Trickle chargers on deep cycle house batteries.

[Arctickats]

The storage lot where I park will only allow us to connect trickle charge or battery maintainers to our rigs. When I left it 2 month ago I thought I had turned of the battery disconnect but to my displeasure on arrival back today both chassis and house were completely dead. I replaced my 2 chassis and added a trickle charger but am confused about the house batteries. There are 4 6v wired in series so if I can use a trickle charger how would I connect it. If I can’t suggestions on keeping them charged when I am gone for a couple of months at a time. Thanks

[FormerBoater]

Originally Posted by Arctickats

The storage lot where I park will only allow us to connect trickle charge or battery maintainers to our rigs. When I left it 2 month ago I thought I had turned of the battery disconnect but to my displeasure on arrival back today both chassis and house were completely dead. I replaced my 2 chassis and added a trickle charger but am confused about the house batteries. There are 4 6v wired in series so if I can use a trickle charger how would I connect it. If I can’t suggestions on keeping them charged when I am gone for a couple of months at a time. Thanks

It is simple with the trickle charger for your 6 volt house bank.


- Have the charger set for 12 volt charging


-Connect the positive lead on the charger to the positive battery post that connects directly from the battery bank to the large fuse leading into the coach.


-Connect the negative lead to the negative post that is connected to the chassis ground (that will be the cable going thru the firewall and out of the battery compartment to the chassis ground).


If your coach is like mine, the BIRD system will charge the House first, and then charge the Chassis batteries.


Make sure your electrolyte levels are good and you should be fine as long as it is either a trickle or 3-stage charger.

[twinboat]

Put the positive cable of the battery maintainer to either red check mark.

Put the negetive to either black check mark.

You can see that there are jumpers between the 2, 6 volt batteries with nothing else on them. DO NOT use them.

Your 4 batteries are not wired in series.

They are wired in series/parallel. 2 in series to make 12 volts, two times, and then the two series sets in parallel to give more capacity. In the end its always 12 volts.

[Sundancer268]

Originally Posted by Arctickats

There are 4 6v wired in series so if I can use a trickle charger how would I connect it. If I can’t suggestions on keeping them charged when I am gone for a couple of months at a time. Thanks

You have two 6 volt batteries in series. They are then connected in parallel to provide 12 volts for the coach. Just hook up a trickle charger, I would recommend the Battery Minder, I have had good luck with them. If you are confused what wires to connect to, you will find a single heavy wire running between the Positive and negative posts on the 6 volt batteries. This is the connection point between the batteries. Connect the battery charger to the red terminal (positive Post) on that battery and the Black Terminal (Negative Post) of the other battery. Use a volt meter and where you get 12 volts, that is where to connect the charger.