convertor/charger/desulfator question

Hi all,

I apoligize if this question has been answered in another post but I was unable to find it... the charger in my trailer just boiled one of my AGM batteries. The trailer hadn't been plugged in for about 5 months as I was away all summer unable to use it. Having solar panels, I thought it would stay charged but plugging it in, I found two lights on. Oops! Anyway, I just purchased 2x 6V lead acid batteries to replace my 2x 12v AGM batteries. I also purchased a Batteryminder 12248 as I was interested in the desulfator feature and possibly a better charge than what the trailers stock charger would give.

Question I have is, how do I disable the current stock charger? I believe it's built in to the convertor itself and I think shutting off the convertor breaker shuts off the charger, unsure though. I'm thinking that shutting off the convertor breaker also makes all the lights run off the batteries since power isn't being converted to 12v when plugged in to shore power. If the battery is being charged at the same time, this should be ok?!?

Can I install a battery disconnect and shut the batteries off to the trailer instead or do the batteries have to be connected when plugged in to shore power? Not sure what would happen if the stock trailer charger was disconnected from the batteries when plugged in. Is there any way to disable the stock charger so I can let the BatteryMinder charge the batteries when plugged in?

Thanks to anyone who can help me understand this better!!

Ok so the more I research this, it sounds like the charger I purchased is excellent at maintaining the battery over a long term, storage etc... not to keep it up with everyday usage as the main primary charger perhaps. Definitely cannot cut the battery power when plugged in to shorepower. What I am thinking may be better is plumping in a seperate 20 amp shorepower connection, which I see several have done on here. Scares the bejeebers out of me to cut into the side of the trailer but this could allow me to keep the trailer unplugged from the convertor while stored and simply plugged in to this battery "maintainer" instead.

Does anyone know if the Batteryminder 12248 still desulfates when simply connected to the battery but not plugged into 120vac power? The OBD-12 works in this fasion, no power other than battery.

Also, where do these radio waves come from to desulfate? The manual says to install the unit away from the battery yet I'm wondering if to far will affect the effectiveness of the desulfication?

Thanks.

Can't help you with your main question but I can offer advice on separate shorepower connection because that's what I do on my 2010 25RL.

I have 2 - 12 volt batteries with a dedicated battery maintainer on each (Canadian Tire @ $30 each). I run a separate electrical extension to the house for this purpose only (plus I plug in an oil-filled heater to this as well...set at 5 degrees C). I have not cut into the wall either because I am lucky enough that it is not necessary. I run the extension out of the trailer through the cupboard on the driver side which houses the tank release levers, outside shower, city water connection, etc. At the bottom of this cupboard there is the round hinged opening for hoses and that is where my extension actually leaves the trailer. From there to the house and into a 20 amp house plug. This works perfect for me; I hope this helps?

First, you had 2 AGMs and only one went bad?? You need to think about that. Yes you can put a battery kill switch to disconnect from the charger on WC. I also put a switch on mine so that I can turn it off at the braker box. The charger and converter are 2 different units so you can turn off the charger and still have 12 volts to the WC. You only need 1 good charger to keep up your batteries after the kill switch. So you turn on the kill switch then turn on your charger so it does not back feed to the WC

Thanks Kim for your suggestion. The difference with my unit is that I don't have that compartment where all my connections are together like that. That would be handy indeed.

Timflood, yes only one AGM went bad. Like I was told when I needed a new battery for my diesel truck to always replace in pairs so this is what I did for my trailer as well. What do you mean by I should think about that? The fact that it was a batttery problem and not the charger? I agree for sure. The only reason I am looking at the charger is not really because I think it may be bad, its because I now have new batteries and want to do the best thing for them and speaking to a few battery guys and reading online, it seems our chargers that came with our trailers are not the best thing for them so just looking at what sort of inexpensive upgrade I can do about prolonging the life of these new batteries. I like what you did by putting a switch to shut off your stock charger. This may be a stupid question but where do you find the charger to shut off? Is it a seperate component of the convertor and located with it?

Thanks!

Volfirefighter,

You could just put a battery switch up near the batteries and wire your separate charger to that and pick which charger is working whenever you wish. All the wiring is right there for easy access so you don't have to run any wires through the trailer. This is what I have done. Works great.

Hmmmm interesting. So your switch is used to switch between chargers vice batteries? So no harm to the stock charger if plugged into shore power and working if you are switched to the other charger or am I misunderstanding?

Some people have the Xantrex charger as well. I'm trying to decide between the Batteryminder 12248 that I just bought (might return) or the Xantrex Truecharge 2. The Batteryminder charger is half the price but less amps. I'm not sure I am understanding what people are doing to disable their original charger. I was looking at my converter today and I don't see where I would disable the charger. I like the idea of switching between the two but if I got with the higher amp Xantrex, then I really could just use that one full time.

Thanks!

I have a Xantrex 40 amp charger by my batters, I have 4, 6 volt ones. When I use the Xantrex charger I have the kill switch turn on so it will not send any amps to my charger that came with the WC just to the battery's. And when i said you might think about that, I was thinking why just one battery went bad and why would the WC charger just cook just one battery. The shore power sends AC to the converter and the charger, you have a beaker that goes to the charger, I took that wire from breaker to charger and put a switch on it. It is AC power that goes to the charger, I just turn the switch to off then no power to the charger and no charge to the battery's then I turn the kill switch so no power from the Xantrex charger can get to the WC charger. Batteryminder 12248 or Xanterx, I have a Xanterx and like it and yes it is more money but IT IS more and better and faster.

It is correct that I choose chargers instead of batteries. I ran a new ac line to the front where the batteries are and that is where my separate charger is. So, when on shore power I leave it set on position one for the convertor charger to do its normal thing. When dry camping I plug the shore power cord into the generator, therefore powering all the ac circuits in the trailer and in turn powering the separate charger, and switch to position 2 for the separate charger to charge the batteries faster. This limits generator running time as I also have a trimetric battery meter that tells me exactly how many amps are going back into my batteries. When it reaches a level I am happy with to last the night I shut it down.

Thanks for the replies... sorry about the delay in responding as I am on the road. Came home from a 5 month trip with the Navy and want to at least be able to use the 'Cat' once this year so we are on our way south to Disneyland with the kids.

I have no idea why I would only cook one battery vice both. Well, maybe not no idea as the salesman at Interstate told me that when AGM batteries are left discharged so long, the gel can harden and then you will have problems. He said he had never seen a battery get so hot as mine did. I noticed that in our firetruck (yes, I'm a volunteer firefighter, not just a cleaver handle. lol) that we use a Xantrex Truecharge 2 that is plugged in 24/7 and seems to work great. I just wasn't sure why Xantrex is twice the price. I guess because it is much higher amps making it so much quicker. Now I have to figure out why my solar panels are not providing any charge. I thought that maybe because I live north and the time of the year, that maybe that had something to do with it but now that I am south, still 0 charge coming from them. great, another item to ad to my list of things to trouble shoot!

I also don;t seem to have a seperate breaker for the charger, just one marked converter that seems to shut both down.

Thanks guys!

Here are links to my posts of my battery and converter mods

Golf cart batteries, inverter and battery switch
http://www.wildcatcamperforum.com/t2780-inverter-golf-cart-batteries-battery-switch-mod?highlight=battery

Battery desulphator
http://www.wildcatcamperforum.com/t2972-onboard-battery-desulphator?highlight=battery

Converter upgrade
http://www.wildcatcamperforum.com/t2822-upgraded-conveter-charger-with-a-4-stage-charger?highlight=charger

Mopar_Earl wrote:Here are links to my posts of my battery and converter mods

Golf cart batteries, inverter and battery switch
http://www.wildcatcamperforum.com/t2780-inverter-golf-cart-batteries-battery-switch-mod?highlight=battery

Battery desulphator
http://www.wildcatcamperforum.com/t2972-onboard-battery-desulphator?highlight=battery

Converter upgrade
http://www.wildcatcamperforum.com/t2822-upgraded-conveter-charger-with-a-4-stage-charger?highlight=charger

Awesome, thanks a lot for that! I've read your post on the desulphator before. A couple questions I have about that is, does the OBD-12 say to install right at the battery like that? I bought the 12248 and it says to install far from the batter because of the charger feature and possible off gassing not getting along well. My quesiton is, how or where do these desulphation frequency pulses come from? If I install away from the battery, wouldn't it make the desuphation process less effective?

Also, I noticed you have 2x 6V and 1x 12V battery. Are they hooked up together? I've read that it isn't advised to hook up two different types like that and am wondering how it's working out for you... if this is how you have yours setup, or do you have a switch to change between the two?

Thanks!

My desulphators are installed per manufacturers instructions. They're sealed units so no boom. They have doublesided tape to attach right to the battery but I just let mine lay. The frequencies come from the unit and through the wires. They have a frequency generator inside. Mine only operate when the system is charging. When my converter drops down in voltage the desulphators turn off and turn back on when full charging starts back up.
My battery switch is 4 position. 1, 2, all or off. I use all to charge and use the 6v batteries when camping. If I run them too low, I have the 12v OEM battery to switch over to. Yes, you don't draw off different types or voltage batteries. I only draw off one or the other. You can charge them together though.


Earl

Mopar_Earl wrote:My desulphators are installed per manufacturers instructions. They're sealed units so no boom. They have doublesided tape to attach right to the battery but I just let mine lay. The frequencies come from the unit and through the wires. They have a frequency generator inside. Mine only operate when the system is charging. When my converter drops down in voltage the desulphators turn off and turn back on when full charging starts back up.
My battery switch is 4 position. 1, 2, all or off. I use all to charge and use the 6v batteries when camping. If I run them too low, I have the 12v OEM battery to switch over to. Yes, you don't draw off different types or voltage batteries. I only draw off one or the other. You can charge them together though.
Earl

Ahhh ok, so mine must go through the wires as it says to locate the charger as far from the batteries as possible as mine is a combined charger/desulphator.

I was thinking that you must have a switch and I like your idea having it as a backup. Always nice to have that extra piece of mind. I still have that one good 12v AGM battery that I took out so that would be a perfect use for it.

Thanks Earl.