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Topic ClosedLooking for the best battery charger
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WillThrill View Drop Down
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Posts: 298 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Looking for the best battery charger
    Posted: 08 Jul 2016 at 2:39pm
Originally posted by mtdave

A few rookie battery questions:

When we get home from camping should I charge the battery right away or can I leave it run down for a while?
Should charging the battery by plugging in the camper be adequate?
How do you put a battery into hibernation mode?
I'd like to know more about getting a solar panel setup for charging the battery. Any good info on that?

Thanks

There is no 'hibernation mode' for lead acid batteries.  Once they are filled with acid by the manufacturer, the clock on their lifespan starts ticking.  Every day that a battery is not kept 100% charged results in some amount of irreversible damage that is done to it.

For very down-to-earth information on lead acid batteries, I would strongly recommend that you listen to at least the first podcast shown at www.battery1234.com.  It will save you money and troubles.
"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien

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sailor323 View Drop Down
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Posts: 281 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jul 2016 at 2:25pm
It is not good to leave a battery in a partially discharged condition.  Plugging in is the best way to charge the battery.  Solar is good, too but not always the best.  There is a wealth of solar info on this facebook group's page.  We have solar and love it.
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mtdave View Drop Down
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Posts: 11 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jul 2016 at 11:31am
A few rookie battery questions:

When we get home from camping should I charge the battery right away or can I leave it run down for a while?
Should charging the battery by plugging in the camper be adequate?
How do you put a battery into hibernation mode?
I'd like to know more about getting a solar panel setup for charging the battery. Any good info on that?

Thanks
2011 R-Pod 176
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2016 at 9:17pm
Only thing I would recommend differently is to charge every 30 days.  With a self-discharge rate of 1-3% per day when it is warm out, 30 days is the max.  You can get away with 60 days during the winter since the self-discharge rate drops when it is cold.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Hunter74 View Drop Down
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Posts: 36 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2016 at 10:42am
Awesome, thanks for all the answers and information guys.  Lots of help.  Even more happy that I bought the pod with this kind of community Thumbs Up
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3227 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2016 at 11:42pm
Purchased our 2 12V batteries in March and June of 2011.  Both are still holding up real well and are NOT maintenance free.  As furpod stated, and we follow that protocol, check the water level a couple times per year.  I purchased a Sears battery charger at a yard sale about 10 years ago for 15 bucks.  It has all sorts of bells and whistles and charges both 6V and 12 V but I have mainly used the 2amp trickle charger option for my batteries.  Takes about 2 days(per battery) to bring them up to charge after sitting in the garage from October thru most of April.  In the fall before putting them in hibernation mode, it takes about 8 to 10 hours in the 2 amp trickle mode.
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Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2016 at 7:23pm
Originally posted by Hunter74

Thanks.  When I bought the trailer, because I do a lot of dry camping, the dealer said that two 6V were the best for my needs, the only thing they didn't say was that the batteries were not maintenance free.   Almost considering to go back, and tell them to install dual 12V maintenance free batteries.


For dry camping a pair of readily available 12V batteries would be a big step DOWN from the two GC2s. The only known true deep cycle 12V batteries are the GC12s from Batteries and Bulbs and several from Trojan, particularly the the T-1275. Both are intended for the golf cart market so they're more readily available, but not at Wally World or auto shops. 
Charlie
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OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD
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john in idaho View Drop Down
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Posts: 611 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2016 at 6:56pm
Buy a jug of distilled water and a 50cc syringe.  topping off batteries is way better than maintenance free
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Hunter74 View Drop Down
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Posts: 36 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2016 at 4:28pm
I guess charging in a garage is a little more "ventilated" then if I charged them in the enclosed batter box they sit in, on the trailer. lol
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furpod View Drop Down
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2016 at 4:20pm
Even 12v batteries need maintenance. Especially when used the way boondockers use them. The only maint. you will need to do is check the water once in a while. I do it about twice a year.
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