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Elkhart View Drop Down
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Joined: 20 Aug 2012
Location: Elkhart Lake Wi
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Posts: 11 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Battery charging
    Posted: 10 Sep 2012 at 10:45pm
When charging your pod battery with a 10-15-amp external charger from a generator do you need to disconect the battery from the pod, as to not harm any of the pod electrics such as the coverter.Wink If you hook the generator directly to the pod how long would it take to fully charge a dead/low battery from the on board coverter.Wink
Keith & Kelly
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this_is_nascar View Drop Down
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Posts: 466 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Sep 2012 at 7:24am
I can't answer answer the 1st question, but as far as the 2nd.......... draining your battery tocomplete deadness or lower that 50% will significally decrease the life of that battery, if you do that on a regular basis.
 
Some great reading here.
 
 
 
"Ray & Connie"

- 2017 R-Pod RP-180
- 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road
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TIDALWAVE View Drop Down
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Posts: 315 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Sep 2012 at 11:08am
I bought a digital 12VDC meter which I can plug into a socket to check the battery charge.  I don't allow my batteries to go below 50%.  I don't have a generator...so when dry camping, I plug the Pod back into my tow vehicle and allow it to charge the battery back up.  My TV has a fairly large alternator...so the batteries recharge quickly.
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Sep 2012 at 1:33pm
You will get the best/fastest charge by plugging the pod into the generator, so the pod's 3-stage charger handles the charge rate.  I believe it has a 30 or 40 amp capacity.
 
You will not harm the pod if you connect an external charger to the battery, even if the pod is already connected to the generator or another power source.  Two chargers connected in parallel will just "fight" each other until the one with the higher finishing voltage wins.
 
As others have said, you usually don't want to go below 50% state-of-charge.  You can occasionally go down to 30% SOC, but do that rarely.  Lead acid batteries recharge quickly up to 80% SOC, so in most cases you can plug in the pod (or apply an external charger) for an hour every other day to get it from 50% to 80% (you will waste gas doing it every day).  It will take many hours to go from 80% to 100% so this should only be done once a week.  Usually that means wait until you get home and charge it fully using utility power, but if you'll be in the wilderness for more than a week you should do a full charge every 7 days.
 
More than you ever wanted to know about lead acid batteries:  http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Posts: 100 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Apr 2013 at 12:12am
Quick generator charging question after reading up on generators...can one plug their pod into the a generator 15amp socket with the adapter on the 30amp plug and charge up?  We've noticed some generators only have a 15amp socket.
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Posts: 704 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Apr 2013 at 8:36am
Sure. That's exactly how I used to top up my boat's battery bank when we had been out for several days. Plugged my small Honda into the shore power inlet and let the onboard charger do its thing.
.: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :.
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Apr 2013 at 12:57pm
Ditto.  My 2400 watt genset only has 15/20 amp outlets.  Just make sure you only use one of the "big 3" energy users at one time in the pod while using the adapter.  A/C, electric water heater element, microwave.  So turn the A/C off for a few minutes while you use the microwave, and keep the electric water heater element off.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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