Battery Chargers - What Works Best?

[dnelson60559]

I have a 2006 Monaco Cayman (37') Type A with the factory installed charger. I have been thinking about replacing it now for a few years and I was wondering what others have used.

I have been to the Batteryminders web site as well as the Battery Tender website but I have no experience with either of them, are there others? Do these potential solutions also charge the batteries while I am driving the MH?

I have two six volt house batteries (wired in series) and two 12v chassis batteries wired in parallel.

I have also seen solar panels that help charge - how well do these work for users on the forum?

Thanks for any input!

[wolfe10]

While driving, your engine's alternator charges both HOUSE and CHASSIS battery banks.

While on 120 VAC (shore power or generator) your "factory installed charger" WILL charge the house bank and MAY charge the chassis battery bank-- Find out from Monaco if your model charges both battery banks from the "factory installed charger".

Before we can give you advice on replacing the OE charger, you would need to tell us exactly what charger you have and also the answer to whether both battery banks are charged when on 120 VAC.

Brett

[dnelson60559]

Brett,

Thanks for the reply. I'll get the information on that, probably from my owner's manuals, but I suspect that it charges both sets of batteries - I leave my MH parked at our campground, plugged in, and I have never had an issue with drained batteries until recently. I plan on going out to the campground this weekend (March 24th).

David

[wolfe10]

David,

Yes, let us know how yours is wired, then we can go through some easy troubleshooting. (as long as you have a digital voltmeter which start under $20 from Sears, Radio Shack, etc).

Another easy thing to do is to VERIFY that all connections at the batteries are clean and tight. Check the chassis ground as well.

Check battery water level as well.

[dnelson60559]

Yes, I have a multi-meter. I checked the levels on the house batteries - a little low so I topped them off. The chassis batteries are "maintenance free" so I am not able to check any levels. The wiring is tight. I'll probably take my laptop to the campsite so I can post what I find.

[dnelson60559]

Brett,

Okay, here is the information:

I have an IntelliPower 9100; Model PD9160A

According to the MH Manual, I should read13.6 volts and I do - the manual also says that it only charge the house batteries.

At the house batteries, I am reading a similar voltage (currently plugged in to shore power)

The chassis batteries are only reading 9.78 volts so it looks like I'll need to run the engine a while but I know that is NOT good so, I'll have to get a charger for the chassis batteries.

Based upon what has been exchanged so far, it looks like everything is as it should be - the batteries drained because of the GFI being tripped since our last visit and running the radio while we are gone (keep the critters confused) - maybe we'll get a radio that runs off the 120v instead of the dash radio that runs off the chassis batteries.

The folks I communicated with at Battery Tenders indicated that I would need two seperate chargers, one for the house and one for the chassis.

Now, all that said, any suggestions? I'd like to have somethig that will take proper care of the batteries instead of just charging them and I would LOVE it to be something that can be installed and then "forgotten".

Thanks again for your help!

David

[TombstoneJim]

Are these the original batteries? If so theyare pushing 7 years old. I suspect bad batteries.

[wolfe10]

David,

Your house battery charging if just fine.

You have two choices to charge your chassis batteries (and you need to do this, as batteries die very quickly when deeply discharged).

1. A separate small charger.

2. A smart relay-based battery combiner that will charge the chassis battery when the house battery bank is above a certain voltage.

Either is a fine solution.

Brett

[dnelson60559]

Yes, these are the original batteries so I might need to replace them. I was at an RV dealer near Rockford and purchased a battery charger that is a "three stage" charger. Connected it up on Saturday afternoon and I'll check it either this coming weekend or next (the charging unit has various LED to indicate charge state).

Thanks again for the help!

[wolfe10]

Invest in a digital voltmeter-- they start under $20 at Sears, Radio Shack, etc.

FAR more accurate than idiot lights.

Remember, you are only working with 1/2 volt of working range between fully charged battery and 50% discharged battery.

Brett