Charging batteries with 15A 120V

[Vegasdan]

We've put our coach up for the short winter in Las Vegas at our son's home. I have a 120V 15A outlet that I can plug the coach into. Our coach has a 50A cord and I would like to use 2 dog bone connectors to get to a 15A plug in. The coach came with these 2 connectors so I imagine it's been done before. I have one that goes from 50A to 30A and one that goes from 30A to 15A. My question is also, will there be any problems associated with all these adapters. I will not be using any appliances or heaters or furnaces, etc. I just want to maintain the batteries. Thanks for your help. Dan

[HD4Mark]

Dan,
I don't see any reason that a 15A outlet wouldn't be plenty for just a maintenance charge. My little portable charger will only go 10A. One thing to look at is if your coach will charge the chassis battery as well as the house. It has been kicked around here a couple of times but a search for Trick L Start might help.

[Bill Adams]

There should be no problem using the adapters you have. Be sure that you are able to keep the plug plugged in. Sometimes you have to support the weight of the plugs/cords to ensure the 15A plugs remains securely in place. Otherwise, you just need to ensure that everything is off before you plug in and if you have the option of different battery charging level I would set it to the lowest and see how the circuit handles the load. You may find that you can keep the fridge on electric as well once the batteries go to their float charge or you may be able to run an electric heater on low. You just need to see what loads you can eliminate to ensure you don't have problems with the 15A circuit. You may be surprised how well you can get by with that connection.

[Vegasdan]

Thanks guys, We will not be living in the coach so no appliances or heaters will be used. I just want to maintain the battery bank for a couple months.

[georgetown350]

We have our rig plugged in the same way 24 7 no problems.

[Heavy Driver]

I have done the same thing many times with all the adapter plugs with no problems. But the first time I happened to plug into a GFI outlet that would not carry the load, it kept popping the GFI button for that circuit. I found a non-GFI, 20 amp in the garage that works great. My inverter will then run off the battery to power the residential refrigerator and cool it down for loading.

[Vegasdan]

It works! I have plugged into an outdoor recept. That left my "dog bones" exposed to weather, so I got a plastic tub with a snap on lid large enogh to fit the adapters and connections inside, notched it in 2 places at the top of the tub and after putting the adapters inside, snapped the lid on.

[Eddie Foy]

120V at 15A is 150A at 12V-plenty for a charger.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vegasdan We've put our coach up for the short winter in Las Vegas at our son's home. I have a 120V 15A outlet that I can plug the coach into. Our coach has a 50A cord and I would like to use 2 dog bone connectors to get to a 15A plug in. The coach came with these 2 connectors so I imagine it's been done before. I have one that goes from 50A to 30A and one that goes from 30A to 15A. My question is also, will there be any problems associated with all these adapters. I will not be using any appliances or heaters or furnaces, etc. I just want to maintain the batteries. Thanks for your help. Dan

[NLOVNIT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Adams ... you just need to ensure that everything is off before you plug in...

I can attest to this. We keep our coach plugged into a 20a recept for it's entire winter sleep (Nov-Apr) at a storage facility away from our home. Last season, I *stupidly* left the radio on while I was doing a final cleaning inside. Dave was busy taking the radio/cb antenna & solar panel off (sharp edges) in prep for putting the cover on. I was running the sweeper & didn't realize the radio stopped putting out sound but was still on. We buttoned up the coach, put the cover on, plugged it in & thought all was fine. Unfortunately, there must've been a power outtage for a long time when there were temps well below freezing. The silent but ON radio drained the house batteries & they burst. Didn't find out about it until we uncovered it in the spring.

Lesson learned: don't run the sweeper while the radio is on when hubby is disconnnecting the antenna!.

I've also heard to check each month the battery fluid levels on plugged in rv's to be sure the batteries don't boil dry from over charging. Our Bounder has some kind of device that prevents this, but I've read of rv's that don't have this safeguard.

Lori-

[Wayne M]

As you found out, yes. I do it at my storage unit all the time. I run a 15 amp, 12 gauge extension cord to inside the electrical compartment and use the two dog bones you mentioned into a Progressive Industries portable surge protector. (PT50C)

I'm not sure how you notched your plastic box, but please make sure that water cannot get in when it rains. Filling up the box with the connectors laying on the bottom would not be a good thing.

[Bill Adams]

I have never found that leaving the various dog bones connected and out in the weather to be an issue. If you think there could be standing water where you lay them I would just raise them with a piece of wood or on top of one of those open milk crate type boxes and the connection should be fine.

[wa8yxm]

When I had a house and stayed there in the winter the RV was plugged into a 20 amp line (30 amp outlet but 20 amp breaker, saves on one adapter that way) It not only kept the batteries full and happy. but since I use the RV most every day summer and winter it provided up to 1500 watts of heat for the "Radio Room" in the rig (Now you know why, it is my "ham Shack")

Though I'll admit the rest of the rig got downright frosty at times

My converter is a PD-9180... I have fed it with a 10 amp circuit (though that is not recommended) when the batteries were dead and I mean DEAD!!!! and it worked.

[Vegasdan]

I won't have to worry about the freezing issue here in Vegas-yes it can get down to freezing over night, but it warms up into the 50s on most winter days. The second thing is water getting into the tub, we get about 1" of rain a year and this tub is under the overhang of the roof. I notched it at the top of the tub and the lid snaps down so the space between the cord and the hole is minute, however I will keep my eye on it if and when it does rain.

[hamdave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vegasdan We've put our coach up for the short winter in Las Vegas at our son's home. I have a 120V 15A outlet that I can plug the coach into. Our coach has a 50A cord and I would like to use 2 dog bone connectors to get to a 15A plug in. The coach came with these 2 connectors so I imagine it's been done before. I have one that goes from 50A to 30A and one that goes from 30A to 15A. My question is also, will there be any problems associated with all these adapters. I will not be using any appliances or heaters or furnaces, etc. I just want to maintain the batteries. Thanks for your help. Dan

If you look at your converter feeds, I'll bet there is one on a 15a breaker for your converter. If that's so, and you are only using the converter, you should have no problems.

cheers