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01-17-2017, 10:00 AM
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#1
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Oak Ridge, TN
Posts: 211
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How to connect external battery charger
Hi - currently camping in Florida with what looks like a bad Xantrex charger/inverter. I'm thinking of getting a battery charger for the house batteries so I can at least keep dry camping.
2003 Journey 36GD
I have 3 House batteries wired in parallel.
How would I connect the charger? Positive on front battery and negative on the back one?
Would I have to disconnect any cables?
Thanks
Ben
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01-17-2017, 10:09 AM
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#2
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 126
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For safety reasons take a couple of pictures and post them here.
My inverter/converter went up in smoke a few days ago so I too am running on a small charger.
A ten amp charger will work if you are sensible at night with lots of lights on etc.
If you are anywhere near Auburndale I can offer assistance in person. I'm an Electronic tech.
__________________
Myron & Deborah
08 HR Endeavor 40 SKQ
2012 Ford Edge Limited FWD 3.5L
Aluminator tow bar, Demco base plate
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01-17-2017, 10:14 AM
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#3
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 23
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Yes pos on one side of the array and neg on the other. Easy Peasy
__________________
2005 Bigfoot 1500C8.2 Truck Camper; MANY mods, to many to list
2007 Chevy 2500 Duramax Std Bed Ext Cab
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01-17-2017, 10:56 AM
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#4
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Vermont
Posts: 5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garbonz
Yes pos on one side of the array and neg on the other. Easy Peasy
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x2 on this. We had to do that last summer, and it worked great. (Not dry camping, but dead batteries from power outage and blown inverter).
__________________
Ray & Julie
'97 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 34', and lovin' it!
Vermont, USA
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01-17-2017, 12:23 PM
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#5
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Oak Ridge, TN
Posts: 211
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Here is my setup and what I bought from Walmart. I wasn't sure what to get. Wasn't sure about using it in boost mode or not. I wouldn't use the engine start mode for sure.
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01-17-2017, 03:44 PM
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#6
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Whitney, TX
Posts: 54
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelm130
Hi - currently camping in Florida with what looks like a bad Xantrex charger/inverter. I'm thinking of getting a battery charger for the house batteries so I can at least keep dry camping.
2003 Journey 36GD
I have 3 House batteries wired in parallel.
How would I connect the charger? Positive on front battery and negative on the back one?
Would I have to disconnect any cables?
Thanks
Ben
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My inverter fried itself about three years ago, so I got by the rest of that year with a 6-amp charger. We seldom used the inverter, so I didn't spend the $$ to replace it. I bought a new PD 60-amp converter and installed it in place of the inverter/charger. I've not missed the inverter, and haven't had any battery problems.
__________________
USAF, Retired (1962 - 1983)
2000 Itasca Horizon 36LD, 300 Cat
2006 Honda CR-V Toad
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01-17-2017, 05:10 PM
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#7
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelm130
Here is my setup and what I bought from Walmart. I wasn't sure what to get. Wasn't sure about using it in boost mode or not. I wouldn't use the engine start mode for sure.
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Just a recommendation, but it is best if the pos and neg wires for the coach come from opposite sides of the bank.
__________________
2005 Bigfoot 1500C8.2 Truck Camper; MANY mods, to many to list
2007 Chevy 2500 Duramax Std Bed Ext Cab
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01-17-2017, 07:20 PM
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#8
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Full time RV'er
Posts: 1,174
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Since you'd be attaching a charger, turned off, connect the positive to any positive post on your parallel bank, and the negative to a nearby ground...or, if that's not convenient, then attach to anyone of the negative battery posts. And remember that you connect positive first, then negative. This prevents excessive sparking if you've turned on or plugged in the charger early.
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01-17-2017, 07:33 PM
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#9
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: SoCal
Posts: 227
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As for the boost function of the charger, it is probably only a short time boost, and not needed for your application.
__________________
Vince and Susan
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 40QTH (Cummins ISC/Freightliner)
Flat towing a modified 2005 Jeep (Rubicon Wrangler)
Previously a 2002 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 37A and a 1995 Safari Trek 2830.
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01-17-2017, 08:49 PM
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#10
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 200
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek
And remember that you connect positive first, then negative. This prevents excessive sparking if you've turned on or plugged in the charger early.
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Since electricity takes a circular route the size of the spark will be the same on either connection.
It is recommended that the negative cable, from a charger or jumper, be the last cable hooked up and to a ground point, away from the top of the batterys.
This is to keep the spark away from the explosive gas's that batterys can produce.
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01-17-2017, 08:50 PM
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#11
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 94
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My converter quit on my Ellipse but the inverter was fine. Instead of spending $2K or more on a replacement, I bought a Genius 30A three battery charger from Amazon for $240. Great construction and warranty and it charges and maintains the battery better than the converter.
__________________
Fulltiming in a 2006 Ellipse 40FD
Our blog
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01-18-2017, 12:30 PM
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#12
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Oak Ridge, TN
Posts: 211
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Thanks everyone. I took the car charger back to Walmart and will look into the genius 30 amp charger.
__________________
2019 Minnie Winnie 22M | 2011 Honda CRV "Serenity Now!"
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