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Power converter questions

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Dillon

RVF Regular
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Messages
7
Location
East Central Illinois
RV Year
2005
RV Make
Coachmen
RV Model
FR200RB
RV Length
24'
Does a power converter consume any battery power when RV is not in use and all the branch fuses have been pulled eliminating any load? Should I install a battery cutoff switch on the battery and turn it off when the RV is not in use? If the RV is left plugged in to shore power when not in use, will the charger in the converter overcharge or cook the battery? I'm finding out that batteries in a RV are the number 1 problem to deal with. Thanks!
 
If you have a smart charger, your batteries will not overcharge. They are designed to be plugged in for long periods. If your inverter, charger and converter arew all in one, you will not want to have the battery shut off in use when plugged in. This would prevent your battery from charging.
 
Hey @Dillon

You are right, batteries are the biggest pain when it comes to common failure. Your RV age tells me it has a 3 stage charger, I would want to verify that. Float charge for such a charger is likely 13.8vdc. consider that car electrical systems maintain 14.4 volts all the time and you will feel safe that the batteries will not fry, not even gel batteries will dry out at that voltage.

3 stage chargers can be used with all lead acid type batteries. This is not true with Lithium batteries that require constant current constant voltage. But we are not talking about that right now. only a reference should you be thinking Lithium for your future and what kind of charger you should get.

If you want lead acid batteries an AGM battery bank will work well with the 3 stage charger in your converter. And the AGM is a better battery than flooded golf cart batteries. The AGM should last twice as long as a flooded battery with no maintenance, and no corrosion on the terminals to keep clean.
 
Hey @Dillon

You are right, batteries are the biggest pain when it comes to common failure. Your RV age tells me it has a 3 stage charger, I would want to verify that. Float charge for such a charger is likely 13.8vdc. consider that car electrical systems maintain 14.4 volts all the time and you will feel safe that the batteries will not fry, not even gel batteries will dry out at that voltage.

3 stage chargers can be used with all lead acid type batteries. This is not true with Lithium batteries that require constant current constant voltage. But we are not talking about that right now. only a reference should you be thinking Lithium for your future and what kind of charger you should get.

If you want lead acid batteries an AGM battery bank will work well with the 3 stage charger in your converter. And the AGM is a better battery than flooded golf cart batteries. The AGM should last twice as long as a flooded battery with no maintenance, and no corrosion on the terminals to keep clean.
Thanks for the info. Will check on that charger if 3 stage. I bought a Battery Tender Plus and put it on. I installed a battery cutoff switch so I could use the tender. It has been on for 4 days now and the light on the charger still has not turned green. Not even 80% with flashing green light. Beginning to wonder about the battery condition. It is a FVP Voltedge Marine M24-5DP. The person I bought the RV from said it was new. Is the tender a bad Idea? Was planning on leaving it on all winter.
 
Thanks for the info. Will check on that charger if 3 stage. I bought a Battery Tender Plus and put it on. I installed a battery cutoff switch so I could use the tender. It has been on for 4 days now and the light on the charger still has not turned green. Not even 80% with flashing green light. Beginning to wonder about the battery condition. It is a FVP Voltedge Marine M24-5DP. The person I bought the RV from said it was new. Is the tender a bad Idea? Was planning on leaving it on all winter.
Most of the time a tender is a maintainer. very low current. an example is in order.

if you have 105amp battery, 50% is 52 amps. not considering losses in internal resistance a 2 amp maintainer would take 24 hours to bring up the charge to 100% just looked at one online 1.25amps so 50 hours to bring up a battery that is at 50% charge. more of a bank will take longer.

The tender is not a bad Idea just short of what is needed for a quick charge, more for keeping the bank up that is already charged.
 

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