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Battery Maintainer For Motorhome


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I've been reading that some motorhomes do not charge chassis bank while on shore power so phantom loads discharge them over time. Some owners have dealt with this by installing a battery maintainer. I thought this solution was set & forget but all the maintainers I look at must be unplugged from 120 AC while engine is started and running. Since we run our engines often while on shore power,Does anyone know of a unit which can be left connected all the time like our solar chargers are?

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I was told by the Ford motorhome chassis hotline that starting the RV engine and not driving it was the hardest thing that I could do to it. At a recent RV show a Cummins rep said that the same is true for diesel engines, especially if the engine is never brought completely up to normal operating temperatures. Why does the battery even need a maintainer if the engine is run every week?

I agree but not my call. I am installing the maintainer for a neighbor who starts every week. I often see folks doing the same. I guess it is very inconvienient to disconnect everything to drive.

There are several ways this could be dealt with easily. The easiest for the person who insists upon abusing his engine that way would be to just open the circuit breaker on the RV power pedestal that he is plugged into. Wala! No 120v power.

 

If he is wanting you to solve the problem and is willing to pay for you to do so, there are several ways that you could effect the same result. Many RVs that have a TV up front in view of the driver are equipped with a relay that opens the 120V power to the TV when the ignition key is turned to on. You could pretty easily do the same for a power supply to that float charger.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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yes Kirk, I am aware of the options you mention and I wondered the same but when I approched the rig, batteries were dead. Rather than relays and remembering to unplug or throw the main on the pedistal, I was posing the question of a maintainer which could be left connected the way solar controllers are. I am taking from this that there is no maintainer capable of this. By the way, I have seen many people run the engine once a month without driving. Especially those who do not move their rigs at all. Not saying this is wise but it is frequently seen.

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The only time I start my MH engine is when I drive it. It does not need lubricating when it is not being used.

<p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well.

IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR.

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I've been reading that some motorhomes do not charge chassis bank while on shore power so phantom loads discharge them over time. Some owners have dealt with this by installing a battery maintainer. I thought this solution was set & forget but all the maintainers I look at must be unplugged from 120 AC while engine is started and running. Since we run our engines often while on shore power,Does anyone know of a unit which can be left connected all the time like our solar chargers are?

I may be rude for saying so, but starting an engine just to pump oil throughout the engine is ignorant. Moisture condenses in the crankcase over time, unless the engine is ran/and driven for 20-30 minutes to evaporate that water from the oil, it just make more, to rust and corrode everything.

If that owner wants to oil the cylinders and rings, remove spark plugs, pour a teaspoon of oil(or use a motorboat spray mister) in each cylinder then replace the plugs.

As to the maintainer, just use jumper cables between coach and house batteries when parked - problem solved.

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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The most severe wear on a cold motor is the first 3 seconds after starting. You can see this by watching the oil gauge reading 0 PSI for the first 3 seconds. In other words, the engine is running dry until the oil pressure builds up and gets oil pumping through the engine. The best bet is to leave the engine alone and minimize cold starts. On the farm, we let tractors and combines set for 9 months with out starting, which was common.

As for the batteries, we would disconnect the cables and hook up a trickle charger. For a motorcycle that I stored in the garage once, I wired a charger into the garage door opener light, so it only charged when the light was on.

As far as the battery maintainer goes, can you rig up a switch near the dash to kill the power to the charger when running the engine? Just a toggle switch in the power feed line would work.

Greg

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gjhunter01, sure but a nightmare routing wires and adding relays. Ultra Trik-L-Start is the fully automatic solution though.

As for warmup, engines are usually run for 30 min or so- no condensation problems.

I didn't intend to get into the merits of running the engine or not. I have read threads which differ from opinions here. Thanks to all.

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As for warmup, engines are usually run for 30 min or so- no condensation problems.

I didn't intend to get into the merits of running the engine or not. I have read threads which differ from opinions here. Thanks to all.

There may well be differences in opinions in the general public but I can assure you that every experienced mechanic will agree that starting an engine and allowing it to idle without driving is a very bad idea as well as a waste of fuel.

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You may either use battery cables to connect the battery banks, or use an automatic charging relay.

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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I second Dave, the Trikl-start or its big brother do great.  I had one on my class-A and it worked as advertised.  I hard wired it in, took about a half hour but I tied up all the lines, screwed the charger to the firewall and loomed everything to be neat.

Happy Trails,

 

Florida Mike

EXPERTS AREN'T!! :D

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