New Guy needs help with battery and charger

[Arne]

Mine is hooked up the same way, when shore power is connected, the battery gets charged.... when home, it is always plugged in, so I don't take the battery out in the winter, just keep it charged...

I've done this on my scooter as well, and the 2002 oem battery still works. But, that one I'm going to replace as a cell could short out while I'm away from home, and 7 years is good enough.

[Steve_Cox]

I have a walmart 3 stage charger and it has to be initialized every time I power it up.

That sure could be the posters problem, good catch!

Do you guys really have to "turn it on" everytime you want to charge the battery(s)?

I bought the Deltran 5 Amp model.
I connected it permanantly, and each time the trailer is hooked up to shore power, it kicks in as needed, no switches or buttons.

The charger I was referring to is a portable charger I use for automotive and boat batteries mostly. I had a permanently mounted charger in the teardrop that charged when the 120volt breaker for the charger was turned on. The gypsy trailer has a 12 volt 30 Amp converter/automatic charger.

[wlooper89]

I have a walmart 3 stage charger and it has to be initialized every time I power it up.

That sure could be the posters problem, good catch!

Do you guys really have to "turn it on" everytime you want to charge the battery(s)?

I bought the Deltran 5 Amp model.
I connected it permanantly, and each time the trailer is hooked up to shore power, it kicks in as needed, no switches or buttons.

http://www.batterymart.com/p-battery-te ... rger.html#

$78.00

<img src="http://www.batterymart.com/images/products/full/DEL-022-0157-1-new.jpg">

Good points Rob. I have more switches than necessary for my battery chargers. For the converter to work an AC master CB and another CB inside the converter have to be on. Also an AC master switch has to be on and the battery switch has to be on for the converter to charge the trailer battery. I now believe that is not all necessary but will leave it as it seems to work.

There is also a Battery Tender in my system that is not necessary except as a backup. The Battery Tender is set to work only if the converter is unpowered, the battery switch off, a DC switch in the Battery Tender output is on and the switched AC outlet for the Battery Tender is switched on.

Too many switches I know. Maybe it will keep my mind active trying to remember how to turn the chargers on and off. Or maybe it will just keep my mind confused.

Bill

[Shadow Catcher]

From what I have been able to find there is no advantage to using two 6V batteries and the disadvantage is that they have to be the same age etc. I would be willing to bet this is a holdover from an earlier age when battery technology was not what it is today. Concord/Lifeline makes batteries that meet Mil spec and FCC requirements and have been in the forefront of research in gel and AGM batteries.