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Topic Closedrunning appliances and battery charging
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fwunder View Drop Down
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Posts: 1676 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: running appliances and battery charging
    Posted: 04 Aug 2015 at 8:00am
Charlie beat me to it!! Smile

fred
2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
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fwunder View Drop Down
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Posts: 1676 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Aug 2015 at 7:59am
Originally posted by Chuck

When charging from TV directly to battery, how long should I allow the vehicle to idle to get a full charge. We're headed out to Glacier for 10 days tomorrow and with 2 CPAPS we use every bit of both batteries and no electrical hook up.

It depends...
 
Would be best to get yourself a voltmeter and monitor your batteries.

My CPAP 12v cigarette plug adapter outputs 12 volt @ 2.5 amps. I carry 230 Amp Hours worth of battery fully charged. With no other drain on the batteries, I could run my CPAP for 92 hours. But, there is never "no other drain on the batteries". So, I monitor battery voltage closely.

As to charging your batteries with your TV, assuming you are using heavy duty jumper cables (not Bargman connector), charge time will depend on your vehicle alternator output and SOC (state of charge) of your pod batteries. I've included a SOC table which may help. Remember to measure battery voltage at "resting" state. It's a little tough while camping, but I just make sure everything is turned off and let it sit for an hour or so before checking voltage.

Hope that helps.

fred
2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Aug 2015 at 7:50am
If you're talking about direct connection with a set of heavy duty #4 copper jumper cables the answer is it depends on you TV.
http://www.sears.com/diehard-platinum-20ft-450a-4-gauge-booster-cable/p-02871304000P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3
TVs' electrical electrical systems vary as to charging voltage and this varies the charging rate. Pretty much a trial and error situation. Try and hour at idle and measure the open circuit at rest voltage of the battery. Adjust up or down depending on results.

If you're talking about charging through the 7 pin Bargman connector, the answer is probably never.
Charlie
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Chuck View Drop Down
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Posts: 140 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Aug 2015 at 7:02am
When charging from TV directly to battery, how long should I allow the vehicle to idle to get a full charge. We're headed out to Glacier for 10 days tomorrow and with 2 CPAPS we use every bit of both batteries and no electrical hook up.
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2015 at 10:23pm
And be sure to charge the battery overnight every 30 days year-round (and before a trip) if you cant leave it on a battery tender or the pod plugged in all the time. Then disconnect the battery from the pod
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Posts: 4518 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2015 at 9:45pm
Good to know!
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1454 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2015 at 9:35pm
Charging batteries with you tow vehicle is as restricted as generator use, for what that's worth.  From the Great Smoky Mountains campground rules:

Quiet Hours and Generators
Quiet hours are in effect from 10 pm to 6 am. Generator use is prohibited from 8 pm to 8 am. Generator use and battery charging by engine idling is prohibited in generator free areas.

TT
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2015 at 1:46pm
BTW, the connection sequence I recommended is based on thin probabilities of you dropping a cable and hitting some metal of the opposite polarity. No big deal if you violate it. Sky will not fall, Earth will not stand still, etc. 
Charlie
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GLBCamper View Drop Down
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Posts: 274 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2015 at 1:43pm
Thanks. That's the configuration I was trying to relay.
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jul 2015 at 12:41pm
The best connection is TV battery positive terminal to TT battery positive terminal and TV engine block to TT battery negative terminal. If you can't conveniently get to the TV engine block a perfectly acceptable alternate is the TV battery negative terminal. In connecting the jumpers it is best to connect the two positive clamps first, then connect the two negative clamps in either order. Of course the TV engine should be running.
Charlie
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