the device in the engine compartment or in a cooler environment. My thinking is to mount inside the bedroom at foot of the bed where I can view the led readouts.
Thanks in advance
Bob,
If you are referring to the Trik-L-Start, I mounted mine directly on the battery, and tied in at the isolator. It's been there 2+ years, and still working perfectly. YRMV.
I have the AMP L start which has a 15 amp charging rate and there are a couple more led lights than the trik l . Since my coach has a large bit of realestate between battery banks the recommended connection point is at the boost relay or battery isolator.
I have never felt comfortable using just the isolator for parked and plugged into shore power to maintain the starting batteries. This device mentioned here seems like a great addition to an already great coach.
I use a Battery Tender Power Tender 5A unit mounted in the bedroom on the pedestal of the bed. It is a "smart charger" that operates from 120VAC. It maintains charge on the chassis batteries while on shore power, generator, or inverter. I've use it for a few years and have been pleased.
JD Stevens Where and how did you run your wires. Your method sounds exactly as I have envisioned. My coach is stored away from my everyday view so I am curious. Could include a picture or 2?
You can connect the 12 VDC output wires from the charger to any place you have a good solid connection to the chassis battery.
Popular choices are at the chassis battery lug of the battery isolator and at the chassis battery itself.
Just curious, why from the inverter? using battery power to charge batteries. I know the coach batteries are bigger but why use them?
Because plugging the Battery Tender to that 120VAC outlet was so easy, and that outlet is live when the inverter is on. The fact that the Tender is on while the inverter is supplying power a consequence of where I plugged it in. It is not a design goal. We only turn the inverter on while we are occupying the coach.
I simply attached the Battery Tender to the side of the platform for the bed with a couple of screws. Our coach has 120VAC outlets in that location. I can easily see the LED status lights of the charger. I ran the 12VDC through the platform and into the engine compartment. I sealed the holes with caulk.
The 12VDC wires tie into the 12VDC system from the chassis batteries. The connection could be at the isolater, the battery terminals, or any place that provides a direct electrical path to the chassis batteries. I tied into a couple of wires that the PO (previous owner) had used for a 2A "not as smart" charger that he had put in the engine compartment.
A small smart charger could be placed anywhere in the coach that would conveniently allow access to a 120VAC outlet and a point to tie into a chassis "always hot" wire and a good ground. Because currents for battery maintenance are low, distance from the batteries is not a significant factor.
I used to use one of the Battery Tenders till it packed in then followed my Brothers idea of putting a 70w solar panel on the roof just to keep these engine batteries up to scratch. They have been on for our 5 month trip and had no problem doing the job and I never have to worry about it as we do not plug in to 120v very much in RV parks so this works just fine. It is a 3 stage one so that is good. I put up another 160w panel I bought from AMSOLAR as we passed by their shop on way home so now have 860 watts up top. By the way anyone that thinks the taped and levelling caulk will not hold those panels down should have seen the trouble I had to remove one of the original panels off roof to move it slightly to make more room for this new one. It was a job cutting thru the stuff and I honestly thought I was going to pull the fibreglass roof apart to move it. They are never moving unless a tornado hits!! NO need for screws at all.
JohnH
I mounted ours on the wall next to the main DC circuit breaker panel on the rear wall of the rear storage bay. It's protected from the elements and there was a 120 V outlet nearby.
A wise practice in this instance :) Just like leaving the Boost switch on, leaving the inverter on and the Battery Tender pulling from the house batteries to keep the chassis batteries charged will result in both sets of batteries being drained below usefulness if you don't have a source of replenishment, like shore power, generator, or solar.
AMPL-start and TRIK L start are both passive charge stealers and function only when the onboard charger/inverter is applying current to charge the house batteries. I chose the AMPL-start for its 15 amp capability as I have 3 starting batteries in parallel and assumed that a 5 amp TRIK-L start would leave the statring bank undercharged in certain situations. After reading here I will definitely mount mine at base of our bed and run wires through new holes or something existing if available. Work on this expected to start Mar 11. Doing some Grandparenting later today and running through Thur in Byron,IL
Starting to feel like Spring here
I have asked this question at Batteryminder company and still await an answer. Their chargers have desulfating technology built in and they mention connecting to banks of 4 or 6 batteries depending on the unit purchased. My question to them is should the individual batteries be run through a complete cycle before reconnecting in parallel(12V) and then applying the charger to the complete bank. Any experience or knowledge appreciated.
When I first connected my battery minder some years ago, I just started with charged batteries. I was concerned that the minder was of low capacity, but considering the fact that it is there only to counteract parasitics, it is more than enough. Ever since installing the unit, I have always been greeted with fully charged starting batteries even after the coach has sat unused for weeks.
My biggest claim to expertise on battery maintenance is that the original battery on my Goldwing motorcycle served well for six years. ;) I kept it on a Battery Tender while the motorcycle was parked, which was almost all the time.
I agree with Tom Lang's suggestion that a 5A charger should be quite ample for the chassis batteries, provided they are being "maintained" rather than in need of charging. I maintain the house batteries on our coach with the Link 2000/Freedom 25 system. You could probably maintain (and desulphate) house batteries with a Battery Minder.
I have bought some Battery Minders, as well. I like the desulphating function. It won't hurt and will probably help keep batteries in good shape.