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Old 12-04-2016, 09:55 AM   #1
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Charging battery and how long does it take?

New to this and getting to know the TT in the driveway. I was just playing with it and the awning wouldn't retract. Battery was dead. I know it charges when plugged into shore power and when my truck is plugged into it. How long to fully charge a single 12v battery by shore and truck method? Is there a better way to charge batteries, other than a generator? I guess no way to tell if they are fully charged, unless I buy some sort of battery meter? Just trying to figure all this out before I make a mistake away from home.

As an aside, I plugged the trailer into my garage using a 20/30 dogbone. Not sure how long to leave it so battery fully charges. Also, do I need to turn the battery disconnect switch in the pass-through for the battery to charge?
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Old 12-04-2016, 10:08 AM   #2
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Plug it in overnight to charge the batteries.

Get a digital voltmeter. Multimeter versions run from less than $5 @ Harbor Freight to well over $100. Something in the $5-$20 range will do what you need without breaking your pocket book and give you a tool box meter if you decide you need a better one.

Once you have a meter look up the charge voltage vs charge level charts. The reading will be high when you disconnect shore power. Check it and write it down. Check it the next day and write it down and compare to the charge level chart. Do that every day until you hit 50% state of charge. However many days that takes is one day longer than you want to go between charge cycles. In other words if it takes 7 days to hit 50% do an overnight charge every 6 days. That way you will not cook your batteries or let them go flat. If you miss a day it won't be a catastrophe.

Check the water level once a week or once a charge cycle until you need water. Do the same think you did with charging. Add water every whatever number of charge cycles it takes to get half way down between the bottom of the filler indicator and the top of the plates. You don't want the level to drop below the top of the plates.

That is a bit of a fuss but will avoid most problems with batteries.
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Old 12-04-2016, 10:29 AM   #3
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The TT does not have some kind of battery charge indication? Usually on a panel that also had indicator for black and grey tank levels.

If you have a wet battery that needs to have water added periodically, be sure and do do. If a sealed battery this of course is not applicable.

Battery should typically only discharged to about 50% charge level. This is about 12vdc at rest. Deeper discharging will shorten the life if the battery.
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Old 12-04-2016, 12:17 PM   #4
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Charging battery and how long does it take?

I second the multimeter! They come in very handy for many things, including checking your battery voltage. They are simple to use —just read the manual or Google it. BTW, 12.06 vdc is 50% battery life. You do not want your batteries to drop below that level normally.
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Old 12-04-2016, 12:24 PM   #5
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Everyone that is new to RVing should be required to read this link. You really need to read this link if you want to keep your batteries healthy and increase their life.

The 12volt Side of Life (Part 1)
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Old 12-04-2016, 12:58 PM   #6
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Multimeter, distilled water, battery filler jug and leave it plugged in overnight with switch on.
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Old 12-04-2016, 02:07 PM   #7
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Bulk charging can be completed in a couple to three hours. Absorption takes a battery from 80-85% to 100% and takes time. If your battery was "dead" you have harmed it. Read one or more of the web's tutorials on RV batteries so that you don't damage it more.
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Old 12-04-2016, 08:06 PM   #8
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I am so lost. I'm not a stupid guy. I run a financial planning business and am pretty handy with most things. But, every time I think I have something figured out with this trailer, I realize I don't know what I'm doing with something else. Sorry for all the dumb questions. I just don't want to take my family out and have a horrible time, and I definitely don't want to screw anything up on the trailer.
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Old 12-04-2016, 08:59 PM   #9
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Don't be too hard on yourself. We've all been there. [emoji30]
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Old 12-05-2016, 12:11 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1bigmess View Post
Everyone that is new to RVing should be required to read this link. You really need to read this link if you want to keep your batteries healthy and increase their life.

The 12volt Side of Life (Part 1)
Good link.
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Old 12-05-2016, 07:08 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mayberry32 View Post
I am so lost. I'm not a stupid guy. I run a financial planning business and am pretty handy with most things. But, every time I think I have something figured out with this trailer, I realize I don't know what I'm doing with something else. Sorry for all the dumb questions. I just don't want to take my family out and have a horrible time, and I definitely don't want to screw anything up on the trailer.
One of the issues with any kind of RV is that there is a wide range of mechanical and electrical systems to be maintained. You will see more in a year than the average homeowner sees in a lifetime. The smart people ask questions, gather tribal knowledge, and learn enough to to avoid the big problems. The one's that don't ask thus assume everything will just work are generally the one's writing the posts about how bad something is. Ask away and we will be happy to share knowledge so you avoid adventures you would rather skip. Give it a bit of time and you will be passing out advice. Now about this stock... ;-)
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Old 12-05-2016, 07:44 PM   #12
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So, just playing in the driveway, I've already seen that I will need more than the singke 12v battery, if we are ever going to dry camp. I have one 12v. What is the difference in how long before batteries run out between adding a 2nd 12v or just replacing with 2 Trojan 6v golf cart batteries. Will the 2 6v's last substantially longer than 2 12v's?
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Old 12-05-2016, 07:59 PM   #13
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Add up the capacity at 12 volts.
(2) 12v batteries of 110 amp/hrs each is 12 volts with a total of 220 amp/hours (really only get half of that sonce discharging all of the amp hours out of a battery will ruin it quickly)
(2) 6v batteries at 220 amp/hrs each is 12 volts with a total of 220 amp hours. You can't double voltage and amp hours at the same time, so with two 6v batteries to make 12v, you double the voltage, but not the storage capacity.

Have you read the link I posted earlier? If so, do you understand it? If not, why have you passed up some of the best info that would be answering many of your questions already?
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Old 12-05-2016, 09:07 PM   #14
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Thanks. I missed that link earlier. Just read it. Extremely helpful but, as expected, created even more questions. I'm now resding through my owner's manual to see if I have a standard converter or a 3 stage. It's a brand New 2017 Winnebago travel trailer. Really nice unit, but I assume it probably has a regular converter. Pulling out the batteries and storing in my garage every time I store the camper is going to be a bit of a pain, but it appears that's probably what I should do. I definitely don't want to buy new batteries every year.

I'm going to price 2 L16 batteries to maximize battery capacity. But, I assume if they were affordable or reasonable, that article would have discussed them in much greater detail. If they are far more expensive, I'll most likely replace my single 12v with 2 6v golf cart batteries.
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