Happy battery, happy RV
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10929
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Topic: Happy battery, happy RV
Posted By: shroomer
Subject: Happy battery, happy RV
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 7:56pm
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Found this video on another forum (Jayco). There's an interesting part around 1:02 where the tech describes the importance of keeping the house battery charged so that the controls that run on 12v get the correct voltage. It also explains why SOME people have problems running their rv's on shore power without batteries. They must be getting a lot of service calls with this problem or he wouldn't be spending so much time on it in the walk through. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA05uYcU3zI - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA05uYcU3zI ------------- Larry and Debbie w/Rosie the mutt. Old: '13 177, '06 Silverado V6 New: '15 Whitehawk 20MRB '14 Silverado V8 |
Replies:
Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 10:26pm
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I've never heard of RV batteries having any 'control' over the voltage coming out of the converter. Also, I've never heard of voltage coming out of a properly working converter being as low as 9 volts. That sounds suspicious to me. ------------- "Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien 2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 16 Nov 2017 at 8:52am
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The charge circuit is a function of the converter, so the status of the battery can effect the charge circuit. I know mine goes into the charge mode then drops back to a maintain cycle and depending upon battery charge will change as the battery is used. It is never as low as 9 volts when operating, in fact the lowest I have seen with shore power applied on digital volt gauge is 13.1 volts. I watched that portion of the video, he was correct saying many control circuits are 12V vice 110, so a battery is required , it also powers the break away brake. Not sure about folks running a RV without a battery. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 16 Nov 2017 at 9:52am
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The point in the video was to keep your house battery in good shape and charged and all the RV accessories will be happy. It is a correct and totally valid point. His reference to 9 volts was to a very discharged battery not being charged. If you ever see 9 volts when plugged in to shore power either the converter is broken, the primary fuse is gone, or the battery has shorted cells. There are several reasons not to run the RV without a battery. even on shore power the brains of accessories run on 12 volts. They are electronic and electronics do not like dirty power. The converter has very little filtering in itself and relies on the connected battery to clean up the 12 volt power. even a small battery performs this function so if you always have shore power a low capacity battery will serve. For longer periods without shore power such as boondocking you should upgrade to higher capacity batteries. A second reason to have a battery is because the safety break away brake on most RVs including RPODs is powered from the battery. If the RV ever becomes disconnected from the TV while towing the brakes will engage using the onboard battery and stop the trailer. Better than having it careening across oncoming traffic or rolling back down that long hill you just climbed. So even though you always camp in CGs with electric hookups you should have and maintain a battery. As the video said "Happy battery, happy RV." And happy RVer.  ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |